I didn’t answer and shrugged. But he was persistent.
“Fiona. Were you going to pay for it without asking for help?”
“I was in the midst of figuring it out. It wasn’t going well.”There.I’d admitted it. He knew I was poor. But how could he not withthishouse?God.Shame took over my chest, but he didn’t look at me with pity. Not once.
“You’re a stubborn little thing.”
“When you say it, it doesn’t sound like a compliment.” Awareness grew between us and his nostrils flared.
“Wasn’t meant to be one. Go downstairs and make sure no one sits on Big Al. They were trying to fart on him before I came up.”
“Boys. Such idiots.” I chuckled and moved toward the hallway, but he stopped me for the second time. “Yeah?”
“You can ask me for help.” His eyes burned into me, daring me to argue. “I’ll help you.”
“Thank you?” I gulped. The lump in my throat increased at least three times.
“And I owe you an apology.” His jaw tensed and I froze. Had this man ever said those words to another human before? “I’m sorry I threw away the cupcakes. I shouldn’t have done that.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond when he reached out and squeezed my shoulder. Then he walked away.Hot damn.The asshole had a different side to his personality and I didn’t hate this one.
Chapter Ten
Gideon
I will never have kids. Not after surviving that all-nighter. I waved as the last parent picked up Brad. Fucking Brad had kept forgetting to call his parents for a ride until I got firm with him. They’d had a blast—video games, movies, snacks and aggressive card games had kept them entertained the entire time. Even I’d enjoyed myself at some moments when the volunteers weren’t acting like my shadow, following me around every second. Fiona enjoyed my misery and did nothing to swoop in and help.I wasn’t the only asshole.
I cringed at the disaster in the basement.
Crumbs. Trash. Wrappers. And a lingering stench that was hard to describe. But my head pounded from lack of sleep and the bean bag floor was calling my name. I washed my face, brushed my teeth and made the trek to the basement. Fiona said she had to grab some stuff before heading out and I didn’t wait to say goodbye.
Because the blonde got under my skin. Her refusal to ask for help, her easy way with the kids, her incessant jokes, loud laugh and obnoxious smile. Yeah. I wanted her out of my house.
But no such luck. She lay on the floor, sound asleep with half her shirt pulled up. Her lower back was exposed and dear god, why was that hot? The curve of her spine, the low-riding sweatpants were not sexy. Yet my cock woke up.
I didn’t even like her.
She definitely disliked me.
But the attraction was there. I stepped onto the floor and she turned over, letting out a small moan.Fucking hell.“Fiona. You need to go,” I barked at her. It was more to protect myself, but her wounded expression still bothered me.
“Yeah.” She rubbed her hands over her face. “Sorry. I didn’t mean—” She yawned loud and hard. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I’m so fucking tired.”
Goddamn it. She shouldn’t drive home.It’s dangerous. She could crash. Fuck that.
“Stay. I’m sorry.” I shook sleep from my head and fell onto the ground. My complete one-eighty gave me a headache, and it didn’t combine well with the lack of sleep. “You shouldn’t drive like this. Stay.”
“You’re sure?” she asked, but her eyes had already closed. “I can-I can leave.”
I wasn’t that much of a heartless asshole. “No. Stay. Sleep.”
And she was out. I chuckled and felt the exhaustion of the night hit me. It had been ages since I’d had a sleepless night and I was conked. I barely counted to ten before blackness took over and the exhaustion from the week hit me.Lights out, Gideon.
* * * *
My neck ached something brutal. The angle I’d fallen asleep in had caused the entire right side to cramp up and I needed some goddamn ice.Why did I fall asleep on the floor?
Oh, right. The sleepover. Fiona.
