Something about the way he asks it makes it seem like a loaded question. Not casual at all. There's an edge to it I can't quite identify.
An unwelcome thought bubbles up. Does he not want me here tonight for some reason?
Is he expecting company?
Just because I haven't seen a woman stay over yet doesn'tmean it doesn't happen. After all, Jonah spends Saturday nights at his grandpa's house. This would be the night Walker would usually have the place to himself.
He's a healthy man in his prime. Not to mention a famous one. It stands to reason he's getting regular sex.
Or was, until I showed up and complicated his living situation.
The idea makes me flush hotly, and not in a good way. Once more, there’s that feeling disturbingly like jealousy curdling in my gut.
I'm embarrassed by the obvious hesitation in my voice when I ask, “Should Inotcome back tonight?”
Now he frowns. “Didn't say that. Just figured you'd spend the night at your boyfriend's place.”
I look at him, baffled. “I don't have a boyfriend.”
“You don’t?”
Now we’re both two confused idiots just staring at each other.
“Why would you think that?” I ask.
“Because you said the words ‘my boyfriend’ a while back.”
It takes me a second to remember. Then it clicks. “Hypotheticalboyfriend. In response to the offensive hypothetical scenario of said boyfriend screwing me on the couch, as you so eloquently put it.”
He winces. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Wow. Is that an admission of wrongdoing from Walker ‘End of Story’ Rhodes?”
“I can admit when I’ve been a jerk. That was one of those times.” He drags a hand along his jaw. “No boyfriend, huh? I guess that’s good.”
My heart starts beating just a little faster. “What makes you say that?”
He pauses. His eyes flicker away for a secondbefore coming back to me. “Because I was gonna read that asshole the riot act for letting you drive around on those tires.”
Is that theonlyreason?The question is on the tip of my tongue.
His eyes are practically sparkling right now. Those broad shoulders have lost some of their tension. He might, in fact, be close to smiling.
He thought I had a boyfriend.
This whole time, he thought I was taken.
I don't have time to think about what any of that means, because Jonah trots up between us with that gap-toothed grin.
“Dad! You’re not supposed to say bad words! Sadie says so!”
“Sorry,” Walker says, looking not sorry at all. Not with that roguish smirk on his face. “See? I'm getting better at apologies.”
I shake my head, fighting a smile. “We'll keep working on your daddy's language, won't we?” I wink at Jonah.
“I'll miss you, Sadie,” Jonah says, his face going serious. “Please don't go for too long.”
Not for the first time, I wonder about Jonah's mom. Walker's ex-wife, famous for her astonishing beauty and equally astonishing jet-setting lifestyle.
