“Oh, I think he’ll be winning a lot.” Will laughed.
“I like winning.” I kissed her again and then waved off the guys. “Yeah, I’m gonna tap out for the night.”
“He’s gonna be tapping some—” Smack. “Son of a bitch, Trevor! Do you mind?”
He just hit him again.
I locked eyes with Will.
One head nod.
And one hug.
And I felt the chasm in my heart close.
By the time we made it to the house, I was ready to rip her clothes off, sing her name, lick her from head to toe, memorize every inch of her body, make a sandwich — because, you know, carbs — and do it again.
Instead, Amelia was home.
I had nothing against Not-My-Daughter, but the last thing she needed was to hear moans coming from her mom’s bedroom.
I could only imagine the trauma.
And the tattling to Braden, who would end up coming back early and punching me in the face.
I opened the door for Bronte and nearly died with the way her hips swayed back and forth… back and forth. Hypnotized… I was so damn hypnotized that I didn’t realize Amelia was on the couch.
“Mom, Not-My-Dad’s being creepy and staring at your butt.”
I snapped my head up and glared at her. “All this after I gave you money?”
She shrugged. “What can I say? I spent it.”
“All of it?” I asked. “How?”
“Living is expensive.” She beamed with a bright smile while Bronte let out a little chuckle and went to the kitchen.
I sprinted over to the couch and jumped onto it right next to Amelia. “Yeah, I’m gonna need another favor.”
Her green eyes lit up. “How incredibly shocking.”
“Would it kill you to soften some of the teen spirit?” I wondered aloud.
“Would it kill you to sleep alone tonight?”
I gasped in outrage. “No.” I pointed my finger at her. “We are not discussing this. No, off-topic, no.”
“But, but…” She sniffled. “…where do babies come from? Mama says when you cuddle really hard—”
“I hate you.” I was so uncomfortable I wanted to hide under the table, but it was glass, so I would just look like an idiot staring up at Amelia in all my embarrassed glory. “Look, it’s her birthday tomorrow.”
“Birthday sex. Birthday sex.” Amelia bobbed her head.
“Damn, teenagers are the worst!” I crossed my arms and leaned back against the couch. “What’s it gonna take?”
Her grin was evil.
This is going to be painful, isn’t it?
“Another set of concert tickets, but this time, backstage passes to AD2, and if you throw in a Red Carpet invite for Jamie Jaymeson’s next film, I could probably find a friend who will take my homeless self in tonight, so I’m not scarred for life.”
“Please.” I snorted. “I’m a sex symbol.”
“Aw, how cute. You still believe that, old man.”
“I’M NOT OLD!” I felt the need to yell again.
She scrunched up her nose. “How is the hip anyway?”
“When it rains, it does ache a bit.” I rubbed my hip and then moved my hand to my knees. “And sometimes, these creak, so good thing I don’t need to use them in order to—”
“La la la la la,” she sang, covering her ears with her hands.
I grinned triumphantly.
Amelia dropped her hands. “Fine. Shake on it?”
“Are all teens so damn expensive and annoying, or just you?”
She beamed. “It’s a gift.”
“Curse,” I fired back and then shook her hand.
“Drew?” Amelia suddenly looked uncertain as she glanced over her shoulder then back at me. “Be gentle with her.”
I squeezed her hand and then pulled her in for a hug. “I swear.”
Amelia sighed against me and then added, “I’ll murder you and bury the body if you hurt her.”
My heart warmed as I pulled away and flicked her nose. “I would expect nothing less from Not-My-Daughter.”
She swallowed and then said. “You’re not so bad at this stuff…”
“Extortion?” I joked.
“No.” She shoved me. “You’re not so bad at the parent-slash-teen negotiation moments. In fact, I give you a gold star.”
“That’s really all I wanted for my life.”
“You’re welcome.” She stood. “All right, I’m just going to grab an overnight bag, text a friend, and if you could keep the PDA to a minimum while I’m on the premises too, that would be awesome.”
“I’ll try to keep my hands and mouth to myself.”
“Ew!” She shuddered and then got up and walked off.
“I’m not ew!” I called after her. “Sex symbol!”
“Okay, old man!” she called back.
“There a reason you’re trying to convince my daughter you’re a sex symbol?” Bronte teased as she tossed me a bottled water.
I sighed. “She called me old, made fun of my hip, and ruined my self-esteem.”
She rolled her eyes. “Your self-esteem, I’m sure, is just fine. Maybe your ego will actually fit in the house now?”
“What can I say? All of me is big.” I smirked.
“DREW, I’M STILL HERE!” Amelia shouted.
“I KNOW!” I yelled right back and then gave Bronte a shrug. “What? A little trauma never hurt anyone. She’ll survive.”
Bronte covered her face with her hands and just shook her head, mumbling, “I think I need more caffeine to deal with you.”
“I’ll be your drug,” I teased just as Amelia came out of her room and visibly shuddered.
“Gross.” She bypassed me and went into her mom’s arms, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry about me. I’m feeling better already. And Candice’s parents are both home. I’m gonna ride my bike down there, okay?”
“You really don’t have to.” Bronte frowned.
“Yes, she does,” I said, at the exact same time Amelia grumbled, “Yes, I do.”
Bronte looked between us. “Are you two working together now?”
“Scary, isn’t it?” I sighed. “She’s quite expensive, that one, and a little too intelligent for my liking. Are you even capable of having children who aren’t in the process of world domination?”
“Nope,” Amelia answered for her. “Thank God, we got all mom’s genes.”
“Up top.” I held up my hand for a high-five. “Imagine if you would have gotten some of mine.”
“Suddenly, I see myself with less brain cells, more ego, and a tattoo that says
