Parker’s bubbly blond fiancée laughs. “There are worse colors, for sure. But you should try the oysters, too. They’re phenomenal.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I’m scared of oysters.”
Her brows shoot up. “What? Why?”
I shrug, eyeing the glistening shellfish with my usual suspicion. “I don’t know. They’re so shiny and squishy-looking. They look like something that should still be inside something alive, but covered up by fat and skin and stuff, you know?”
“So…entrails?” she asks dryly. “That’s what you’re saying?”
I laugh. “Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to be delicate about it since you’re clearly about to eat one, but…”
She grins. “No worries. I’m not bothered. I’m a chef. Entrails don’t scare me.” She slurps up an oyster she’s squeezed full of lemon juice and moans happily as she chews. “Delicious. Like eating a summer day by the beach.”
I arch a brow, tempted by her description—Idolike a summer day by the beach—but my phone starts to buzz.
I reach into my clutch to silence it, glance down at the screen, then excuse myself with a soft, “Sorry, I have to take this.”
I press the phone to my ear as I turn away, pretending to be on a call as I head for the back of The Orleans Regent’s event space.
When we arrived, Dean and I set alarms for ten-thirty to pop outside and check in to see if he felt he’d put in enough of a showing to make a graceful exit. He agreed to come to Capo’s cologne launch party before we agreed to fuck each other as often as humanly possible, and Dean is nothing if not an honorable man, who keeps his promises.
He reallydoeskeep his promises, even silly promises, like vowing never to buy the brand of bananas Bella randomly decided are poison or letting Ava put Nutasha P. Bettersquirrel on the bottom step to “keep night watch,” even though he’s tripped over her five times.
(I gave Nutasha to the girls as a present. She’s so happy, she can barely contain herself. Providing plushy support to an adult is all well and good, but any toy worth her stuffing knows the kid game is where it’s at. I love that the girls love Nutasha, and include her in all their stuffy games. It makes me happy to think of the squirrel I made always being with them, even if someday, I’m not.)
But it’s hard to imagine leaving the Kate household anytime soon.
I am way too gone on their dad. He’s so hot in every possible way that I can barely go ten minutes without daydreaming about him inside me. Or daydreaming about how much fun I have with him and the girls. Or daydreaming about what it would be like to be cheering him on from the stands as more than his nanny.
As his girlfriend or…something more serious than a girlfriend.
It’s crazy.I’mcrazy and gettingwayahead of myself.
We haven’t even told anyone that we’re dating. We agreed it’s best to pretend we’re just friends whose nanny-boss relationship sadly didn’t work out, due to him needing more overnight hours than my “burgeoning music career” would allow.
My music career is definitely more “idling” than “burgeoning,” but it’s a decent excuse. His teammates seem to have bought it. Even Blue and Beatrice accepted the explanation with nothing more than a “bummer, it seemed like such a good fit, too,” text, and an offer to let me move back to their place if the rent at Dean’s got to be too much to manage.
I didn’t like lying to them about paying rent. Or about Dean. But he refuses to let me pay him a dime, and we’re not ready to explain what we are just yet.
I’m not sure we even know, honestly.
All we know is that we can’t keep our damned hands to ourselves, a thing he proves as I step out onto the roof. He’s waiting right by the door, next to a stunning view of the city lit up at night, ready to pull me into his arms.
“Is this okay? Is there anyone else up here?” I ask, but I don’t wait for him to answer before looping my fingers around his neck. My self-control is non-existent with this man, and it’s chilly up here. I tell myselfthat’swhy I can’t help snuggling my chest tight to his.
“Not a soul,” he says, kissing me with the words. “Guess it’s too cold for the smokers tonight.”
I smile against his lips. “No, the smokers are out on the balcony downstairs. Maybe no one else knows about the roof.”
He pulls back, his eyes dancing as his palms skim down to grip my bottom in both hands, sending a zing of arousal acrossmy skin. “Good. I’ve been dying to squeeze your ass all night. This dress is…”
“Nice?” I supply, grinning up at him.
“So nice. So much better than nice. You look like a mermaid fresh out of water. Still all sparkly and wet.”
“Wet is definitely a thing when I’m around you,” I murmur. “But at least I’m wearing panties tonight. I found my thong.”
He wrinkles his nose and curses, making me laugh.
