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“Hey.”
“Where did you run off to in your head?”
“I was just thinking,” I tell him.
“About…”
“Nothing important.” I shrug.
“Why do I not believe you, Ryan Parker?”
I chuckle and wink at him before turning back to the table, dipping into conversation with Bailey as she tells her dad about the concert tickets I got her for her birthday. The rest of dinner passes easily, the mood light and airy, and when we leave, I hop into Chase’s car without hesitation, my hand curling around his on the gear stick as he pulls away from the restaurant.
The others follow behind us, but in here, it’s just me and him. There isn’t any other place in the world I’d rather be.
13
Chase
Ryan’shandbrushesagainstthe straining zipper of my jeans when she lifts from the couch and stalks out of the lounge.
There isn’t a doubt in my mind that she knows exactly what she’s doing as she saunters through the hallway, swinging her hips seductively with each step she takes. She turns to face me for a moment, a smirk on her face. I shake my head, fighting my smile as she winks before disappearing through the open doorway.
Ryan thought it would be a great idea to stroke me over my jeans on the drive back, and I’ve been rock hard since we came back from town a couple hours ago. I tried to persuade her to sneak up into my bedroom, but she thought it would be a great idea to have a game night with the whole family.
If I didn’t think she’d murder me in my sleep, I’d have thrown her over my shoulder before she could utter a single complaint, let everyone into the little secret we’ve been harbouring. I rather like my life, though. Especially now that Ryan seems to be coming around to the idea of becoming a permanent feature in it.
But when she’s behaving how she is tonight, taunting and teasing me with her body, it’s almost impossible to keep my mouth shut and not blurt out to her—and the whole family—that I’m madly in love with her and can she please just put me out my misery.
Mum slides onto the cushion beside me, offering me a fresh beer. I uncap it, hoping the cool liquid can douse the fire raging inside me, but I think it’s futile at this point. Only one thing is going to cool me down tonight, and she’s determined to keep riling me up before we get to that point.
“You and Ryan seem to be getting along well,” Mum comments, glancing at me eagerly.
“We’ve always gotten on well, Mum.”
“Oh, I know,” she says, with a wistful sigh. “It just feels different this year, is all.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, keeping my voice blank.
“You both seem happier, I guess.” I avert my eyes, knowing my mum can read every emotion on my face if she wants to. “It’s nice. It reminds me of Eli when he was courting Sarah.”
“Mum, no one says courting anymore.” I laugh, and she whacks me with the back of her hand.
“Would you rather I called it fucking? Isn’t that what all you young’uns are doing these days?”
I grimace, a shudder rocking through me. “Oh God. Please don’t. Absolutely not. That word should never come out of your mouth.”
“What word?” Daisy chirps, popping up from her game of Battleship with Bailey.
They both look over at us, and I send them a glare, refusing to answer the question. Not that Mum seems to have any such reservation. “Fucking.” Daisy gags, and Bailey shields her face behind her dressing gown, flushing a bright red as Mum keeps talking. “Oh, don’t act so scandalised. It’s not as if your dad and I didn’t do enough of that back in our day. Isn’t that right, Martin?”
“Too right, love. Hell, we still do plenty of it now.” Dad grins. “Remember last week when we—”
“Oh, God, I think I’m going to be sick.” Daisy runs from the room, plugging her ears, and I glance at Bailey, tipping my head in the direction she went. She nods and pushes up to stand, her eyes wide as Dad keeps talking.
“Bye, Mum and Dad,” she calls, and we rush from the room before our parents can traumatise us forever. We find Daisy and Ryan in the kitchen, loaded hot chocolates in their hands.
“Look, it’s not that I don’t realise our parents must be…” Daisy winces, gritting her teeth. “Doing the deed.I mean, they have four children, but why on earth they’d ever think we’d want to hear about it, I don’t know. I think I might need therapy after that.”
