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Chris guffawed. “Or something. Did you hear that, guys?” The others started laughing too. “She thinks the guy every woman in this room knows is sex on a fucking stick is—and I quote—attractive or something.”
“I don’t know what’s so funny.” I put my hands on my hips.
“Peyton, we’ve talked about this,” Jessen coaxed, using her therapist tone on me.
“Stop it with that voice.” I jabbed a finger at her, which caused another round of giggles from everyone. “Are we sure I want to do this?”
“Yes,” Adrienne said as she laid the dress on the bed. “You’ve already let him have the milk for free, as my mother would say. You might as well get the princess treatment. I mean really, Pey. Look at this dress. And the shoes.” She picked them up and cradled them to her chest, rocking them like they were an infant. “Perfection. Who could have guessed he was capable of picking something like this?”
They were right. I was doing this. Iwantedto do this. And getting ready with my friends was the perfect way to start the night. Not wanting them to give me crap about how excited I was, I simply muttered, “Whatever.” Then I pointed at Tyler and asked, “Do you know how to use that?”
She held the diffuser up higher. “I can kill you with this in fifteen different ways. Of course I fucking know how to use it.”
I did the only thing I could do. I sat down and let her do my hair.
ChapterTwenty-Six
REAPER
Wasthis reallyfinallyabout to happen?
Hell fucking yeah it was.
Peyton had needed space. Between the fight with her brother and her needing to come up with custom apologies for each of her girls, she’d decided to stay at the office. Which was fine by me. Gave me time to put a few things in motion.
First I dropped a few duffle bags filled with clothes at her house. Should I have asked first? I kind of did. And she told me no, so I did it anyway.
Next it was time to put my years of research to good use. Her favorite restaurant, the shoes that she loved but refused to buy herself, and her favorite lingerie shop that she stalked online but didn’t order from. Knowing all the things that made her happy made planning our first date a lot of fun.
Fuck.A date. I’d never gone on one before. Seemed pointless when I was younger, then when I decided I wanted Peyton, she was the only one I wanted to take out to dinner. Or lunch. Brunch? I didn’t care as long as she was across the table from me.
I stared at myself in the mirror, combing my fingers through my hair before I pulled it into a bun and left the bathroom. I was at the clubhouse because it was closer to Peyton’s office than my place. I reached for my cut hanging on the back of the chair, then stopped.
I wanted to be Colt with her, not Reaper, Redemption’s head enforcer. She knew who that guy was, had been around enough to see the role I played within the club. But I’d never given her the man. By the time I’d figured out the kind of man I wanted to be and became him, she was long gone.
She’d missed the transformation from a kid with a chip on his shoulder to the man who knew what he stood for. What he wanted. And that man wanted Peyton more than anything else.
My dad knocked on the doorframe and stepped into my room. “Got a minute?”
“Yeah, but I gotta head out soon.”
He closed the door behind him and studied my new jeans, new shirt, and neatly trimmed beard. “Date?” I nodded. “With Peyton?”
“Who else?” He was the one person who knew how badly I wanted Peyton. He’d been there the night Peyton kissed me. Had slapped me upside the head after I told him the horrible things I’d said to her. And then he sat me down and made me face what the hell was wrong with me and told me get my shit back in order.
“Fucking finally,” Dad muttered, wiping a hand down his face. “I was wondering when you’d finally man up. Your mom was getting concerned. She talked about pimping your brothers to her if you didn’t do something soon.”
I stifled a smile. She’d threaten it, but she would never do that.
He came and sat on my bed. “Peyton’s a tough one, that’s for sure. Even before she disappeared. She won’t let you get away with anything.” His lips twitched. “I wouldn’t piss her off more than you already have.”
“I don’t think it’s possible to piss her off more than I already have.” I chuckled. Peyton had fire, but years of watching Dad deal with Mom had taught me how to handle her.
“Just be careful. It’s not good for your health to piss off a woman who has deadly aim.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “And don’t even think about kidnapping her like I did your mother. Peyton doesn’t seem the type to like that kind of shit.”
I laughed. “Wasn’t going to do any of that.”
“You’ve never hidden that you wanted her. I just hope you do a damn good job at convincing her to keep you around. If you need anything, let me know.” Dad stood up and clapped me on the back. At the door he paused and eyed the chair. “No cut?”
