Page 51 of Mister Mom

I follow him to the door, and he strips the shirt off his body and puts on his jacket.

“You can keep it,” I say.

His hand moves around my neck and he pulls me to him, his mouth commanding my full attention. I’m certain my knees weaken, but he keeps me held up.

“My buddy is having a barbecue on the beach this weekend,” he says. “Any chance you’d want to come?”

Is he asking me on a date? I’m positively giddy inside.

I bite my lip and nod.

He takes his thumb and pushes my lip down. “Keep doing that and I’ll never leave.”

“You can stay.”

He chuckles. “Nope. You are getting some sleep. Good night, Layla.”

“Good night.”

The door shuts and my heart opens.

Damn him.

13

Vance

The bonfire is already going, and unlike Jagger, who would invite two hundred people to a shindig he was throwing, Leo’s kept the guest list small for the barbecue.

Grabbing a beer from the bucket, I sit in a beach chair looking out at the ocean when two hands cover my eyes.

“Guess who?” a high-pitched female voice sounds in my ear.

The small set of hands come off my eyes and I stand up and turn around.

Kali.

She throws herself in my arms. “Bet you missed me,” she whispers and her hand slides down my back to grab my ass.

I take a step back. “Hey, Kali.” I take a swig of my beer. Why the hell is she here? She’s not even a close friend of Leo’s.

“What kind of hello is that?” she asks with a false smile on her face.

I should warn you now. I’ve slept with Kali. Once. And I was very drunk. Since then she thinks we’re soul mates or some shit, even though it’s been almost a year and I’ve never been a repeat offender with her.

“I’m expecting someone.” Honesty is always best, right? I push from my mind the fact that I haven’t been completely honest with Layla.

“Expecting someone?” She wrinkles her nose. “What does that mean?”

“It means I invited someone to meet me here tonight.”

Just as I say that my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and see Layla’s name on the screen.

Last night after I left, I texted her the address. Maybe she’s having trouble finding it or something.

“Hey,” I say.

“Bad news. Babysitter bailed.”

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