Page 25 of Could Be Worse

Usually, I only got laughs like that when I tickled them.

Sadie posed with her leg lifted behind her, arms bowed above her head, and a dorky grin on her face.

Damn, she was gorgeous. And flexible.

Cat attempted to do the same pose but toppled over. More giggles ensued.

Tori was next. She held her position longer than Cat before she went down to the ground, laughing.

Sadie dramatically crumpled beside them. The twins were on her in a snap. I snorted when I heard Cat yell, “Dogpile!” That was my sign to get inside and rescue Sadie before she was kneed in the groin or elbowed in the chest. Been there, done that with these two. It wasn’t fun.

“I’m home!” I announced as I entered. “Where are my girls?”

“Daddy’s home!” they screamed.

I went into the living room and found them scrambling to get off the floor. They managed, leaving Sadie flat on her back with her legs spread.

Fuck. I wanted to dogpile her next and find out how many positions I could bend the ballerina into and get a look at her naked.

“How are my favorite twins today?” I patted their backs while they hugged my legs.

“Great! Sadie was teaching us how to dance,” Cat replied.

“Didn’t look that way to me.” I snorted, extending a hand to help Sadie off the floor. “You look exhausted.”

“Gee, thanks.” She accepted my hand, and I tugged her into a standing position. “They have a lot of energy after a two-hour nap.”

“Yep.” I chuckled, knowing exactly what she meant. Cat and Tori always woke up ready to play and run around. Nana Bea usually watched from the recliner, while they burned off their energy. “I saw you dancing with them from outside.”

“You did?” Her face turned red as she combed her fingers through her wild hair.

“Yes. I’d like to see more.”

“I don’t think so.” She went to the kitchen, and I followed her. “I’ll get your supper heating up before I go.”

“You can’t go,” Cat whined. “You have to eat with us.”

“Yeah.” Tori pouted. “What about our show?”

“Will you say something?” Sadie looked at me for help. She wouldn’t get it. I wanted her to stay too.

“I’ll pour us a glass of wine.”

“That’s not what I meant, Bryce. I have things to do.”

“What’s that, Sunshine?”

She gasped and shot me an angry look. “What are you doing? We already discussed this. Nothing is happening,” she whisper-shouted, her hands on her hips. She turned me on big time.

“It’s just supper, Sadie.” I removed a bottle of Merlot from the top cabinet and two stemless glasses.

“Fine, but I’m not doing the dishes, and I’m leaving right after we finish.” She turned toward the stove, and I felt victorious.

“Yay!” The girls clapped and jumped around.

It was nice to have a woman in the house, other than my nana. Being a single dad could be lonely. I did everything by myself: chores, cooking, the girls’ baths…

And at the end of each day, when they were tucked in their beds, the quiet consumed me. I’d bring out my friend, Jack Daniels, and turn on ESPN. For an hour or two, I’d watch sports, then go to my room. Not to sleep, but to jerk off to porn.

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