Page 38 of Pin-up Girl

“We did it so I could have access to her health insurance.” The words tasted gross, for a lot of reasons.

Aubrey stepped away from me and straightened her dress. She gestured Brodie to the sink. “What happened tonight? I’d do that again with either or both of you. But I’m not making an actual commitment. To either or both of you.”

I didn’t want to share Aubrey. That current of mine was potent.

Tonight was pretty hot, though…

“All right,” Brodie said.

How could he agree so easily? “Just like that?” I asked.

“No. Don’t get me wrong. I came out here to win Aubrey over.”

Her eyes grew wide at the words, and she twisted her lips into what could either be irritation or surprise. Maybe both.

“But watching you two together… Fuck.” Brodie reached past me to grab Aubrey and tug her to him. He brushed his lips over hers, and looked her in the eye. “But you and me together?” The way his voice dropped, it was clear he was focused on only her. He was talking to only her. “Double fuck.”

Nope. I wasn’t giving Aubrey up again. Not when she was right here. So close. So delicious. So wonderful.

A nagging thought pointed out I’d love to keep Brodie around too, but he didn’t get that part of my mind. If he thought this was all about the sex, he didn’t deserve her anyway. Aubrey was so much more, like he and I had been once upon a time.

But for now, I could deal with this arrangement. I rested my hand at the small of Aubrey’s back. “Okay.”

Brodie finished cleaning up.

“Are we done dancing for tonight?” Aubrey asked. “Because we could head upstairs and hang out.”

She wasn’t sending either of us home. I liked that. “I think we have the dance down. Let’s go.” I nodded toward the top floor.

We were halfway up her stairs when my phone chimed. I paused and pulled it from my pocket. It was from Dee’s friend’s mom. Where she was sleeping over tonight. “Hi, Hazel.” I answered immediately.

“Clint. Hey.” Her voice was tight. “Sorry to bother you, but Dee says she’s not feeling well. We checked her blood pressure, and… You said to call you if there were any issues.”

What? “I’ll be right there.” I was already sprinting down the stairs, calling, “I need to go,” over my shoulder.

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brodie

Watching Clint with Aubrey was like the best bits of the past blended with the most awesome bits of now. Fuck, I’d missed him. Just how much hit me hard.

The buzz I felt from the incredible sex evaporated when Clint bolted from Aubrey’s place, and she stood frozen in the middle of the stairs watching him leave. She shifted her weight, up one stair and down again, and wiggled her fingers.

“Is he all right?” I didn’t know if she’d have any idea. We only heard him say a few words.

She gave the tiniest shake of her head. “His daughter… I should let him tell you most of it. It’s not my information to share.”

“Okay, is she all right?” I hated the idea of anyone suffering, especially a child.

“Don’t know.” She fumbled with her own phone, tapping the screen.

I jerked a thumb toward the top of her stairs. “Come sit down. Give him enough time to get there and check in, then send him a text.”

She nodded and followed me to her apartment. She dropped her keys a couple of times before I took them gently from her and unlocked the door.

When we were inside, she checked her phone every few seconds, and wouldn’t sit.

Watching her like this sent a spike of concern through me. “Does she mean a lot to you?” I asked.

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