Page 20 of Power Play

His eyes immediately darken, obviously not enjoying the mention of her name.

“Point taken. I’m going to go make Harris buy us all another round. I think he’s gotten enough alcohol in him that he might not argue,” Trevor says with a smile before walking towards our friends.

I sit there watching everyone joke around and having a good night. I feel an almost bitter envy towards them. Not in a negative way that makes me jealous or hateful of them. I just miss when life felt easier. Don’t get me wrong; I wouldn’t change a single thing about my life. Rory is my whole world. But it’s just her and I, and sometimes being a single parent fucking blows.

My friends are the best, but they are solely responsible for themselves. They don’t have anyone else relying on them for their everyday needs. It’s just different. We’re at different points in our lives, and sometimes I just wish I could go out and have a fun night and without worrying about what Rory is doing and if Stella or my mom gave her a good dinner.

Before getting up to go join everyone and play some games, I decide to shoot my sister a text. It’s only 9 p.m., so she should be awake, but Rory should definitely be asleep by now.

Hey, Stel, how’s the night going? Is Rory okay?

Stella

Yes. Everything’s fine. Rory and I are sitting here watching the Real Housewives and eating a bowl full of sour patch kids.

Picking up my phone, I immediately dial my sister’s number, only for it to go straight to voicemail. Fuck. As I start to type out another message to her, she texts me back.

Stella

Dude. Chill. She’s been asleep for almost two hours. It’s just me sitting on your couch eating the sour patch kids you thought you could hide. Thought you didn’t eat candy, big bro?

Don’t be an asshole. You know it pisses me off.

Stella

Everything pisses you off ;) don’t make it so easy next time

Leave my fucking candy alone, devil woman.

Stella

Have a good night! Tell Harris I said hello ;)

Abso-fucking-lutely not. See you in the morning.

My sister is such a brat, but she’s one of the only people I truly trust to watch my daughter overnight. Well, her and my parents. Which is why I’m so thankful that they all live in New York. When I have away games, I know Rory will be well taken care of, and I won’t be spending the entire trip worrying about her.

Looking up, I see Sawyer standing at the table with a drink in one hand and her phone in the other. Yeah, Trevor’s right, she’s hot. Like, really hot, especially in this outfit. The first time I met her, she was pretty much wearing nothing, and you could tell she wasn’t a huge fan. Yeah, she had a killer body, but she didn’t seem comfortable or confident in what she was wearing. Right now, she looks like she could take on the world, and that is the sexiest thing about a woman.

It also helps that her ass looks fucking delicious in those jeans. I want to peel them down and bite her juicy ass right before spanking her for being this tempting.

With my eyes on her ass, she looks up, a small smirk lifting from her lips, like she can read my mind and all the depraved thoughts I’m having about her body.

Busted.

Maybe my friends are right. I mean, it’s not the first time they’ve given me a hard time about a woman. My family has also tried to get me to date. But that’s a little too much for me; I’m not willing to risk bringing someone into Rory’s life unless it’s permanent.

That’s not what this is or what it will ever be. It doesn’t need to be anything more than just some friends hanging out at a bar and enjoying each other's company. And maybe a little checking out of that ass.

But it doesn’t mean I’m getting down on one knee and asking her to be Ro’s mom.

Instead of shying away from being caught. I revel in it. The soft blush across her cheeks tells me she definitely saw me checking her out, and she liked it. Letting a small smirk hit my face, I watch her eyes brighten just slightly under the dim lights when she notices it. Waving her over to come sit with me, I’m thankful when she doesn’t put up a fight.

“Hey,” she says almost shyly, like she doesn’t know what to say to me when I don’t have my typical dickish shield up.

“Want to play a game?” I ask, forcing my laugh down at her surprise.

“What kind of game did you have in mind?”

---