Page 81 of Free Agent

“Oh, babe, I wouldn’t be going if I was meeting the parents meeting the parents. That would be insane,” I moved back to the doorway to reply, shaking my head. “But I still don’t want them thinking I’m some slut who expected to be getting broken in like cattle all over their ranch.”

“Ooooh, broken in like cattle.” Sierra chuckled. “You’ve been studying up on rancher terms or something?”

“No, but should I? I probably should. Or no? I don’t want to be weird. This whole thing is bizarre enough on its own.”

“It’s not weird. You and Tatum are friends. Whatever else might be happening, you can’t deny that.”

I shrugged. “I mean… if I tried hard enough…”

“Don’t play with me.”

“Fine,” I laughed. “Yes. Tatum and I are friends,” I agreed. “But you and I both know that that’s like not quite… all. And Tatum and I know that too. His family knows. Social media knows. The whole world knows. Or will know, that I’m fucking him,” I added.

“Okay. Fine. Everybody knows you’re fucking him. What now?” Sierra sighed, exasperated. “Like, honestly. Big whoop. You’re both single adults. Why does it matter that much?” she continued.

“It doesn’t. I just… Dude, I’m in a weird place, okay? Is that okay for me to admit?” I confessed.

“Of course it is.” Sierra nodded sympathetically. “It would be weird if you weren’t in a weird place, considering…” She waved a hand around, indicating everything. “But, as much as you give weight to the negative parts of this weird place, I want you to find some enjoyment in the positive parts, too. And there are positive parts,” she said gently. “You deserve those positive parts.”

“Do I?”

“Ri!” she scolded. “You must have thought I was playing about beating your ass?”

“You can’t fight Sierra, come on,” I chuckled.

“Maybe not, but neither can you,” she countered. “We’d just be two windmilling ass bitches, but my point would still be made, would it not?”

“I guess,” I conceded. “Do you think you could stop threatening me long enough to help me pack? That’s what you swore you were coming over here for, right? Now, come on,” I urged.

“Okay, okay,” Sierra relented, finally focusing on the task at hand. “What all will you be doing? Besides fucking?”

I rolled my eyes. “Girl. This mudding thing you saw, is like, really a thing.”

“Ew. Like, sterile mud?”

“Same thing I asked!”

Two hours later, my bag was packed and my doorman was calling to ask if I approved of my guest coming up.

I did, of course, and then turned to Sierra, who I’d hoped to convince to leave before now specifically, so I didn’t have to make this little speech.

“Hey bitch, the little jokey-joke shit? Absolutely not,” I declared firmly, catching her off guard.

“What jokey-jokes? Me? I don’t even tell jokes. What are you talking about?” She feigned innocence, a sly grin betraying her.

“Sisi, I’m serious,” I insisted. “No ‘what are your intentions with my friend.’ No jokes about us using protection. No snapping pictures like we’re heading off to prom,” I said, running down the most obvious of silly shit she might do. “Best behavior, please.”

“I’m really offended that you think I would be on anything but my best behavior,” Sierra protested, rolling her eyes as a knock sounded at my door.

“Remember,” I prompted her as I moved to answer it. “Windmillin’ ass bitches.”

I tried not to be too excited as I went for the door. I didn’t want to come off thirsty.

…If such a thing was even possible to avoid when you’d said yes to going to the family home of a man you’d only known a few months.

It was just an inherently parched decision.

Still, I braced myself, taking a deep breath to calm my sudden flare of nerves before I unlocked and opened the door to see Tatum waiting on the other side.

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