Page 67 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

She snorted. “I get up before the sun most of the time. Kind of. Sometimes I’m a bit late to work when I can’t quite force myself out of bed. However, today I’m overly tired because I actually made it to work on time. I’d even gotten my pre-work done for the morning rush, too, so I wouldn’t have to get up early tomorrow. Not that that matters. I can’t go into work, because I know my dad will be there. And I want to give him a few days to cool off after…”

After her stepmother had passed away.

“You can stay here tomorrow,” I suggested. “And as long as you want. I have a spare bedroom.”

Or a bed that was big enough to fit her and me very comfortably.

Though I wasn’t going to pressure her into that.

I was going to be a nice, caring individual. Not a man who made her uncomfortable at one of the lowest points in her life.

She walked up to me, then patted me on the chest. “You’re a good man, Auden Carter.”

My stomach flipped at her words. “I try to be.”

When she stepped away, I caught her hand and led her to the spare bedroom that was sparsely furnished but had one hell of a great mattress.

“This is the spare bedroom,” I said. “If you need any more clothes before you can get some from your place, feel free to check out my closet and take anything you might need.”

Her shoulders drooped. “Thank you, Auden.”

I tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear before saying, “Night, darlin’.”

I left her standing in the doorway of her room, headed to mine, and softly closed the door.

Then, I fell face first into my bed and groaned into the pillow.

Being a good person sucked.

My dick was so hard from smelling her scent that it was embarrassing.

I closed my eyes and willed my body under control.

I was the master of my cock.

I would not lose control.

Sorry I’m late, traffic is exactly how it’s been every day for the last five years, and I was not expecting that.

—Maven to her first customer

MAVEN

I was quickly losing control.

I’d gone to bed an hour and a half ago.

I’d gotten up twice now to see if I could hear any movement from Auden’s room, hoping he’d be awake when it was clear he wasn’t.

Earlier, I’d been so beat that I’d fallen asleep in the fluffy towel that smelled like Auden. And, like always happened, once it was nighttime, I hadn’t been able to go to sleep at all.

I was now pacing my room, wondering if it would wake him up if I headed out to the kitchen and snacked on some leftovers from the impromptu get together.

A get together I hadn’t been able to eat much at because I’d been so nervous among Auden’s family.

I’d wanted them to like me, so I’d socialized with them all, getting to know each one individually.

I’d met his sister, Ande, and her husband, Keene. Keene owned a circus with his sisters, and apparently Keene and Ande’s children were also partially circus children because they were crazy talented and acrobatic to the point they were hanging off of everything like monkeys.

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