Page 15 of Sideline Play

“It wasonetime!”

“According to you, ‘one time is all it takes.’”

“Different circumstances.”

Cocking an eyebrow at him before shaking my head, I stand up and ask, “What’d y’all do today?”

Ruffling my hair, he answers, “We went for a run; played at the dog park—by the way, add Pomeranians to the list of things that terrify her. After, I took her to see the mammas and littles at Phoenix House where she had the time of her life rolling around with the babes and showing them how to crawl; then she took a nap with Dad on the couch while I answered emails, paid invoices, and all that other shit I hate managing. And after, I took her for a ride in the bed of my truck to get a pup-cup. All in all, a better than good day.”

“You really should hire someone to manage the business side of things. You absolutely hate it and during the season are always scrambling to get everything done in time.”

“Yeah, and where am I going to find someone I can trust with all that? Money’s one thing, but the locations of the homes? Nah, I’m not risking it. Unless of course you want to reconsider…” he leads on, his eyes bright and hopeful as he rounds the island. Picking up several of my shopping bags from one of the stools, he holds them out in confusion and shakes his head, “I’ll never understand why you buy so many clothes. It’s not like you need any of this for work. You wear athletic clothes every day, most of which is provided through endorsements so you don’t even have to pay. That’s a win-win if I ever saw one.”

“Spending my work days in leggings and sports bras is exactly why I buy the stuff. Unlike you and Dad, I don’t particularly find Hobo Athlete Chic to be a flattering look. I spend all my time surrounded by a bunch of smelly dudes. When I’m not at The Nest, I want to feel pretty and girly andnotlike one of the guys.”

“I don’t think you could ever be mistaken for one of the guys withthis,” he sneers, his icy hued blue eyes turning glacial as a lacey thong dangles from his middle finger. “Who the fuck did you buy this for?”

“Will you get out of my stuff?” I screech, snatching it from his hand and diving over the counter to grab the rest of my bags from him. “Stop it!”

“Seriously, who are you wearing this shit for?”

“No one!”

Yanking the matching bra out from the delicate tissue paper before I can rescue it, Roman scoffs, “Yeah, because this fucking says, ‘For my eyes only.’ I wasn’t born yesterday. You only wear something like this when someone is going to see it. So who the fuck is he?”

“You’resucha guy. Women can wear lingerie for no other reason than to make themselves feel pretty. Proven fact, women feel more confident and powerful when wearing sexy lingerie whether for show or not.”

“Scarlet.”

“Roman.”

“Children,” Dad calls, coming up from the ground floor of the house where our gym is, wiping his shirt over his bare chest and face to soak up his sweat. “Play nicely.”

“Do you know what your daughter is buying?” Roman accuses.

Opening the fridge, he quips, “A dress? Shoes? More serial killer trophies?” as he pulls out a red sports drink and begins to guzzle it down while leaning against the counter.

It takes only a moment before his eyes zero in on the pink lace cup bra that Roman is dangling over my head as I try to jump to grab it. Choking on his drink, our dad coughs as he wipes his mouth on the back of his hand, his gaze comically wide.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Roman jeers triumphantly. “There’s matching dental floss in the bag too and fuck knows what else.”

“I didn’t buy the dental floss, did I?”

“No,” I snap. “You bought the cropped sweater to go with my tulle skirts and the suede booties.” Shoving my brother as he makes me jump for my underwear, I growl, “You’re such a hypocritical ass hat, Ro! You wouldn’t give one flying pig fart beyond how fast you could get it on the floor if it was anyone else’s.”

“Because they’re not my little sister!”

“I’m 21! I think by now I should be allowed to date and fuck without your constant interference.”

“And on that note!” Dad announces over the both of us. “Roman, give your sister her… undergarments back. And Scarlet, as long as the boys you show interest in keep running scared the moment Ro pops up behind you, please don’t…”

“Fuck them?” I supply, smiling sweetly up at our dad’s pained expression while holding my hand out for Roman to give me back my bra.

“Yes… that.”

Stuffing the overpriced piece of lingerie back into its bag, I push a plate towards my brother, grumbling, “Here, jackass.”

“Scarlet,” Dad warns.

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