Page 34 of Sexy Bad Daddy

Chapter Ten

GARRETT

“I’ve got to take this call,” Chloe says, getting up from the table in the middle of the restaurant. She squeezes Paynt’s shoulder. “I’ll be quick.”

Paynt’s attention drifts with her until she’s out of sight.

Beside me, Erin fidgets with the napkin across her lap, and instead of giving in to the urge to take her hand in mine, I knock my foot against hers until she looks at me. There’s not much I can say or do while Paynter watches, especially considering what he walked in on no less than an hour ago, and it’s frustrating as hell. Thank God he knocked before he barged in.

“Did you say when Ronnie is getting into town?” I try to distract both my brother and Erin. “She talked you into letting her decorate your yard, right?”

“Yeah.” He brushes the pad of his thumb against the tip of his nose. “She’s thinking chandeliers. Everywhere. Huge phallic-shaped lights all over my yard.”

Erin’s gaze widens at his poor attempt at a joke; only the sparkle in his gaze betrays his straight face. But then she still hasn’t been able to hold eye contact with him or Chloe since they walked into my apartment. No one said anything, but Paynt couldn’t hide his stupid, smug face when she walked out of the room we’d just finished screwing in. And then Chloe dragged her along to dinner with us, so neither of us have had a chance to deal with the awkwardness.

“You should have seen the chandelier in Paynt’s foyer before the one he’s got now,” I say to Erin.

“Nah, we’re not really going with chandeliers,” Paynt admits. “Ronnie and Chloe have been talking about white silk tents and paper lanterns floating in the lake.”

“Sounds pretty,” Erin says.

“Yeah, but I need to hire a couple of guys to help with the heavy lifting. Otherwise, you know she’ll try and do it all, and it’s a wedding, so...” Paynt shrugs.

“It’s not every day your baby brother gets married,” I tell him. “And you know Ronnie’s a perfectionist.”

“She won’t be able to enjoy it if she’s running herself ragged.”

“Better her than Chloe though, right?” I ask. “Don’t want one of those—what do they call them?”

“Bridezillas,” Erin answers, and then adds, “I might know someone who can help. My friend Danny—”

“Not Danny. He’s not going anywhere near my sister.” I stare at her.

“Why not?”

“Are you kidding?” The kid might be her best friend, but he’s a slacker. I didn’t like him when I thought they were sleeping together; I’m not sure I like him any more now that I know they aren’t. “Because I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“He’s pretty handy. I’m sure he’d be more than willing to help.” She refuses to look at me while she takes her phone and a pen from her purse and quickly jots down a number on the back of a business card from some golf shop. “I’ll admit he and Garrett got off on the wrong foot, but that was my fault.”

“I’m still not sure your best friend knows how to work at anything other than flirting.”

“Really?” Erin asks.

“Pot meet kettle,” Paynter crows. “Sounds like you two have something in common.”

“Will you excuse me a minute?” Erin pushes her chair back.

I consider getting up too. We should probably talk about this Danny thing before he starts integrating himself in my family affairs. But Erin is tense as she climbs out of her chair, and the last thing I want is her angry with me when I have to leave from here to go directly to the airport where I’ll catch a flight that will take me away from my girls for the next week.

“Sure,” Paynter answers her, and with a nod she hurries off in the direction of the restrooms. As soon as she’s gone he clears his throat.

“Don’t even say it,” I say with a growl in my voice.

He ignores my warning. “You’re dating your nanny now, are you?” He smirks then he gets more serious. “Thought you were supposed to be cleaning up your image and putting Abby first.”

“I am putting Abby first.” I glare at him as Erin disappears behind him. “And I’m not seeing anyone. I’m staying out of the media. My sponsors have no reason to complain.”

“You’re out to dinner with your kid’s nanny sans kid,” Paynt adds. “Wouldn’t that be a reason for them to complain?”

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