Page 31 of Sexy Bad Escort

“No.Nope. There is no way you’re keeping that thing here.” Crossing myarms, I stare down the beady-eyed parrot. It cocks its head and crests its feathers asit makes a noise I’m pretty sure means it’s as happy with the ideaas I am. I should have known it was only a matter of time beforeDanny was roped into the whole pet trend my family has going on.But not me. I can’t keep a potted plant alive, and he expects me tolook after this thing?

“Comeon, Ronnie.” Danny places the cage on my diningtable and gives me big, sad, pleading eyesas he grips both my arms and disentangles them. “Animal control wasgoing to put him down.”

“Whycan’t you keep him atyour place?”

He rubsat his bottom lip with his thumb. “I was going to, but then there was this whole hubbubbetween him and the duck. And then he started swearing at Abby, andGarrett was adamant that I can’t keep him there.”

“Swearing?” Iglance at the bird again.

“Yeah.If you haven’t heard a duck and a swearing bird converse, it’sactuallypretty funny.Quack, fuck, quack, fuck.”

“You’rekidding me?”

“Fuck,fuck, fuckitty, fuck,”the bird exclaims. “Woo-woo, fuckitty fuck.”

“OhGod.”

“Isn’tit brilliant?” Danny grins. “And I thought, considering that we’re...fucking a lot...that itwould fit right in here.”

That’sthe problem though. Yes, we’re screwing, but we’re not drawer-sharing, pet- owninglovers. And truthfully, we shouldn’t even be hooking up,considering we’re business partners. Not that I plan to put an endto it anytime soon. “I don’t do pets.”

“He can be ourbusiness mascot,” Danny coaxes. “We’ll teach him how to sayRent-A-Danny and our phone number.”

I archan eyebrow. He’s got tobe kidding. “That’s never going to work.”

“Toofucking right,” the birdchimes in.

I rollmygaze to the ceiling.“You want that to be your mascot?”

“I wantyou to say yes to letting me keep him here.” Danny pulls mecloser. “Especiallysince we’re working out of your apartment and banging init.”

Ugh, myresolve is weakening with the way he’s stroking my hip. My brain is fuzzy, and other partsof my anatomy are perking up. But that’s how women find themselvescooking chocolate cake with a couple of brown-eyed, blonde,scruffy-headed toddlers demanding they get to lick the spoon whileshe wonders why she’s so tired and what happened to all thoseadventures she was going to have, that business she was going tobuild. All her goals and plans taken over by a man. It starts witha toothbrush, a bird, a drawer. Danny’s toothbrush is already in mybathroom, even if it’s just a spare I had for such a scenario. “Idon’t think—”

“Andsince I’m here everyday,you won’t have to do anything. I’ll take care of it. My bird, myresponsibility.”

“Itbetter be.”I can’t believe I said that.God, I knew this would happen. My mother isgetting in my head.

“I’lltake it.”He grins andsmacks my ass before picking up the cage and wandering theapartment until he decides on the perfect location for his newfriend. “You won’t regret it.”

“Think Iam already. What’s hisname?”

“Squawk. Fucker. Fucker. Fucker.”The bird bobs up and down on his perch until we’reboth laughing at it.

“Yeah, okay,okay. He can stay.”

CHAPTER NINE

DANNY

Thebird, who we’ve dubbed Pucker, is annoying as all hell, but he hasgood ideas. Every timehe drops an F-bomb, I want to get naked with Ronnie. Which, by theway, is damned frequently. We’ve been trying to teach him to saydifferent phrases, in hopes he’ll like one of the less salty onesbetter than his favorite offensive word.

Sofarhe hasn’t foundanything he likes better thanfuck.

Ihaven’t found anything I like better than Ronnie, either. Not thatI’ve been looking. I’m quite content right here,thankyouverymuch. No interest in leaving, maybe a little interest instaying. Or a lot. In curling up on her brand-new couch togetherand talking about our life dreams. Sharing…stuff. Beingtogether.

Even when wearen’t banging.

Crap.

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