Page 22 of Sexy Bad Escort

“Caughta spidee up AuntieRonnie’s skirt,” Abby sings.

“I thinkthat’s my cue,” Danny says. “Unless you need me to stickaround.”

I could go with you.We could continue where we left off. Make a nightof it.Perhaps that’sall we need. Because we’re not actually dating. Then we can getback to the pleasant business of hawking him out to other womenwithout the complication of me gritting my teeth every time I setup a new date for him. I’ve never been this involved in a guy’slife before. It’s disconcerting.

“Danny?”Garrett hollers as he moves closer. “You and I are about to havesome serious words about what is not appropriatein front of my daughter.”

“Go.” Ipush at Danny’s shoulders. Garrett’s focused on Danny, so the rest of them will betoo. It isn’t fair when I’m as much—no, more responsible. “I’lltalk him down.”

“Yousure?Because I have noproblem with pointing out why telling us off would behypocritical.”

“Yes.” Ipush athim again.“You’ll only make things worse.”

“Kiss mefirst,” he says.

“We’re notdating,” I whisper, before I glide my lips over his. “You knowthat, right?”

“Oh, Iknow.” He grins,striding over to the door and opening it. “But I’m still going touse this situation to my full advantage while I can.”

Hedisappears, the doorclosing behind him. Danny’s the kind of guy who makes the best ofany situation, and I don’t know if that’s good or bad. On the onehand, he has no expectations, and on the other...

“Should Iassume he ducked out?” Garrett huffs as he joins me.

“Yes.”

“I don’t knowwhat you see in him,” he says. “He’s so...”

“Adaptive? Genuine?Goal-orientated?”

Garrettstares down at me like I’m having a stroke and am saying randomwords liketoaster, spank, blackboard.“I was going to say irritating.”

“That, too.” Irub my fingers across my lips. Like an itch that only gets worsethe more you scratch it. One I don’t know how to ignore.

***

Shoesdangling from my fingers, I stumble into Garrettand Erin’s backyard. They came home alittle while ago to put Abby to bed, while I had a couple of drinkswith Paynt and talked website design. I didn’t tell him aboutRent-A-Danny though. I’m not ready to get into the fact I’m pimpingout Erin’s best friend. Especially now, while we look like we’redating.

Therewas a light on in the foyer, but the backyard is dark. I could haveasked them to turn a light on, I suppose, or walked through the house, but dinner wasawkward enough with Abby telling the spider story over and over toanyone who would listen and Garrett glowering every time shementioned Danny. The fact that I’m older and theoretically wiserthan him somehow went unnoticed.

Thereareno lights on in thebasement. He wasn’t expecting me. I didn’t plan on showing up athis door like I’m mooning over him. He might not even behere.

Drawingin a breath, I raise myfist and knock. I just want to talk about what happened earlier.Unless he wants to do more. Like kiss me again. Touch me. Okay, I’mso freaking horny right now. This is crazy. It’s like one stupidlittle kiss flipped a switch inside me. I’d managed to ignore thisattraction for more than a year. Now I can’t shut itoff.

There’sno movement inside. No sound of footsteps or lights turningon. I knock again just in case.He might be a heavy sleeper. He might not be alone. He might beusing his free time to meet women who aren’t fake-dating him. I’man idiot.

I turnaround and pick my way through patio furniture toward thestairs.If I were him,that’s what I would be doing. And I’m here knocking on his doorlike this is real. Like there’s more than just some amazingchemistry between us. I’m forgetting that I don’t let things getcomplicated with men because I like to be in control of my ownlife, and giving up an inch to a guy is asking to be screwedover.

Ihave to cover my mouthto hold in the sarcastic laugh that threatens to bubble up. I’m alittle too tipsy to be acting practically. If Danny had been home,I’d probably be getting screwed right now. Hard. Against a wall. Orthe floor. And I wouldn’t even be thinking about the long-termramifications, like what will happen with Rent-A-Danny if wecontinue down this path and it ends badly. For the first time in mylife, my career isn’t at the mercy of a man. Well, it still kind ofis because without Danny, I wouldn’t have this opportunity at all,and I have ideas about how to make Rent-A-Danny bigger than justthe two of us. If I don’t wreck it first.

Pullingout my phone, I order an Uberand make my way around to the front of the house to waitthe ten minutes it will take to arrive.

By thetime Ireach myapartment, I’m sober and tired. My phone went off three times withwomen begging for emergency rentals. I turned down two of them onthe spot since it was pretty clear they were only after a hook-up.I sent the other one’s details to Danny, told him it was up to himif he wanted to book it. He didn’t respond. Which is fine. I’m nothis keeper outside of work hours. He can do whatever he wants withhis free time.

I turndown the hallway to my apartment and almost miss a step. Danny’sleaning against the wall by my door, his hands thrust in his pockets, completelynonchalant, like it’s perfectly normal for him to be waitingoutside my apartment after midnight. My heart skips a beat, and thetiredness that made me long for my bed disappears. Damn. Seeing himshouldn’t put a smile on my face. It shouldn’t quicken mystep.

“Tookyour time.” He grins. “Iwas starting to think you weren’t coming home.”

“I went to seeyou.”

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