Page 50 of Sexy Bad Escort

Garrett huffs,all bark and no bite.

“Besides, I’mbarely there,” Danny adds.

“Becauseyou’re freeloading off my sister,” Garrett retorts.

“I’m notfreeloading off Ronnie.” Danny waggles his eyebrows, his gorgeous mouth curving. Iwant to clamp my hand over his mouth before whatever’s on his mindcomes out of it. “She’s very satisfied with our paymentarrangement.”

“Danny,”I say through gritted teeth. Why can’t he behave like hedoes when we’re alone? Not thedirty, sexy stuff, but the guy who doesn’t have to hide behindjokes. “That’s not... It’s not what it sounds like.”

“Isn’t it?” Hegrimaces.

“No.”

“Then what arewe doing, Ronnie?”

We’re dating. You’re myboyfriend. I think I might be in love withyou.Telling my familythat would be a first for me. It’ll change the dynamics. My motherwill spend even more time meddling in my life. Am I ready for that?Especially when Danny was clear that he doesn’t think this willlast. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” I stand. Dannydoesn’t.

“Are thingsnot going well between you two?” my mother asks. “Is it becauseDanny’s not straight?”

“What?” Dannyasks.

“He’sstraight, Mom. I already explained that to you.” Ishake my head. How canshe still be holding onto that? “He was working that day. Remember?You asked me about the benefits.”

“Right.I did. Are your employers treating you well?” Mom askshim.

“Mostly,”heanswers.

“And youtwoaregettingalong?” Mom asks.

“Ronnie?”Danny stares at me.

“Uh.Yes. We’re getting alongfine.”

“Fine,huh?”hemutters.

“Well, youknow. It’s all so new and casual. I mean—”

“Casual?” Momasks. “Is that like, what are all the cool kids calling it? Friendswith benefits?”

“OhmyGod, Mom.” Paynterrolls his gaze to the ceiling.

Jamesclears his throat. “Tellus about this job, Danny. What does it entail?”

“It’s agreat gig, actually,” heanswers. “A little different but I’m enjoying it.”

“We’reworking together,” I blurt before Danny can fill in the details. Iwas mortified when he told his family I was his pimp. Telling myfamily that would be so much worse, not to mention the ribbing I’llreceive for the next fifty or sixty years.

“Oh.”Paynter takes a seatasChloe comes out of the house. “I thought you said you weremanaging...” He narrows his gaze on me. “Something. I can’t recallthe details.”

Yes, I’dbeen purposefully vague whenwe’d talked about what I was working on now that I washome. I wanted to make sure we’d be successful before I explainedthe details.

“I’m anescort,”Danny says witha shrug, like it’s the most ordinary career path in theworld.

“So youfinally found aloopholewhere you can get paid for sleeping around?” Garret says. I swear Ican hear the music from Final Jeopardy! in the background.Tick tock. It’s nota difficult leap.

“Why doyou have to make a joke out of everything?” I glare atDanny.“What he means tosay is—”

“So ismy sister paying you for your company?” Paynterasks. “Because I can’t imagine she’d behappy with this arrangement otherwise.”

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