Page 71 of The Rogue

Our newlywed brother shakes his head. “I’m not asking her to do that.”

Noah turns to me. “Lonnie?”

I mimic Chase. “Lonnie would never sell out another woman.”

Noah winces. “Right. Sorry.”

My ex may not be trusting, and would be the first to warn me about a suspicious female in my life. But if Tessa’s running scared from something, Lonnie would take her secret to the grave.

Regardless of who she’s keeping it from.

“Doesn’t matter. Tessa’s only here until the school year starts. That’s less than a month away.” I remind myself. Like that inevitable date is coming all too quickly.

I hear the sliding doors open behind me with Pepper’s voice. “Look who’s here.”

“Dad!” I twist in my seat, catching my kid as he races up to me with red lips and a cherry ice pop in his hand.

“Hey, buddy. What are you doing here?” I look behind him, finding Tessa stepping tentatively onto the patio.

Her eyes find mine, and I take her in. Her curls hang down around her shoulders. Full red glossy lips shimmer in the sunlight. She’s in those white denim shorts and plaid shirt again. Her shoulders rise as she pushes her hands in her front pockets.

Breaking eye contact, she flicks them back to her friend. “Could’ve warned me my boss was here.”

The anxiousness in her tone makes my dick twitch in my pants.

The fuck is wrong with me?

Pepper waves her off. “Oh, please. You can’t take these guys seriously. Can I get you a beer?”

Her response comes quickly. “No. No. Water, please.”

“Dad, Dad. I’mma have a blue one next,” he tells me. “Tessa says it’s okay.”

I flick her a small grin. “Did she?”

“Not if he keeps rattin’ me out.”

Jackson turns back to me, eyes wide. “You heard nothing.”

Tessa covers her face, laughing, and follows Pepper back inside.

“Hey, Jackson. Come here.” Chase pulls my kid to stand in front of him. “You like Tessa?”

He nods like my brother just offered him a new PlayStation. “She makes my food special. And she plays without checking her phone all the time,” he adds with an exasperated sigh.

Noah leans in. “Yeah, but what do youknowabout her? Besides making your plate pretty and playing games with you?”

Jackson considers the question like it’s a spelling bee. “I know that she likes a clean and organized kitchen. I know that she wakes up early because she likes the morning sky. Oh, and that she doesn’t like doors.”

Noah’s brows shoot up again. “She doesn’t likedoors?” He looks at Chase as if to say, ‘Are you hearing this?'.

Jackson jerks back like he’s offended for her. And it makes me a little proud. “She says they scare her.”

“When did she tell you that?” I ask.

My kid turns back to me. “When I told her I don’t like the dark and that’s why I have my nightlight. She told me she doesn’t like the dark either. Or doors.” His eyes widen in surprise. “Nature calls.” He races inside.

I take a swig of my beer. Wishing it was something stronger.

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