Page 9 of A Sudden Response

“What?” he asked, blinking innocently.

Joe barely resisted the urge to rub her ass. Damn, that stung, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that. Their relationship was complicated and, admittedly, very weird.

“Sweetie, this is Nathan’s girlfriend, Caitlyn, and this is my friend Camie,” Alice said as Joe put the ice cream away.

“It’s very nice to meet both of you,” Joe said, palming an ice cube before she casually walked behind Eric and discreetly shoved it down the back of his pants. She heard him suck in a breath and had to smile. Immediate retribution was always nice.

“Camie, Caitlyn, this is our Joe,” Alice said, gesturing to Joe before she gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Joe walked past Eric and just barely missed another swat on the ass as he stood up to rid himself of the ice. She walked over and gave Nathan a big hug and a kiss before she shook Caitlyn’s hand.

“So, you’re their sister?” Camie asked, turning that glare on Joe.

“She’s Mom’s favorite brat, my pain in the ass sister, and Eric’s bitch,” Nathan said as Caitlyn bit her lip to hide a smile. No doubt, she already knew the whole story behind their family. Camie looked really confused and Mom’s face turned completely red.

“Nathan Parish!”

“What?” Nathan asked, still laughing as Joe playfully swatted his arm.

Eric shrugged it off. “It’s true,” he said before he pursed his lips up thoughtfully and added, “Actually, if anything, I’m her bitch.”

Joe sighed as she nodded. “That’s true. You are my bitch.”

“Josephine!” Alice gasped in outrage as she struggled to bite back a smile. “You’re going to make them think I raised you like this!”

Nathan blinked. “You did.”

“I did not!”

“Oh, come on, Mom. No need to pretend. Everyone knows you raised the three of us to be foulmouthed little bastards,” Eric said, egging his mother on.

Caitlyn laughed while Camie somehow managed to look even more confused. If Joe had to guess, she didn’t really know Alice that well. It only took two minutes after meeting Alice to know that she was a down-to-earth woman and incredibly kind. She’d raised the three of them with more love than anyone could ever hope for.

“So...” Camie began. “I’m really confused.”

“I’ll explain our little family dynamic since I get a kick out of it,” Nathan said with a satisfied sigh that had Joe biting back a smile.

Eric settledinto a chair away from the woman that his mother was trying to throw at him. He seriously had to question her mental status on this one. None of the women he’d dated, not even Beth, the woman he’d been engaged to, had been anything like this woman. This woman was a fucking snob. She’d already sent Caitlyn a dismissive look that really pissed him off. To top it off, she wouldn’t stop staring at him like she owned him. He was half afraid that if he turned his back on her that she’d brand his ass.

He leaned back in his chair as he let his eyes roam over Joe. He definitely hadn’t missed the nasty look she sent Joe when she’d walked into the kitchen. His upbringing was the only thing that prevented him from tossing her out on her ass at the moment.

Women could be such bitches sometimes. It pissed him off when women gave Joe a dismissive look. Joe was incredibly beautiful with generous curves that managed to make his blood boil, probably always would, Eric thought as he let his eyes roam over her. He took in her long, honey-blonde hair and nearly fucking groaned when she pulled out an elastic from her pocket and put her hair up in a messy bun. He let his eyes run down her slender neck to the tight black shirt she wore that ended just above her belly button before running his gaze back up and-

Nearly fucking groaned as he took in firm breasts that filled out her shirt just right.

She was absolutely fucking perfect, Eric thought as he continued looking up until he came to soft pink lips and-

“Earth to Eric,” Nathan said, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Was he drooling?

God, he really fucking hoped not.

“Yeah?” Eric said, clearing his throat as he forced himself to look away from Joe to find his brother rolling his eyes.

“You want me to tell the story?”

“Knock yourself out,” Eric said, dropping his head back so that he could stare up at the ceiling since the last thing that he needed was to get caught staring at Joe again. It had been way too fucking long since he got laid. Then again, after what happened the last time, it would probably be a really fucking long time before he tried to get laid again.

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