Page 4 of Claiming His Prize

Dating Allison had definitely changed Roger, and while he wasn’t who she wanted to be with, she hadn’t been upset Diana was interested in him and wasn’t that surprised he was willing to meet Diana’s challenge.At least, she assumed he had since he was still around, and she knew that was what Diana wanted. After she’d broken it off with Roger, she’d seen him start to relax a little more from his usual gentlemanly demeanor, allowing some of the alpha male she’d always sensed in him to come to the fore. She suspected, deep down, he wanted it just as rough and dirty as she did, but she wasn’t the person to show that to him because she didn’t want it from him, she wanted it from Todd.

“Most of the time,” said Diana. “He’s not... you know, super arrogant like Todd, but he definitely doesn’t let me take charge all the time. And if I try to push him toward something, he’s not that interested in, I can’t budge him, like most guys.”

“Yeah, he’s definitely not a pushover,” Although the times when he’d resisted being pushed around by her had been when she was trying to push him away from his perceptions on how a gentleman and a lady behaved. Somehow, she didn’t think that was quite the same as what Diana meant.

“I’m definitely expanding his horizons.” Diana snickered, a rather wicked look on her face.Allison felt too awkward to ask for further details, but she could definitely guess. Diana was not shy about asking for what she wanted, and unlike when Allison had been dating Roger, she had no qualms about asking for things Roger might not consider ‘proper.’When Allison had been with him, she’d been doing everything she could to be the perfect girlfriend, the perfect woman, and Roger had been all that was tender and gentlemanly. They’d both changed since then. She’d admitted what she really wanted, and she had a feeling Roger was starting to realize he had another side as well.There was no way Diana would make excuses for some of the requests she made as Allison had, when she’d realized how shocked Roger was at something as simple as wanting rough sex.

“Good.”It was a little weird, her best friend was dating her ex, but she was happy Roger had found someone who suited him better, and Allison knew she was happier with Todd. “I just hope he told my dad he could go to hell.”

“Uh... not in so many words.” Diana laughed.“They do have to work together.”

“Yeah, I know,” Allison muttered. She wished someonewouldtell her Dad to go to hell. It would probably be good for him. Oh right, she’d already basically done that. It didn’t seem to have made much of an impression.

Todd and Roger appeared in the backdoor, heading out to the porch. They were chatting amiably, but Allison could see tension in Todd’s shoulders that hadn’t been there before. Damnit, Roger must have told Todd what her father had said, not that it was going to change anything between her and Todd. She’d made her choice and was going to stick by it. Her parents were being ridiculous, cutting her out of their lives unless she lived her life the way they demanded—not going to happen.

Just looking at Todd and Roger, she could see the differences, and it was like confirming her decision all over again. Roger was definitely handsome, with his golden good looks and fit body, but he had a pampered air that can only come from an upbringing with money. He moved with an easy gracefulness, befitting a guy who had learned to fence when he was a teenager.In contrast, Todd was like a dark panther, his eyes holding a wariness of the world that came from having to fight for everything he’d achieved, and he moved like he was ready for another fight at any given moment.

When he looked over at her, she couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.Just looking at him made her feel warm and tingly, even if she was feeling anxious.Todd smiled back at her, but she could tell it was an effort. The crinkling around his eyes and on his forehead said he was angry, and considering whata damn gentleman Roger was, she had a feeling he told Todd everything.

Shooting Roger a glare, she trotted over to where Todd was held up by Brad to chat and slipped her arm around his waist. Todd’s arm curved around her shoulders, pulling her in close, so she could smell his slightly spicy, masculine scent and snuggle her head into the nook of his shoulder. Brad’s wife, Wendy, gave Allison a little smile and snuggled closer to her own husband, sharing a look only women thoroughly content in their relationships could.

However much she might want to talk to Todd about whatever Roger had said to him, now was obviously not the time. Patience might not be one of her virtues, but it was occasionally necessary.

2

The rest of the party was enjoyable, although she had a small knot of tension in her stomach. Eventually, the party would end, and she would have to talk to Todd about what Roger said to him. In the meantime, it was fun to listen to him expound on his plans for the backyard to their friends, showing them where he wanted to put the pool and how he wanted to extend the patio.The guys seemed suitably impressed, and the women were excited by the idea of a backyard pool.They migrated inside and started playing pool on the table in the basement Todd had set up.The competition between Roger and Todd seemed a little more tense than usual, but playing on teams helped with that, and Allison didn’t think anyone else had noticed.

Finally, everyone slowly trickled out the door.Diana and Roger left in the middle of the pack, which was a relief.She hadn’t really talked to Roger all day, but decided she was okay with that. They were friendly, but considering her parents apparently wanted her to get back together with him, she definitely hadn’t wanted to do anything that would make Todd or Diana feel insecure because there was no way that was going to happen. Before her conversation with Diana this afternoon, she wouldn’t have worried, but since she knew it was likely to be a sore spot, thanks to her father, she’d decided not to rub at it.

Once they picked up everything outside, they moved inside. Todd stood at the sink doing the dishes as Allison cleared away the trash and started to put away the alcohol they’d set out, beers in the fridge, liquor in the pantry.

Examining the bottle of Jim Beam, she commented, “The Beams were not an attractive family.”

“Probably why they started making alcohol,” Todd said, flashing her his sexy smile. Allison giggled.

“Bourbon goggles. They explain so much!”

Todd looked mournfully at the picture on the bottle. “She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved herstill…”

If it hadn’t been for that little of emphasis, Allison might not have caught it. She gasped with horror. “You didn’t.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“We’re going to have to set some ground rule for living together, Todd,” she said warningly, glaring at him. “Rule number one—”

“Seems kind of late to set ground rules. You’re already moved in, and we even had a party to prove it.

“No punning.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said in his best innocent voice. “Pun? I never pun. Puns are the lowest form of humor.”

“And your favorite.” She didn’t really mind, but she knew he enjoyed it when she gave him a hard time. Laughing was rarely an option unless it was accompanied by groans, so she just chastised him instead, and he adored it. She grinned back at him as she finished putting the alcohol away. They’d stocked up for the party, giving them a pretty good spread of whiskey, bourbon, vodka, rum, and liqueurs. Looking at all the bottles, most of which hadn’t even been opened during the party, she shook her head, frowning. “This pantry makes us look like hardcore partiers.”

Todd laughed. “Well, we won’t drink it all at once.”

“Oh, darn, and here I thought we were going to have one hell of a night.”

Wiping his hands on a dishtowel, Todd walked over and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her hard against him.Allison grinned as she ran her hands over his chest, letting her head tip back, so her lips and face were turned up to him, eyes glittering with excitement.

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