Page 101 of How to Prevent a Fumble

I look at him incredulously. “Have you met Briar Crosby?”

“Yeah she’s kind of a b—” Emmett mutters as he comes up behind me.

“Don’t you dare finish that word,” I snap at him. Briar may be a lot of things. She may even be a bit of a jerk sometimes. But that’s not for any of these men to say.

“Sorry,” Emmett says, his hands in front of him in surrender.

I nod, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Anyways,” Cooper says, looking between us all. “Lulu’s tonight?”

“It’s Monday, isn’t it?” I chuckle. “Bringing anyone?”

Cooper has been seeing someone off and on, but we haven’t met her and as far as he says, we don’t know her. We have our doubts.

He shakes his head. “Not bringing anyone,” he pauses, looking me up and down. “Are you?”

But the answer is I’m not really sure.

“Where are you off to?” Briar asks as I take the stairs two at a time from my bedroom.

“Lulu’s. Wanna come?”

Her eyes meet mine as I round the corner, her body visibly relaxing as she sees my face. I can feel her gaze make its way down my chest to my jeans and back up, and when they meetmine once more, her pale cheeks turn a pretty pink shade that suits her.

“I don’t think so. I can’t leave Elara alone,” she says, and I have to keep myself from frowning.

When I started to let a woman make or break my night, I’m not quite sure. “Oh, okay.”

I stand there awkwardly as she watches me, unsure of what to say next.

Biting my lip, I try something. “What if I found someone to watch her? I think it would be good for us to get out again. Be seen.”

She leans against the doorframe to the office, and I can feel her dissecting my intentions. “It’s already getting late, Leo. I’m not sure who you’re going to find this late at night, and I’m not quite sure I’m comfortable with them watching my daughter just for me to go out, you know?”

Right. Responsibilities. And I wouldn’t want to put Elara in any bad situation, either.

“Okay,” I say simply, kicking a small ball of dog fur with my foot, suddenly way too interested in it.

“Okay,” she replies simply, looking back into the office, and I can tell she wants to get back to whatever she was doing.

“What are you up to?” I ask her. I’m glad she seems to be liking what I did for her in the office, and I remind myself to ask her about the car. At some point. When she’s in a good mood and liking me more again.

“Working on designing a layout for my cookbook,” she tells me, biting her lip. Shaking her hair out, she grabs it at the base of her scalp and clips it up. I watch her open mouth, a wave of lust washing over me.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been with anyone, and the only person I can think of is standing in front of me, wearing sweats and a baggy t-shirt, looking hotter than anyone ever has naked.

I’m so fucked.

“That sounds fun. Do I get to see it at some point?”

Looking back at me, Briar’s deep, warm brown eyes darken a bit, a smirk crossing her full lips as her gaze drops down to mine. “Maybe.”

Shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I mentally slap myself.Get out of here before you do something stupid, man.

“Well, I have to go meet the guys at the bar. I hope you have a great night, Briar.”

I turn, about to head for the door when I hear her call after me. “Leo?”

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