Page 96 of Dancing in the Rain

“Yeah. There’s really no reason not to now.”

No reason? Was she fucking kidding? There were atonof reasons. He gripped the dish towel in two fists, his jaw tight. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I tried to make a plan today, but…” She gave a dry laugh. “My decision-making skills seem to have deserted me.”

He didn’t know what to say.

This wasn’t a surprise. He’d always known her life was in New York. But somehow the idea of her and Chloe packing up and moving to another city had seemed…ridiculous. Like it couldn’t really happen.

And yet, he had no say in it.

“What Ididdecide is that now is not a good time to make big decisions,” she continued. “Everyone says that when you’re grieving you shouldn’t make major life changes. I can’t wait forever, but I do know that this isn’t a good time to uproot Chloe.”

“I agree.” He paused. “You know I’m here to help. Like when you made those trips to New York…I can look after her while you’re gone.”

She eyed him. “That could work.”

Relief relaxed the knot in his gut a little.

Then she grimaced. “It’s not ideal, but hopefully it will keep my boss off my back long enough that I can prepare Chloe.”

He nodded. “I’ll go check on the homework situation.”

He found Chloe talking on the phone. He regarded her with raised eyebrows. She frowned at him.

“Done with your homework?” he mouthed, knowing she couldn’t possibly be.

“I have to go,” she said into the phone. “Yeah. See you tomorrow.” Pissed-off tween attitude radiated off her in waves as she set down the phone. “What?”

“I came to see if you need any help.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, because I’mnevergoing to get caught up.” She heaved a dramatic sigh. “I might as well just quit seventh grade and try again next year.”

He laughed. “Yeah, right. You’re not even two months into the school year. You have lots of time to get caught up.”

They reviewed what she had to do. Yeah, there was a lot but she was a smart kid.

“If you work until eight-thirty, we can play World of Wizards for half an hour.”

She shrugged, but her eyes sparked. “I guess so.”

He jogged back downstairs and found Peyton in the living room, sitting on the couch, staring into space.

“What needs to be done here?” he asked quietly, sitting next to her. “Do you want to put the den back the way it was?”

She rolled her head toward him on the couch cushions and gave him a tired smile. “That doesn’t need to be done right away. Makes me tired just thinking about it.” She rubbed her neck. “I need to make an appointment for a massage. If I don’t go regularly, I get killer headaches.”

“I give pretty good massages.”

She eyed him with eyebrows arched.

“Sit here.” He pointed to the floor in front of him.

She slid off the couch and positioned herself between his thighs. He set his hands on her shoulders and began kneading the muscles there. “Jesus. Youaretight.”

She made a soft sound of pleasure that went straight to his dick.

“Feel good?”

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