Page 38 of Teasing

“Sorry, Dad. I didn’t realize I needed to check in with you,”he claps back, avoiding the question.

“Don’t be a dick. I was just asking.”I throw a soap pod in the dishwasher and turn it on as Jamie walks into the kitchen.

“Dude. Where are you going?”Jamie asks, and Ryker groans.

“Out. Don’t wait up.”He grabs his keys from the counter, gives us a salute, and walks out.

Jamie grabs a beer from the fridge and tosses it to me, then takes one for himself. “What the fuck was that about?”

“No clue,” I tell him and put the beer back in the fridge.

“What crawled up your ass?” Jamie cracks his lid off and takes a pull of his beer. It’s Saturday. Loosen up, Mav.”

“I don’t even feel like going,” I admit after a minute. “I feel like a shit for leaving Rosie with Emmie on a Saturday night. Like I’m taking advantage of Em or something.”

“Em, huh?” The asshole kicks back against the island and crosses his legs. “You sure it’s not something else?”

“Fuck off, Murphy.”

“There it is. Don’t even act like this doesn’t have something to do with you wanting to be here with the nanny instead of at the bar with Lilah’s hot, single friends. Nice try, man.”

Asshole. “I didn’t say that, dickhead.”

“You didn’t need to. You like her.” He sounds like a little fucking girl. “You do. Don’t deny it.”

“Do you even realize how much you talk? I mean, seriously, man... you never shut up.” Maybe I regret putting that beer back now.

“Maybe I do, but you didn’t deny it,” he taunts.

Jamie always does this. Tries to worm his way into getting you to say what he wants. “Dude, we’ve been friends our whole lives. I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s not gonna work.”

He takes a quick breath. “I’m just trying to get you to admit the truth to yourself before you waste weeks denying it. You’ve got it bad for the nanny. And why wouldn’t you? She’s hot in a faith, trust, and pixie-dust kind of way, spreading her magic all around.”

I stare at him for a minute, trying to figure out if he took too many hits to the head at practice this week. “I can’t believe I’m asking this, but what the hell are you talking about?”

“Long legs and golden, tanned, perfect skin. A perma-smile on her pretty face...”

I squeeze my fists at my side, and Jamie doesn’t miss it as his shit-eating grin grows. The fucker has no idea how close he is to getting hit.

“She’s got this magic about her...” His eyes stray to my fists, and he slowly shakes his head. “She makes you smile, man... When she’s not even looking at you, you smile.”

I unclench my fingers and shove them in my pockets. “You act like I never smile. I smile.”

“Not like you used to.” Jamie points his beer bottle at me. “Think about that. And take your own damn car tonight because I don’t plan on coming home.” The dumb fuck winks, and I’m pretty proud of myself for thinking ahead and making no overnights a thing when I let Jamie and Ryker move in.

If I’m not getting any in my own damn house, neither are they.

“Hello...” Emmie calls out as she lets herself in the front door, and Jamie crosses his arms over his chest. staring like the cat that just ate the fucking canary.

“You’re smiling, douchebag,” he taunts, and I nail him in the balls with the back of my hand. Gotta love a good old-fashioned ball slap. I’d call it super effective as the dipshit doubles over.

“I’m smiling now.” I take two steps closer, while he groans, and bend down and whisper, “You ever talk about how hot she is again, and I might just forget you’re my best friend, asswipe. Nod if you understand.”

Jamie nods and coughs.

“Great talk. Thanks, man.”

Emmie walks into the room with a giant tote bag and pulls out a big box.

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