Page 33 of Headed for Home

“Fits perfect,” Paisley muses.

Cassidy snaps out of her dreamy stupor. “Are you ogling him?”

“Can you blame me? Especially after what you just told me.” She adds the second part under her breath.

“This is going straight to his big head,” Cassidy gripes.

“Already there.” The cheeky smile curving my lips has reached clown status.

My better half admires me again. “Consider that shirt yours now that it’s sculpted to your… bulging bulges.”

“Bulging bulges?” I whistle. “Damn, beauty. You know how to wrap me around your little finger.”

The red splotches on her cheeks burn brighter. “I’m a tad out of my element. Give me a break.”

“What’s bothering you?”

She flails an arm in my direction and huffs. “Um, hello.”

“Would you rather I take it off?” I begin peeling the hem off my abdomen.

“No!” Cassidy blurts while her cousin says the opposite. That earns the blonde a fierce glare. “Seriously, Ley?”

Paisley shrugs. “He offered.”

I hold up a palm. “No need to argue. I’ll stay decent.”

“Not sure that’s possible,” Cassidy mumbles.

“This is the thanks I get after everything I’ve done to make our one-week anniversary special? Ouch.” But my smirk isn’t fooling anyone.

Paisley’s jaw drops. “I didn’t know it was your anniversary.”

“It’s really not,” Cassidy argues.

“Definitely is,” I counter and give her a thorough perusal. “The celebration isn’t over based on what I’m seeing. You look better than a Sunday brunch buffet after eating salad all week.”

Paisley chokes, which morphs into a cough as she levels her cousin with a stare. “Wow, that’s worth spreading yourself out on the counter as a holiday feast. Why are you still standing here?”

Cassidy hangs her head. “Don’t encourage him.”

“Too late,” I chuckle.

“Okay, trouble. This has been super fun, but we have chores to do.” She makes a shooing motion.

“Awesome.” I clap and then rub my palms together. “Where do I start?”

Cassidy blinks. “Huh?”

“How can I help?”

“By going home,” she deadpans.

I frown. “That’s not a preferred opinion.”

“For you.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me again?”

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