Page 23 of Reckless

“Of course I haven’t fucked him. He’s my boss.”And he’s not really anasshole.

“Never stopped youbefore.”

I sigh, feeling the exhaustion of my past bulldoze over me. “I never slept with any of my bosses.” People only think I have because I run with friends like Val. Sure, I’ve had plenty of hookups, and yes, I love sex, but I have a morality clause—no bosses or guys who’ve dated my friends. As soon as you bang someone’s ex, you’re headed for crazy town, and I have enough of that in my life without chumming thewater.

“Really?” She soundsdisappointed.

“Iswear.”

“Jamie wasn’t yourboss?”

The sound of his name makes me wince. “No, he wasn’t my boss. He was my boss’s friend, which was badenough.”

Because one, my boss Kevin never bothered to tell me my boyfriend was fuckingmarried, and two, when Jamie and I unceremoniously broke up that fateful day, I had to quit my bartending job or face the very real possibility of seeing him because he frequented thatrestaurant.

And there was no way I was ever talking to that scumbag again. I changed my number, switched my job, and eventually moved when he kept stalking my place and sending me flowers. Nothing says, “Hey, sorry I didn’t tell you I was a cheating douchebag” like bouquets of carnations. Who apologizes with the cheapest flower in the state of Texas? Even after I trashed them, they left behind that sickeningly sweet scent that reminded me of my grandmother’sfuneral.

“Are you still on that man dietthing?”

“No dicks for me.” Figuratively orliterally.

“That’s a shame. I have afriend—”

“No.”

“He’s superhot.”

“Thenyoudate him, and I’ll live vicariously through yourescapades.”

She laughs maniacally. “No one saiddatehim. Just let him bang your brains out so you can get over your aversion to attractive men and see that you need to move back to Austin. Then we can party the whole summer. Come on. You haven’t been the same since Jamie. Where’s the BFF I know andlove?”

“Girlfriend, I have to work. I have bills to pay. Daddy ain’t gonna cover myrent.”

I can almost hear her rolling her eyes. “George doesn’t pay my rent.” She calls her parents by their first names. My mother would smack me with herchanclaif I ever did that. “I have a salary, thank you verymuch.”

A salary Daddy pays even when you don’t show up towork.

But when she doesn’t stop badgering me, I promise to go out with her. I might need a break from Ethan Carterprontoanyway.

“Yay!” she yells into the phone. “We’ll have a blast! One night of partying never hurtanyone.”

I don’t bother pointing out how we both know that’s nottrue.

One night is all it takes for everything to gowrong.

When I wakeup the next morning, a precious face grins at me over the edge of thebed.

“Hey,Mila.”

What time is it? Ethan didn’t specify what time he wanted me to get the kids up, only that they ate around eight, and it’s not quite sevenfifteen.

“Sorry I woke you. Did I wake you?” She bounces up and down on hertoes.

This kid is like sunshine on crack. I smile at her even though it pains me to be so cheerful this early in the day without a shot of coffee injected straight into myjugular.

Baby babble sounds through a tiny speaker on the bedside table. Ethan must’ve put the baby monitor there this morning before he headed out to work with the horses. Cody isn’t quite two, so of course his dad still has a monitor for him. I feel dumb for not thinking about thatsooner.

“Mila, can you do me a favor and keep your brother company for a few minutes while I brush my teeth? I’ll be rightout.”

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