Page 104 of Somebody's Watching Me
“Loving you is terrifying, Jamison, but your faith in me is just as scary,” he grumbled, swiping a hand through his hair. The loose curls were back, meaning he’d undergone another trim. “Did you ever think I might be occupied fighting or chasing said threat which would require you to run?”
“Well, then we’ll do what we do best.” Moving closer, she fixed the stray strands of his hair flopping about out of place. “Improvise.”
The door swung open, and her father stuck his head in, frowning. “What the hell are you wearing?”
“A dress?” She shifted so he could see the full concept and pawed at the air. “I’m a cat.”
“What kind of cat wears a dress like that?”
She waved a hand at his clothes. The man never deviated from his usual expensive collared dress shirts and perfectly tailored slacks. “Well, neither of you are wearing a costume!”
Heaving out a sigh, her father shook his head. “Because we’re not a couple of assholes. Rowan is the only one of us who can get away with wearing a mask because he looks the way he does.”
“I’m sexy, and I know it.” Rowan appeared next to her father in the doorway, the leather wolf mask still in place. “Are we going?”
Annabeth wrapped around Rowan’s arm, bursting with excitement. “Where’s Abe?”
“Abe is putting on his costume.” Jamison joined them in the hall, with Liam following. He closed the media room door, locking it as he did. “Abe isn’t ashamed to have a little fun.”
“Really?” Her father turned to shout down the hall, “Hey, Abe, what kind of costume is that?”
Abe rolled out of the kitchen, dressed almost exactly as before. “Angel.”
Rowan looked confused. “Angel?”
“Behold, my brother trying to flirt,” Annabeth whispered in case Izzy was around. “Angel is Buffy’s true love.”
“Spike is Buffy’s true love.” Simone snuck up behind her daughter. “That is a solid fact.”
“I agree with Annabeth,” Rowan said, oblivious as to how seriously Simone took Buffy. The woman loved all things vampire. Books. Movies. TV shows. “I liked Buffy with Angel.”
Simone narrowed her eyes in his direction. “Excuse me?”
Even under the mask, Jamison could see the horrified look on Rowan’s face. The poor guy wanted to be on Simone’s good side, but the joke was on him. The woman didn’t have a good side.
“And that’s my signal.” Her father patted Rowan on the shoulder as he headed to the front of the house. “I’m leaving.”
“Wait, I’m riding with you.” Abandoning Rowan to his fate, Jamison chased after her father. Or tried. Her heels clicked on the hardwood in rapid succession as she attempted to keep up in the dress. “I told Evie we would stop by their house so she could see my outfit.”
“Hold on there, Speed Racer.” Liam chased her down, his long legs catching her in a few strides. “We need to go over the protocols for tonight.”
She continued to shuffle down the hall. “Stay close to you, and if you’re unavailable, stay close to my dad.”
“I won’t be unavailable.”
“You will be if you make me cry again, and I murder you and hide your body in the hedges.”
“I love it when you try to flirt.” Liam grabbed her arm, bringing her to an immediate stop. “It’s always so aggressive.”
“Very funny.”
Her father paused at the front door. “Do I need to hear any of this?”
“Probably best if you don’t,” Liam replied.
“Thanks for the honesty,” her father said and slipped out.
“Protocols.” Jamison crossed her arms. “Let’s hear them.”
