Page 53 of Clean Slade
Hell, I didn’t even care about King’s identity anymore. Whether he was the man named Rex or someone else entirely, it made no difference. Whatever may or may not have happened between us was in the past, and that was where it’d stay.
Or at least that’s what I tried to convince myself.
With a yawn, I left my bedroom and found my way to the bathroom. I opened the door and walked in on King.
He wasn’t completely naked this time, but the towel hung low around his hips, giving me a healthy view of his Adonis belt and happy trail.
A view I would happily admire for days on end if it wasn’t so completely inappropriate.
“I’m sorry.” I backtracked and shut the door again.
How many times can I walk in on someone?
Maybe I should make it my personal challenge until he admits who he is.
So much for my conviction.
Then again, there was only so much a man could resist. And a gorgeous man like King wasnotone of them.
He only gave me a not-so-evil grin when he came out of the bathroom, and I tried hard not to think what that might mean. There were already a hundred scenarios forming in the back of my mind. I didn’t need to feedthatmonster.
“Are you ready?” I asked Mac later that morning as I packed her lunch box, and she glared at me from the kitchen stool.
Her shoes were on, but the laces were hanging.
“Do I have to?” she asked.
“Tie your laces? Yeah, otherwise, you’ll trip.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I mean, go back to school.”
She took a mouthful of her cereal, and I turned to face her.
“Well, yeah, otherwise, your daddy will be punished.”
“I’ll be what now?” King appeared from the hall wearing a simple white T-shirt and a pair of tan chinos. His hair was brushed back and a silver earring hung from his ear.
He looked a million bucks, and if I was staring, I didn’t care.
“Slade said you’ll be punished if I don’t go back to school.”
He put his hands on his hips and stared me down.
“By who exactly?”
“By the state?” Did he really not know that?
“Oh.” His amusement turned to sadness. As if he wanted to be punished by…someone else.
Or I’m just a thirsty man who needs to get a grip.
“Well, that’s true. So I’m afraid you have to go to school. But I promise you don’t have to go to college if you don’t want to. In fact, I forbid it.”
“What? I want to go!” Mac whined, and I didn’t miss the evil grin on King’s face as he poured his coffee.
“Nuh-uh,” he added as he took a sip.
