Page 23 of The P Arrangement

I stepped around the corner just as Preston turned around.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

While I’d loved hearing him give it to his mom because she’d had it coming for years, guilt suddenly descended on me like a rain cloud. She was his only living parent. If I hadn’t come to the house tonight, they wouldn’t have gotten in a fight.

Preston’s jaw ticced from him clenching it so hard, but he didn’t answer me.

“I’m sorry.”

His eyes narrowed as he glared at me. “Whatever the fuck for?” he bellowed.

I lifted a shoulder. “If I hadn’t been here, you wouldn’t have fought.”

Preston shoved his hands onto his hips and sighed, some of the anger leaving his body. Shaking his head, he said, “No. She’s the one in the wrong. You didn’t do anything to deserve her treatment of you. You never have.”

Putting one foot in front of the other, I slowly padded closer to Preston. The whole time we’d been together, he had always tried to keep the peace between Rebecca and me, but he’d always been respectful to his mother. Usually, he cut her off before she said anything too bad, and then he would ask her to stop before she could say anything she couldn’t take back.

But tonight, he’d told her off, and he’d stood up for me in a way I’d never seen him do before.

And it was probably inappropriate of me, but I was full of desire for my ex-husband. He looked so proud and strong and angry on my behalf. I couldn’t help but want him. I was so ready to jump him. It was as if our quickie in the restroom had never happened.

When I reached him, I clutched the front of his shirt. “Preston?” I whispered.

He met my eyes.

“What are we doing here?”

His brow furrowed.

“Last night and now tonight? What are we doing?”

His expression relaxed. “I honestly don’t know. I just know…I want you. And right now, I’m too tired to try and figure it out.”

I understood exactly what he meant. If he had asked me the same question, I wouldn’t have had an answer either. And trying to figure it out sounded exhausting.

Spreading my fingers out on his chest, I said, “I want you too.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “You do, huh?” His hands finally left his sides and wrapped around me.

“Yeah.” I traced his lips. I’d always loved how big they were, and I missed being able to touch them. “Do you think Paxton’s still sleeping?” I asked as I slowly pulled Preston toward the stairs behind him.

He snorted. “I’ve seen that kid get up, still half-asleep, because he’s worried he’s missing something.”

I grinned. “I call it his zombie mode.”

“It’s fitting.”

“It is. And since he’s still out, I want to do this.” I swung Preston around and pushed him down on the stairs.

“Oof,” he said and laughed. “What was that for?”

Reaching under my dress, I pulled off what was left of my thong. It had been nothing but a decoration around my waist for a couple of hours, but I hadn’t bothered taking it off.

I let the scrap of fabric dangle on one finger. “You now owe me two pairs of panties. If you keep this up, I’m not going to have anything left to wear.”

Preston bit his bottom lip and slowly pulled it out from between his teeth. “I’d tell you I’m sorry, but I’m not.” He shrugged. “They were in my way. They had to go.”

“And for that, you’re going to be punished.”

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