Page 28 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

Me: Can I bring anything?

Nicole: Just bring your fine self

Me: I just got home from the gym, and I’ll head over after my shower. Unless you want to come over and help scrub my back?

Nicole: …

Me: I’ll be over soon.

I hadn’t planned that back-scrubbing part, but what the hell. It was harmless flirting. Maybe Nana had gotten to me a little last night. Nicole probably was a keeper, but I didn’t know how I felt about that. Or maybe I did, but I was too much of a coward to put myself out there. Flirting was easy enough and a way to test the water. I was not about to jump into the deep end. I’d done that before and drowned. I didn’t want another failed marriage.

I showered and dressed in my favorite T-shirt and sweats. I sprayed on some cologne, grabbed my jacket, told the house system to dim the lights, and headed out.

Minutes later, I was parked in front of the house and walking to the door. The curtains were open, and I could see Nana, Nicole, Lexi, and Matt laughing about something. I stopped for a minute to stare at Nicole objectively. She was as attractive as ever with her long wavy dark hair, smooth skin, and dark eyes, but there was something a little off tonight.

She looked tired, or out of sorts. I was pretty good at reading people, it had been a critical part of my training a lifetime ago, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

I shook my head. I should get myself inside instead of standing out here like a peeping tom. I opened the door and was greeted by loud voices involved in varying degrees of trash-talking.

“We take games quite seriously around here,” said Lexi. Her hair was in a tight braid, and her sleeves were pushed up. Her face looked slightly flushed.

I saw an opening on the couch by Nicole and squeezed in. “Bring it,” I said, although I wasn’t sure I could concentrate with the flames licking my insides whenever our bodies touched.

I breathed her in as she leaned into me to whisper. “You’ll be nice to me, even when you have a chance to ruin me, won’t you? Even if I behave in a shitty way, you’ll forgive me instead of taking your revenge?” she asked quietly. She looked so solemn. I wasn’t sure if she was even talking about the game.

I whispered back. “All is fair in love and war. Unless there are extenuating circumstances.”

She seemed satisfied with that. But she stayed leaning on me for a while longer, and I had to stifle the urge to put my arm around her. She seemed small against me, and I wanted to protect her—from what, I didn’t know.

Lexi won the majority of the games.

“That’s about all I can take of you, young lady. Besides, it’s time for my beauty sleep,” Nana said and headed slowly upstairs. She waved off Lexi’s offer of assistance.

Matt gave an exaggerated yawn. “Feeling tired myself. Ready to go, Lexi?”

She gave him a grin and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the kitchen to head out the back door. “See y’ins later. Maybe next time you can beat me. But I doubt it.”

Nicole took a playful swing at her, but Lexi ducked.

“Better get outta here before your head doesn’t fit through that door,” Nicole yelled.

I was still on the couch, and Nicole looked at me. “Would you like a nightcap before you go? Wine, whiskey, Jaeger?”

I chuckled. “I can’t say that I’ve ever been offered Jaeger as a nightcap before.”

“What do your girlfriends offer you?” she asked lightly.

“I don’t have any girlfriends. A glass of wine sounds nice.”

Okay, wine wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it was something one was expected to take their time drinking. I wasn’t ready to leave Nicole and go home to my empty loft just yet.

Nicole nodded and was back in a few minutes with a very full glass of wine. Hmm, maybe she didn’t want me to leave so soon either. Or I was just reading something into it.

She slumped down on the opposite end of the couch. “Lexi is a baller, isn’t she? Her evil twin persona comes out when she plays games.”

“No kidding. I didn’t know that about her.” I took a sip of wine. “So, how did your trip to New York go? Did you get your business taken care of?”

“Yep,” she answered shortly.

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