Page 18 of All For You Duet

“Maybe I’m wrong about that bar and these checkout patterns.” I save Natalie’s file. “And when I’m wrong… it feels so right. It makes me do crazy shit.”

“Don’t tease, Bryant.” Jameson’s grin rises. “Doing crazy shit with you is my love language.”

“Excuse me.” I reach for the phone on my desk. “Gotta call HR.”

“Have a good night.” He laughs, throwing his hands up and walking away. “Put some ice on that ankle before you return here Monday.”

By the time I drive home to my condo, the pain is so bad it sours my stomach as I take the elevator to my third-level unit.

It’s a simple one-bedroom place, but I only care about the ocean view. That’s why I used my modeling money years before to buy it and the one for my mama down the row.

I hobble there first.

“Mama!” I open the door without knocking. “Do you have a bandage? I messed up my ankle.”

The blind foyer I hop down opens into a living room with an adjoining dining area.

I look… and stifle a gasp.

Redix Dean is sitting right there at Mama’s dining table.

The grin on his face? Pure delight at my shock.

“What’s he doing here?”

CHAPTER SIX

Fire for You by Cannons

Dammit, is he gonna ruin my every day now?

Doesn’t he have a gazillion horny fans to feed his ego instead of my ailing mama?

“They’re visiting,” Mama answers, sitting between Redix and his mom.

His “not a date” Angie sits across from him and won’t look at me.

Mama taps Redix’s arm. “Go in my bathroom and get her an ACE bandage out of my medicine cabinet.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He sounds way too happy.

“I’m fine.” I start limping that way. I want help from Redix like I want a migraine. “I’ll get it.”

“Sit down, young lady.” Mama’s command wins. I plop down in the chair by the table.

“Hey, Elise.” I greet Redix’s mom, ignoring Angie like she’s ignoring me. “Y’all been here long?”

Elise visiting my mama is normal.

Redix visiting is bullshit.

And his not-a-girlfriend joining him is a big pile of it with buzzing flies stinking up the room.

Elise answers with a pained smile, “We just came by to deliver some dinner and to let Redix visit a spell.”

Like the Devil, he returns to the room, scorching the temperature.

I roll my eyes.

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