Page 43 of Messy Strokes (Wrecked Roommates)

He hands her to me and gingerly walks up the stairs, his toned thighs and muscular backside bunching and flexing with every step until he’s out of sight.

But the realization he cares aboutmeis what really does me in. The stupid organ in my chest flutters to life as I swallow back my anxiety. There’s no point in arguing with him. Not when he’s made up his mind. I look down at my little Peanut in my arms.

“Come on, baby girl. Let’s get you some food.”

12

Maddie

He still smells good. How can he smell so good? It isn’t fair. Toying with the ends of my hair, I peek over at him. His wrist is resting on the top of the steering wheel, and a pair of sexy sunglasses covers half his face, accentuating his strong jaw. The guy looks like he belongs on the cover of a freaking magazine, all tattoos and give-no-shits attitude.

My mouth waters.

“So, who’s stalking you?” he demands, his voice breaking through my daydream.

As promised, he’d bounded down the stairs, showered and dressed to kill in a white T-shirt and jeans, and escorted me to his car without uttering a word.

I think I preferred the silence.

Way to pop the bubble, jerkface.

Folding my arms, I stare out the passenger window. “Can we literally talk about anything else?”

“Okay. Do your parents know you had a kid?”

My head snaps toward him. “Really?That’syour alternate topic of conversation? No,the weather’s nice today, orhow ‘bout them Jazz?”

He snorts. “You hate basketball.”

“I don’t hate it. I simply find blowjobs much more entertaining,” I quip, batting my lashes back at him.

His damn dimples tease me as he gets lost in the memory of the last time we watched a basketball game together. During the second quarter, I’d slid onto my knees and showed him how much more entertaining I could be than his hometown team getting their butts kicked. After about thirty seconds in my mouth, he was nodding his agreement and begging for me to continue.

The moment is bittersweet as the smile slides off his face and he grips the steering wheel a little tighter.

“I guess it's a no,” he mutters.

“Whether I told my parents?” I ask. “Well, surprise, surprise, my friend. I most definitelydidtell my parents, but it was a waste of time because they pretty much disowned me as soon as I admitted having sex outside of marriage.”

“Ouch.”

“Yup. It doesn’t matter, though. We haven’t spoken since I told them.”

“It’s a shame,” he sighs.

“Why?”

“I’ve heard grandparents can be pretty awesome. In another world, I’d like Penny to have a set of grandparents she can rely on.”

“In another world,I’dlike Penny to have a set of grandparents she can rely on,” I return. “I’d love to reconnect with my parents. But you weren’t there when I told them, and I’m not going to subject Penny to people who don’t want her, ya know?”

“Maybe they were surprised––”

“And maybe they were so disappointed in my decisions they’re going to take it out on their grandbaby for her entire life.”

“And maybe you’re being unfair,” he volleys right back.

“Says the guy who has an even shittier relationship with his parents than I do,” I huff, the words tumbling out of me before I can stop myself.

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