It didn’t take much. I wanted to go from the start, and knowing he was more than cool with the idea was all I needed.
Bianca met us at the park after that, but Bailey started to fuss and rather than all of us going back to Milo’s hotel room, as Meyer had planned to do, we came back to her house.
Bailey starts rubbing her eyes and lowers her head onto Bianca’s chest, so Milo snags a pillow from beside Meyer and stuffs it under Bianca’s head. He scoots closer, patting at her butt while quietly singing a lullaby I’ve never heard.
From here, I can’t see Bailey’s face, but her little cheeks squish with what I know is a smile, and my own curves my lips.
Sensing Meyer’s eyes on me, I glance over, and sure enough, they are, but this time, she doesn’t look away. So, I twist my body to face hers, lifting my left arm onto the back of the sofa.
I stare right back.
“What’s on your mind, baby?”
Her cheeks tint a perfect pink and it takes a second, but then her soft little smirk lifts. “You were jealous today,” she whispers.
“Fuck yeah, I was.”
A quiet laugh leaves her, and she drops her head back onto the cushion, but not once do those intoxicating brown eyes move.
I want to lean over and put my lips on hers, but I won’t. Not in front of her family. That would have to be her move.
And they must think so too, ‘cause Bianca says, “Just kiss him already.”
Meyer’s blush creeps up her neck and she slowly looks to her best friend.
“I’m dying to see what happens when gas is poured over fire, so please, get on with it.” Bianca grins.
Milo rolls his eyes, but then pops up on his elbow. “Why don’t you guys go out? I know my school goes buck wild Thursday nights since close to no one has classes tomorrow. This place is likely ten times what mine is. There’s got to be somewhere to let loose.”
“Yeah right. Bailey’s—”
“Asleep, chica.” Bianca gives me an unrelenting expression. “I know what to do if she wakes up. I know you won’t stay out all night, just like you know you could if you wanted, because we’ll be here.”
Milo nods, looking from me to his sister.
Meyer opens her mouth, but he shakes his head, stopping her from saying exactly what he knew she was about to.
“I’ll be here all day tomorrow. We had all day today. Let me do this. I never get to help you out.”
“You help me out all the time.” She frowns.
“Phone calls aren’t the same thing,” he tells her.
“It’s the perfect thing,” she argues.
Milo’s shoulders lower an inch. “Let me be here in a different way. Go, have some fun. Tobias’ll watch out for you and we’ll be here when you get back.” They share a look I can’t explain.
While unease still tugs at her muscles, Meyer turns to me.
I tip my head, gauging her. “They’re partying at the team house tonight. We could go by there for a bit? They’ve been on my ass lately, asking where I’ve been.” I grin, dragging my knuckles along her shoulder. “Let me show them.”
Please, baby ...
Anticipation has my abdomen clenching.
Meyer searches for something in my expression, and hers begins to soften. But there’s a slight pull at the edges of her eyes, as if she’s wrestling with something on the inside and whatever it is, it might just win over, make the decision for her, one that won’t end in my favor.
And I get it, I do.
She’s a busy woman with school and work and Bailey. Her downtime isn’t really downtime because she’s exhausted, understandably so. I have no fucking clue how she manages all she does, and she does it like a damn queen. All I know is I like being part of it.
That, and I want her to keep letting me.
My lips curve to one side, letting her know it’s okay if she’s not up for it. I’m good with exactly what we’re doing now. I just want to be near her, so it’s more than surprising when she whispers, “Okay.”
My eyes narrow. “Okay?”
She chuckles, pulling herself to her feet, and my eyes follow. “Yeah, okay.”
I shoot up beside her, my grin fucking ridiculous, but I don’t care. I’ve been dying to have her at my side and under my arm.
To show she’s mine.
The others laugh and Meyer chews at her lip. “Let me put Bailey in her crib, and we’ll go.”
“Whenever you’re ready, ma.”
I watch her walk over, bend to grab Bailey, and disappear into her room before turning back to her brother and best friend. “Should I feel guilty as fuck right now?”
Bianca laughs, dragging herself to her feet. She plants her hands on my shoulders and gives a curt nod. “Yes, you should,” she whispers. “That means you respect her as a mother.”