“Get up here,” Emerson growled, grabbing JC by the scruff as if he was a cat. “She’s crying.”
“Not anymore I’m not.” I sniffled and dried my cheeks. “I’m officially horny again.”
“Lil,” Em said gently, cupping my cheek. “You can tell us.”
“It’s just a lot. So much.”
“Too much?” JC asked.
“No. It’s incredible. Amazing. God, I want more.” I was already reaching for both of them. “I don’t want to sleep tonight.”
But somehow we eventually fell asleep anyway, exhausted and satisfied and happily tangled together on Em’s big bed.
Until the sound of the buzzer caused Emerson to bolt upright. “Oh, shit.”
I knuckled my eyes and lifted my head from its pillow on JC’s chest. He was still sawing them off. “What’s wrong?”
“Buzzer.” Em grabbed the bedside alarm clock. “Damn, it’s morning.”
I yawned and snuggled against JC. “So? Ignore them. They’ll go away.”
He gripped my shoulder, and I glanced back, frowning. “Lil, it’s your dad.”
My sleepiness vanished in an instant. I sat up and dragged my hair away from my face, squinting in the morning gloom. Last night’s rain had lent itself to a cloudy morning, though it was early. Of course it was early, because my dad always headed to work at the crack of dawn.
“I called him last night.” I fumbled around on the floor for my clothes. “Told him JC and I were out dancing late so I was just going to crash at his place.”
“He was cool with the sleepover?” Emerson was searching for clothes himself, digging through his drawers like a man possessed.
“I don’t know if he was or not. He just growled and hung up.” I found my bra and put it on, then tugged on my top. “Why’s he here?”
“I invited him.”
I stopped pulling down my top. “What? Why?”
Emerson yanked on his jeans and blew out a breath. “Okay, I didn’t exactly. I called and asked to come over so I could—” He hesitated. “So I could tell him about us, even if we were through.”
“You thought we were through?” I whispered.
“Moron,” JC muttered from behind me, grabbing a pillow and sending it sailing.
“I didn’t know after what had happened at the club, okay? But now he’s here, and I have to talk to him. We have to talk to him.” He gave me a long look and left the room. My dad was still leaning on the buzzer.
Lance Matthews never gave up without a fight.
“He’s serious, isn’t he?” JC asked with a sigh.
“Very.” When JC grabbed my hand, I realized it was shaking.
“Hey, hey. It’ll be okay.” He curled his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in close to kiss my hair. “Everything’s going to be just fine.”
A few minutes later, we walked out to the foyer to join Emerson. JC had his arm around me still, and I clutched his waist. Emerson was speaking quietly to my dad, but all conversation ceased when we stepped into the hall.
“Lily,” my dad said stiffly.
“Daddy.” I fumbled for the necklace at my throat. It had been given to me by my mother, and most of the time, I forgot it was there. The little ballerina on the chain had been a replica of one of my first dolls. Another link to my past, and my future.
Just like Emerson and JC.