Dangerous Fling (Dangerous Noise 4)

"No, I keep that to texts."

"I know."

"I won't bring up the dinner Saturday if you promise you'll play nice."

"I will, but Piper—"

"I know."

He pushes off the couch. "We done with that? Cause I want to go back to the part where you smell like sex."

"What about it?"

His grin gets goofy. "You have this look in your eyes."

He does too. There's something normal about it. My little brother is asking me about sex. We missed that part of our lives. I was too busy taking care of everything.

"You tie her up?" he asks.

"You suddenly develop an interest in bondage?"

"Not suddenly." His smile widens as his gaze goes to the door. "I do whatever it takes to make Vi happy."

"Wherever you can."

He laughs. "Well, I can't help how much I love hearing her come."

"You're so romantic."

"I know."

I need to hold onto this feeling. "You want to come over and play?"

"You really have to ask?"

24

Lacey

Saturday night, I spend forever picking out a dress. What do you wear to meet your not-a-boyfriend's parents? Everything is too tight, too loose, too conservative, too prudish. I settle on a plain black dress and my only pair of nice heels.

The entire drive to the restaurant, my stomach is filled with butterflies.

As I park and walk the stairs to the restaurant, my hands are shaking.

Adam's dad loved me, but Adam's dad loved everyone.

I take a deep breath as I press the ball of my foot onto the top floor. Mal only invited me as bait. We're only having fun. This isn't like when I met Adam's dad.

It doesn't matter.

Because Mal and I—we don't matter.

The thought makes me feel worse, not better.

I nod to the host stand. "I'm with the Strong party."

The hostess in the pretty black dress smiles. "We'll have your table ready shortly." She motions to the cherry bench pressed up against the wood railing.