But all good things must end. I can feel his reluctance to let me go as we slowly part and he growls, his lips still close to mine. “Go see your family, but tomorrow, you’re mine.”
I thought I’d hate the possessive alpha male shit.
I was wrong. My thighs clench together, and all I want to do is climb in his bed and let him do whatever the hell he wants to do to me.
“Tomorrow.”
He kisses me, and I smile, going into the bathroom to fix my hair and lipstick, tucking my shirt in. He walks me to my car and gives me one last kiss to again mess up my cherry red lipstick and steal most of it.
He stands in the driveway as I back my car out and begrudgingly drive to my beach house, seeing my mom’s car in the driveway.
When I walk inside, Baz greets me happily shouting, “Aunt Lola! Aunt Lola! Uncle Asher is here! And Uncle Linc! And Aunt P! And Grandma and Grandpa!”
I laugh as the little guy jumps up and down excitedly and Vivienne stands behind him, a great big smile on her face at his happiness.
I look down at Baz, who I swear has grown a foot in the short time he’s been here. “I know, buddy. Are you excited?”
“Yes! Excited!” He jumps around the living room and then runs off to the kitchen. I hear a “humph” sound and then moments later, see Baz is wrapped around Asher’s neck, riding on his back. I’m guessing that sound was Baz jumping on him.
“Hey, Ash.”
He holds onto Baz and nods. “Hey. Dinner’s almost done. Where the hell have you been?”
“Working.”
Vivienne eyes me with a slight smile, but she doesn’t say a word.
Asher doesn't seem to pick up on anything out of the ordinary as he turns and carries Baz out of the room. I walk to Viv, keeping my voice low. “Are you okay?”
She nods her head, but I can tell she’s unsure. “Baz is happy.”
“Has he been an ass?”
She shakes her head, a tiny smile on her lips. “He hasn’t said anything to me.”
I wrap an arm around her, and she lays her head on my shoulder. “So, yes.”
I hear her quiet laugh before she changes the subject. “So, working huh?” She lifts her head and grins.
“Come on. Let’s get dinner,” I laugh as we walk into the kitchen together where I greet everyone else.
Dinner is weirdly quiet. I expected at least one outburst from my brother, but he mostly just keeps his attention to Baz, who couldn’t be happier having Asher by his side at dinner. After we finish eating, Penelope, Viv, and I head out to the backyard while everyone else stays inside to play with Baz.
We’re all lying in our own lounge chairs, wine in our hands, and looking up at the stars in the dark sky. I’m in the middle, when Penelope turns to look at Viv over me. “Baz was sure happy tonight.”
I can feel Vivienne’s pain and internal struggle from beside her, but she just smiles. “Yeah, he loves Asher so much.”
Penelope nods. “The feeling is definitely mutual.”
Vivienne continues looking up at the sky, her voice soft. “I told Asher he can have the whole day tomorrow with Baz.”
No matter how she feels about my brother or the shit they put each other through, she’ll always put her son first. “They’ll both like that.” I smile, looking up at the sky with her.
“So, does that mean you’re spending the day with Sawyer then? Having some much-needed orgasms?”
Of course, Penelope asks that question. I roll my eyes, smiling at my best friend’s question, and again, but I feel tension coming from Viv. “I’m not sure what I'm going to do while they have a boys’ day.”
“Please tell me, that you’ve let that boy into your pants.” I turn to Penelope, shaking my head, and she laughs. “What? I love Asher as much as anybody, but he had a chance. We all can’t be sexual camels like you, my dear friend.”
Vivienne laughs at that, and I turn to look at her. “Last time I defend you.”
She laughs again, and so do I as I look back up at the sky. “I actually agree with Penelope though. I think Sawyer really cares about you.”
The snort from Viv is not what I was expecting. “He likes the chase. The thrill.”
I turn to look at her now. “You really believe that?”
She shrugs her small shoulders, turning her head to look at me. “Yes because he’s like me.”
“I used to think Linc was like that too.” We both turn to Penelope as her head tilts toward us. “But it was bullshit. It was love, and I’m glad I finally let him catch me.”
I smile happily at her, so happy they’re settled. “Me. Too.” I turn back to Viv. “And Sawyer is a player and an asshole, but he cares.”
“We’re friends,” she confirms what Sawyer told me.
“Friends who bang.” Penelope grins.
Vivienne is clearly tired of talking about this and shifts the conversation to me. “So how is work going, Lola?”
She smirks into her wineglass, and I casually flip her off so Penelope can’t see it. Vivienne laughs, but Penelope picks up on her precarious tone. “Did something happen with Hayden?”
I was going to tell her anyway. Might as well. “We had sex.”
“What?” Penelope jumps to a fully sitting position in her lounge chair to turn to look at me. “You had sex with a client? You? Lola fucking Sterling?”
“Penelope,” my tone says stop, but my best friend couldn’t care less.
“Tell me everything. I mean, my God, the dry spell has ended!”
I roll my eyes, and Viv laughs. “Oh good. So, she knew about the whole virgin thing.”
She takes another drink of her wine, and I freeze. No. She didn’t. I turn to face only Penelope as she processes that information. “What?” She looks confused. “Hayden was a virgin?”
“Oh shit.” That comes from the other side. “I’m sorry, Lola.”
Penelope’s eyes connect with mine. “You?”
I feel guilty when I see the hurt in my best friend’s blue eyes, but don’t have time to say anything before Asher appears through the patio door. “Sorry to interrupt girl time, but Baz wants you to tuck him in, Viv.”
She nods, her hand brushing over my arm as she stands up. “I’m sorry.”
I laugh and brush off her apology because there’s no need. To me, we’re sisters, and sisters tell each other’s secrets sometimes. “It’s not a big deal. Give my nephew a kiss from me.”
She still looks horrified as she walks inside with Ash, and I cringe, thinking about them spending any time alone together with emotions still clearly high.
“Not a big fucking deal?”
I take a deep breath and turn back to Penelope. “It’s really not.”
“How the hell did I not know this? We’ve been friends for years and years and you never told me?” She stops, looking guilty. “Or I've been that self-involved that I never asked.”
She’s given me a hard time about getting out and dating, but I'm sure she assumed I’ve had sex with someone over the years. “I didn't’ tell you because I didn’t want it to be a big deal. I just didn’t want pressure to sleep with someone.”