Page 98 of Mr. Red

“I didn’t mean it like that, Matt.”

He’s quiet for a minute. “You really need to move the key from under your mat. Anyone could guess it’s there and then be in your house.”

“You’re right. Hold on, don’t move!” I run up my pathway, turning to see if he’s still there. He stays staring back at me. I come back to where we were standing by the car.

I hand him my spare key. “Instead of leaving, you could stay over.”

There’s a brief pause. “Since I drove all this way. Idomake a way better breakfast than you.”

I smile and take his hand. We walk up the long pathway, locking the front door behind us, and head into the bedroom.

He starts undressing until he’s in his boxers, and I put on the shirt he was wearing, after I remove my clothes. He snuggles up behind me in bed and puts his arm around me.

I close my eyes, waiting for sleep to take me so the room can stop spinning.

He whispers in my ear, “I’d better not see any part of another guy on you again.”

My eyes pop open. “So the next time I hug my dad, I’ll have to ask permission from you?” I pause. “I don’t think so. Relax.”

“You know what I mean, Scarlett.”

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me.”

He knows me too well. I know he’s being protective, but I can’t help but wonder what kind of reaction I’d get from him the next time things don’t go his way.

Chapter 53

Scarlett

My phone startles me awake.

Who the hell is up at this hour?It should be a crime to call someone before the sun is up. My eyes adjust to my surroundings.

Oh, the sun is up. What time is it?

I glance down at my phone. “Dad” lights up on the screen. He’s like Matt and is up before the crack of dawn. He’s probably calling about our weekly dinner.

My dad knows me well and will be able to read me like a book. He worries about way too many things. I blame the news. He constantly watches it; wanting to know what’s going on in the world all the time. It just makes him paranoid and protective over me.

“Hey, dad!” I try to sound bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but my voice has a rasp. I sound like I’ve drunk a fish tank of alcohol—which would be accurate.

“Hey, Letti. I know it’s early,” he starts. “Sounds like you haven’t woken up yet. I’m disrupting your morning so I’ll get right to the point. We still on for dinner Thursday?”

“Oh, that sounds great, dad. Let me just check with Matt to make sure he doesn’t have any plans.” My eyes widen the moment the sentence leaves my mouth.

“Excuse me? Who’s Matt and why do you need to check with him to have dinner with your old man?”

I did not just do that.

I miss the days where I used to be cool and collected until a sexy stranger rolled into my life. Why is my brain not cooperating and full of slush? I’m not ready to tell my dad about Matt. I need to figure things out with the gym first. Now he’s going to want to meet him and I’m going to say “yes, of course,” and it’s going to make the night awkward. Perfect.

“He’s just someone I’ve been seeing. Of course I’ll be there. The usual restaurant?”

“How long have you been seeing him?”

“Don’t worry, dad.”