Page 193 of The Illicit Play

Blake broke away with peals of laughter, and I caught the piece that was about to smack the side of her face. Giving her brother a look of warning, I popped it into my mouth and chewed.

We had a brief, silent standoff after that before he broke with a growl. But he was fighting a grin. At least I think he was.

So, yeah, he’s okay with me dating his sister. I think he’s starting to see how much I love her, and he can’t fault that, right? I’ll look after her. I promised him I would, and he’s just gonna have to adjust to the fact that his sister is a grown-ass woman now.

A grown-ass woman with a veryfineass.

I squeezed it one more time for good measure, then had to let it go.

I skipped my workout so I could stick around and eat breakfast with her, then let her borrow my Jeep. I took Wily to his PT appointment, then headed off to class, and now I’m wandering beside Tyrell, anxiously waiting for a phone call.

Thank fuck she doesn’t leave me hanging.

I’ve only been out of class a couple of minutes when my phone starts buzzing.

“How’d it go?” I answer after one ring.

“I got it!” she squeals.

“Really? Just like that?”

“Yes! She hired me on the spot, said Wily sang my praises, and she trusts any friend of Liam and Ethan’s. It was so sweet! She knows it’s only until the end of summer, but she’s excited to work with me.”

I grin, stoked by the excitement in Blake’s voice.

“I met Tammy as well. You know the mom Sienna hangs out with sometimes? She was there with her boyfriend, Baxter. And her little son, Kai, is so cute! I played with the dog, Fezzik, and Rachel showed me all around the place. It’s huge, and I’ll be cleaning a lot of rooms, making beds, washing sheets, toilets, bathrooms, the floors, dusting. It’s gonna be big, but I’m up for it.”

“Is the pay okay?”

“Yeah, the guy who owns the place is awesome, apparently, and Rachel said I’ll be getting more than minimum wage, which is amazing considering I’ve never worked a day in my life!” She laughs. “And she said I might get some tips, too, so that’s pretty cool. Aw, Grady, I want to do, like, the best job for her, you know? I’ve never been more motivated in my life, and it’s cleaning fucking toilets! What is wrong with me?”

I laugh, holding the phone to my ear and feeling this burst of pride rise through me. “It’s your choice. That’s what’s so right about this. You’re steering the ship this time, baby.”

She lets out a sigh, and I can picture her pretty face. “I’m sure I’m not going to feel pumped like this every day, but you’re right. It’s nice to feel that sense of control.”

“I’ll motivate you on the days you don’t wanna go. I promise.”

“Ooo. Looking forward to that… I think. What does Grady motivation look like?”

My smile grows a little wider. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Well, I look forward to it.”

I nod, my brain already blooming with ideas.

“I better go. I was too nervous to eat this morning, so I’ll grab a late breakfast, then call my parents, I guess. Time to pick out a new car.”

I snicker and shake my head. “Don’t let them talk you into anything you don’t want.”

“But it’s their gift to me.”

“If you want a big-ass pickup, then you ask for it, baby. Who gives a shit if it’s not ladylike enough for your mother? You can drive whatever the fuck you want.”

She giggles, and I picture her smile in my head.

“Love you, Bee.”

“Love you, Bear.”