Park Avenue Player(81)

She laughed. “That would be awesome. Not only because I’m nosy as shit, but because I’m positive he hates the thought of us going to lunch together.”

I looked at Hollis, who didn’t look too pleased, and nodded. “He sort of looks like he sucked on a lemon, so I think you’re right. How does next weekend sound?”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Great. I’ll see you then.”

I handed the phone back to Hollis and strutted off toward the bedroom. Hollis came in as my arms were behind my back, clasping my bra.

“I don’t like the two of you together.”

“Why not?”

“Because she’s nosy, and once she gets into my personal business, I’ll never be able to get her the hell out.”

I walked into my closet and grabbed a powder blue tank top and a pair of white shorts. “You need someone who cares about you in your personal business, Hollis. We all do.”

“I do just fine on my own.”

I pulled my shirt on and walked out of my closet shaking my head. “Really? How long has it been since you had a relationship again? Six years now?”

Hollis took the white shorts from my hand and knelt down on the floor in front of me. He opened them so I could step in and then pulled them up to my hips and reached for the zipper. The small gesture of helping me dress made the inside of my chest feel all warm. When he wanted to be, Hollis was really sweet and thoughtful. He didn’t seem to have to try. He naturally wanted to take care of me.

After he buttoned my shorts, he stood and snaked his hands around my waist, locking them behind my back. “Drive with me to pick up Hailey and then come home with us. Stay at my place tonight. I’m not ready to let you go yet.”

That warm feeling in my chest turned to goo. “What about Hailey?”

He shrugged. “What about her? We already spoke to her. She knows something is going on between us.”

I wrapped my hands around his neck. “She knows something is going on. But I don’t think it’s a good idea that she sees us in the same bed so soon. She’s impressionable, and we’re setting an example for her—that includes how fast you jump into bed with someone.”

Hollis dropped his head and groaned. “I want you in my bed.”

I smiled. “And I’d like to be there. But I think it’s important that we put Hailey first, instead of our libidos.”

“Fine. Come home with me tonight and stay in the guest room. You’ve done that before. I’ll tell her I picked you up before coming to get her today because I have an early day tomorrow. She sleeps late. She won’t know what time I leave.”

I bit my lip. It was a tempting offer, but I wasn’t so sure we wouldn’t wind up in Hollis’s bed. Neither one of us had much self-control around the other.

I needed some assurances. “Okay. But no sneaking into the guest room. She caught us once already, and I definitely don’t want her to walk in on us naked and doing the dirty.”

“Fine.”

Hollis agreed to that way too soon. Something was up.

“Why did you agree without an argument?”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get you to come home with me.”

“So you’re not going to try to get in my pants later? Why do I not believe you?”

He smiled. “I figured you’re probably sore anyway. I should give you a break.”

My gut said he was full of shit, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I nodded. “Okay. I’ll come home with you.”

Hollis planted a chaste kiss on my lips and moved his mouth to my ear. “Plus, we already determined that sex doesn’t include oral, and I can’t wait to put you on your knees and watch you suck my cock later.”

***

“I want to run next door to check on Bree before we go. This weekend was really hard on her. Plus, I’d love for her to meet you, if she feels up to it.”

Hollis smiled. “That would be nice. I feel like I know her already from everything you’ve told me.”

“I’m sure she feels the same way, too.” I looked at the time on my phone. We had about fifteen minutes until we needed to leave to pick up Hailey, and I’d already packed an overnight bag. “I’ll be back in five.”

I slipped on a pair of flip-flops and walked next door. It took Bree a few minutes to open the door. Once she did, she smiled, even though she didn’t look so hot. Her skin had a tint of gray to it, and I heard the hiss of air from her nasal cannula. Her oxygen was turned up pretty high this morning.

“How are you feeling?”

She opened the door wider so I could come inside. “I used to feel like a thirty year old with a sixty year old’s lungs. But today my entire body feels like it’s seventy.”

I felt her forehead. “Are you sick? Do you have a fever? Do you need to go to the doctor?”

She smiled sadly. “No. It’s just the progression of the disease. This is all normal.”

“The trip this weekend was too much. We should have all come over here.”

She shook her head. “No. I wanted to be at the lake.”

Bree took a seat in her reclining chair, and I sat on the couch across from her. I’d come over to check on her, but also to tell her about Hollis, and at the moment that felt incredibly selfish.