Page 20 of Just This Once

Slowing my step, I approached the furniture from behind so I could peer over the back and find a familiar hottie stretched out with his head propped against an armrest, dead to the world.

“Aww. How precious.” Reaching out, I smoothed my fingers over his mess of board-straight, dark hair. “But can you wake up for me, handsome?”

My gentle croon caused him to shift and mumble, “What’s up?” as he tried to keep sleeping.

But I wasn’t having it. I licked my finger, then stuck it in his ear, gifting him with a massive wet willy.

He shouted in protest and jerked awake.

Grinning, I climbed over the back of the couch so I could drop directly on top of him and trap him there.

“What the fuck?” he started, wide-eyed and tense, only to focus on my face and go absolutely limp with a defeated groan. “Hope,” he greeted dryly. “You’re here. Already.”

“Yeah, don’t get too excited.” Resting my elbows on his chest, then my chin on my hands to get comfortable, I said, “Thought you told me you were working tonight.”

“I am.” He sent me a lazy, sexy smile. “Working on taking a nap.”

“Hmm.” I wasn’t impressed. Lifting my eyebrows, I told him, “Well, that nap got me stuck with Grumpy. Did you hear that? I had to ride here from the airport withGrumpy. Do you know how easily he gets road rage?”

“Yeah, well…” Hudson shrugged before he yawned and stretched under me, looking a little too amused for my taste. “It’s Parker. What’d you expect?”

“Iexpecteda little friendly flirting in a sexy, vintage Dodge Challenger where I’m allowed to turn up the damn volume on the radio without getting my hand slapped.”

Cracking out an amused snort, Hudson said, “He slapped your hand? For real? That’s classic.”

“Metaphorically,” I corrected with a scowl.

“Oh.” He hummed out a less interested sound and lifted his eyebrow in a shrug before adding, “And besides. I can’t go around flirting with just everyone anymore. Didn’t you hear? I have a full-fledged girlfriend now. First one ever.”

“I know. I met her in the kitchen. The tall one, right?”

“Yep. Faith,” he said with a proud grin. “Isn’t she something?”

“They all were,” I agreed. “But I’m not sure if I can forgive you for bringing yetanothervirtue into the group. First, you went and named your carChastityon me, and now you’re dating a damn Faith? Hope was the only righteous name we needed.”

“Don’t care,” he announced, still smiling. “I like her.”

“Hmm,” I answered before lifting up enough to see all three girlfriends hovering on the other side of the couch, peeking overthe back at us in shock. “She’s sure not coming to your rescue very quickly right now, though, is she?”

“Is she in the room?” Perking to attention with his spine still plastered to the couch, he lifted his hand over the back to wave. “Hey, Stalker. Little help down here. Please.”

“With…what exactly?” Faith asked, leaning over the couch to scowl at his face. “I can’t figure out what’s even happening right now.”

“Oh, didn’t any of them warn you?” I asked conversationally. “I’m the bane of all their existences. It’s basically my duty to harass your boys whenever I have the chance, so… I’m just chilling here, making poor Sleepy as uncomfortable as possible for as long as I can because he’s too damn polite to just shove me off him.”

The auburn-headed one snorted, then covered her mouth to hide her laugh as the other two glanced at her as if she were insane.

“What?” she asked them. “It’s diabolically brilliant.”

“Right?” I nodded, deciding I liked Mrs. Happy. It was too bad I didn’t remember her given name; I’m sure Alec had mentioned it a dozen times too.

“Babe?” Hudson spoke up, gaping at his girlfriend in disbelief. “Are you really not going to save me right now?”

“Save you fromwhat?” Faith repeated, looking confused. “You haven’t evenaskedher to get off you.”

“That’s true,” I agreed, glancing down at him with an arch look. “You haven’t.”

He rolled his eyes. “Only because I know you never would.”

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