Page 32 of Delayed Penalty

“So sheishot, then.”

“I didn’t say that.”

But she is hot. Very, very hot, a little fact I’ve been trying hard to ignore.

“You said she has a great ass, so you’re clearly into her.”

“That’s not…” I pinch the bridge of my nose, exhausted by Lawson. And to think, just an hour ago, I was thinking about how much I missed these obnoxious assholes.

The truth is…if I had met Quinn a few months ago, I probably would have liked her wild side. I would have been wild with her. But not now. Now, I just need her as a babysitter for my niece, and that’s it.

“Why haven’t we heard of her before?” Locke asks.

“Becauseyouwere gone all summer. And you two dicks were gone too.” Lawson sends an accusatory glare at Hutch and Keller, who don’t look at all sorry about bailing for the summer.

“We were building a house, then went on vacation. I don’t regret a single night I spent away.” Hutch smirks into his beer like he’s remembering exactly what he did while he was gone.

“I was with family.” Locke shrugs. “Someone’s gotta be the fun uncle.”

Lawson looks at Keller. “What’s your excuse for running off to…well, wherever the fuck you were hiding?”

“No excuse. I just wanted to get as far away from you as possible, Lawsy.”

We all laugh because we know it’s true, though I am curious where Keller was. He answered all the group chats readily, but he’s the only one who never fessed up his location. He’s always been like that, though. Anytime someone asks him something personal, he deflects. I can’t blame him. I do it, too, especially if someone brings up family. There’s a mile-long list of shit I’d rather talk about than them. Nobody wants to hear about their fuckery.

“Is she going to live with you?” Lawson asks. “Because if you’re crushing on her, that’s probably not a good idea.”

“For fuck’s sake. It’s not a crush. Saying someone has a great ass does not equate to a crush.”

“I don’t know…Rory has a great ass, and I’m definitely crushing on her.”

“Booo!”

“Gross!”

“Is that a boner?”

Lawson covers his junk. “You wouldn’t see it if you weren’t looking, Kells!”

“Shit, he’s got you there.” Hutch laughs.

The conversation around my new nanny dies down, shifting to something else that’s equally absurd. I do my best to pay attention, but it’s no use. I’m officially distracted, and all I can think isQuinn really does have a nice ass.

The house looks quiet as I pull my SUV into the driveway and shut off the engine, and I’m not sure if I’m unsettled by that or relieved.

I stayed out longer than I planned to. I probably should have gone straight home to Flora after the training session, but I couldn’t resist going out with the guys. Even though the guilt is setting in now, I can’t find it in me to regret it. I needed the break, to let off a little steam. The camaraderie is the one thing I miss the most during the offseason. Being part of something bigger, hanging with the guys. I’d never tell them that because they’d make fun of me endlessly, but it’s true.

It’s one of the biggest hurdles of having Flora now—being unable to go out whenever I please. I’m not a homebody and never have been. I can’t stand sittingaround with my thoughts. I need something—or someone—to distract me. With the kid around now, I don’t have that luxury anymore.

I climb out of my new, totally safe and boring SUV—the one I bought because there was no way Flora was riding in my Porsche 911 GT3 RS—grab my gym bag, and head for the front door.

Hand on the knob, I pause.

Are those voices I hear? Is someone here? Did Quinn invite a stranger into my house? Is she already screwing this up too?

I push the door open, expecting to find someone, but I only see a startled-looking Quinn sitting on the couch, the TV playing in the background.

Ah. That’s the voices.

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