Page 46 of Her Possessive Daddies

"Yeah. Though maybe we should skip the drinking games this time."

A blush creeps across her cheeks. "Probably wise."

I leave a hundred on the bar. "Get home safe tonight."

"You too, Mr. Baker."

That formal tone - she's rebuilding walls between us. Smart girl. Smarter than me, apparently, since I'm still standing here like an idiot.

"Seth," I correct her. "After everything, I think we're past formalities."

Her smile could light up the whole damn bar. "Goodnight."

I force myself to turn away, to walk toward the door without looking back. My car feels too empty, too quiet. The ghost of her perfume lingers in my mind, along with thoughts of taking her home, showing her exactly what I could do without Corey's watchful eyes. In the shower, on the kitchen counter, hell…in the lobby in front of lustful onlookers. I don't care how I have her.

But that's not how this works. Not with her. Not with us.

I grip the wheel harder and point my car toward home. Alone.

22

ABBIE

Ipush open the back door, the cool night air hitting my face as I step outside. My head’s spinning, and it’s not from the two glasses of wine I had during my shift. Seth showed up tonight. Seth. With his stupidly handsome face and that sexy grin that makes my heart do flips. And then there’s Corey, who’s been texting me all day, his words making me blush even when I’m alone. What the devil is happening to me?

Pulling out my phone, I stare at the screen. Corey’s last message is still there, a simpleThinking about you.My thumbs hover over the keyboard, but I don’t know what to say. How do you respond to that when you’re still reliving that unbelievable night in your head? When you’re still thinking about the way he focused only on you, the way Seth’s hands felt on your skin, his mouth, the way they both?—

My phone vibrates in my hand, and Chandler's name flashes across the screen. My stomach drops. Two AM calls never bring good news, especially from exes.

I pause next to my car, keys dangling from my fingers. The parking lot is empty except for a few other employee vehicles, the streetlight casting long shadows across the pavement. My thumb hovers over the decline button, but that little voice in my head – the one that always wants to help – won't let me ignore it.

"Hello?"

"Abbie! Thank god." His words slur together.

"Chandler!" I'm exasperated, I'm tired, and he's clearly had a few too many. "What the hell do you want?"

"I just... I wanted to check on you," Chandler slurs. "See how you're doing."

I flop against my car door, pinching the bridge of my nose. "At two in the morning?"

"Yeah, well... I've been thinking. A lot." He pauses, hiccups. "Dad cut me off."

"What?"

"The money. Everything." His voice cracks. "Said I needed to grow up. Get my shit together."

I bite back a laugh. "Wow. That must be rough."

"I know you probably think I deserve it?—"

"I don't think anything, Chandler. It's not my business anymore."

"I was wrong, Abs. About everything. About you." He takes a shaky breath. "You weren't boring. You were just... adulting. And I was too stupid to see it."

"Look, Chandler?—"

"I miss you."

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