Page 19 of Press Play

“How am I going to survive a month with you!?” she shrieks, holding back a laugh.

“With a smile on your face.” I offer her a cheesy grin, and she snorts.

“Get out of here and let me grab my underwear.”

“Don’t want me to see your granny panties?”

“Theodore!” she laughs, and my smile widens in return.

“Fine, fine. I’ll get out.” I squeeze past Brandy, but she grabs my wrist to stop me.

“Please, take care of her,” she pleads in a low whisper.

“I will. You can trust me.”

With a kind yet cautious smile, she nods and squeezes my arm before letting me go.

After a few more minutes, Wren walks into the living room with three bags, her blanket, and pillow. “Ready!”

“I have blankets and pillows,” I remark.

“Yes, but they’re not mine.” She hugs them defensively, and I snicker.

“Let’s go, silly girl.” I grab my keys and open the front door. “See you later, Brandy.”

“I’ll call you tonight,” Wren tells her.

“You better.” She points at her with a playful smile. “And you.” She points at me next. “Behave yourself.”

“Me?” I hold my hands up. “I’m a doll.”

“Mhm.” She rolls her eyes. “Get out of here before I find a way to lock her away forever.”

“Come on, princess. Before the evil witch steals you.” I extend a hand to Wren, and she takes it while chuckling.

“You two are too much.” She looks over her shoulder as I pull her into the hall. “See you later, Brandy!”

“Bye, my love!”

The door closes, and Wren meets my gaze with a nervous expression.

“It’ll be like one long sleepover,” I say in hopes of calming her down.

“Yeah. . . I like the sound of that.”

We arrive home and Wren is quick to drop the bags she was carrying. Wren is a creature of habit. Every morning she takes a shower, and she didn’t get the chance today. Before she can even ask, I speak up, “The bathroom in your room isn’t set up, so you can use mine. You’ll smell like me, though.”

“I like the way you smell.”

Holding back the smart-ass, flirty remark on the tip of my tongue, I nod toward my room, and she falls in step behind me.

“Dare I ask how many people have been in this shower?” she questions teasingly.

“FYI, I don’t do shower sex. You’d think with all the water things wouldn’t get dry. . .”

When she steps into the bathroom, she whips around, and the look on her face is priceless.

I enjoy getting these reactions out of her, seeing her eyes widen and her cheeks flush. It’s icing on the cake when she puts her hands on her hips. I don’t stop myself from smiling in triumph when I get all of the above.

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