Page 77 of Caught Up

“Come to my cousin’s barbecue with me,” he said. “I’ll pay you whatever you want.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want your money.”

“Then what’ll it take?” He pulled back enough to look me in the eye. “I won’t know anyone there besides her and her fiancé, and making small talk with strangers makes me want to gouge my fucking eyes out. I don’t know how to talk to normal people anymore. I don’t give a shit about how long the wait list for day care is or what everyone is watching on TV. And one day, the intrusive thoughts will win and the next time someone asks what I do for work, I’ll just start talking and see how long it takes before they run screaming away from me.” He tugged me close, butting his forehead against mine. “Don’t let Saturday be that day. Don’t let me ruin my cousin’s engagement party.”

Despite myself, I grinned. The mobster and the camgirl, out together at a nice family cookout. What was the worst that could happen?

“I’ll come.”

25

Junior

“You’re sure I look okay?”Lauren asked.

I glanced at her in the passenger seat, sitting demurely in her cute little sundress. Was she serious? “If we weren’t already running late, I would pull this fucking car over and have you bouncing on my lap within half a second.”

She shook her head. “Don’t start. I’m trying to be good.”

I raked my gaze over her. “I mean, we’re already late. What’s a few more minutes?”

“Minutes?” Her tone gained a teasing edge. “Oh, who couldeverturn down such a promise of pleasure?”

I reached out and gripped her thigh. “I think I’ve proved that minutes is all the time I need to get you off.”

That shut her up.

I grinned and stroked my hand upward. “What are you wearing under this dress? Give me something to look forward to, so I can get through the next few hours.”

Despite her telling me not to start, she sure was quick to widen her legs. “Why don’t you find out for yourself?”

Up ahead, the light turned green. I swore, removing my hand because I needed it to shift. I should have asked to borrow Stefan’s Range Rover instead of taking my own car, but it had been a while since I’d driven this beast, and I thought Lauren would appreciate its throaty engine and the way it sent constant low vibrations through the vehicle.

“Maybe later,” she said, grinning like the Cheshire Cat and closing her legs.

What the hell did she have going on under there to make her smile like that?

“Remind me of your cousin and her fiancé’s names again?” she said.

“Aly and Josh. Their two cats are Maud and Fred, and I think Josh’s old roommate will be there. I don’t know who else will be. Probably Aly’s work friends.”

“You said she’s an ER nurse?”

“Yup. We cut ’em up, and she stitches them back together.”

Lauren was quiet so long that I snuck another look at her.

Her eyes were narrowed, studying me. “I don’t know if you’re joking or not.”

I winked. “Me neither.” She shook her head, expression turning contemplative, and I decided it was time for a distraction. “None of Aly’s friends know that she has mob ties, and she wants to keep it that way.”

“My lips are sealed,” Lauren said.

I glanced at her lap. “Don’t break my heart.”

She smacked my arm. “I meant mymouth.”

I grinned and gunned the engine, throwing her back in her seat.

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