Page 17 of Wanting the Winger

I get a bottle of water from the fridge and take a big swig from it.“I’m fine.I’ll take care of him.”

“You’re not fine.”

I lock my gaze onto hers.“I know whether or not I’m fine, Lane.”

“Uh...”Shane clears his throat.“I’m gonna go get my bags.”

“You’re in the last room on the left upstairs,” I say.

Lainey’s jaw comes unhinged.“No, he’s inmyroom.”

I shake my head, adamant.“It’s my house and I assign rooms.Lainey, you’re in my room tonight and I’m on the couch.”

“Oh, hell no,” Lainey mutters.

No way am I listening to Shitty Shane bang my best friend’s sister all weekend in my own goddamn house.I thought about it as soon as I agreed he could stay here, and this is the solution.Lainey will be in my bedroom on the main level, and from the couch, I’ll be able to see if she leaves the room.

“Shane, go get your bags,” Lainey says.

“Maybe we should just go to a hotel.”

I scowl at him.“I said you can stay here.It just won’t be a fuck fest.You aren’t even married yet.Have some class, man.”

Lainey sounds like a boiling teapot—and she looks like one, too.

“What is wrong with you, Bash?”She launches the words at me.“Why are you being such an asshole?”

“I’m just looking out for you.”

I walk past her to the living room, where I lie down on the couch.Bruce follows, curling up at my feet.She’s on his heels.

“I’m almost twenty-five, you know.I’m an adult and I’m engaged.”

“Good for you.I’m almost twenty-nine.I’m an adult and I’m single.”

I know I’m being obnoxious, but fuck it.Lainey is smart, beautiful and funny.She deserves to be treated like a fucking queen.And if she won’t see reason, I’ll sabotage her shitty relationship however I can.

“You’re just being a mean asshole.”She folds her arms and narrows her eyes at me.

I scramble into a sitting position, Bruce jumping into my lap.“He still had an active Tinder profile three months after you guys started dating, Lane.Good guys don’t do that shit.”

Her face reddens.“Eric told you that?”

“What the fuck, Lainey?”Shane demands, coming into the room.“You told your brother about that?”

Her eyes widen with alarm as I shoot up off the couch.I advance on Shane, pointing at him.

“Raise your voice to her again and see what happens, you son of a bitch.You don’t get to be pissed at her about that!You should be groveling at her fucking feet!”

He looks past me to Lainey, his voice lower this time.“What else have you told them?”

My laugh is humorless.“What else is there to know, motherfucker?”

He shakes his head.“You know what, I’m just gonna go.”

“Shane, don’t,” Lainey says.

“You know where the door is,” I say sharply.

---