Page 36 of The Hang Up

“So you’ll come?” The hope in his voice warmed my heart.

“Of course I’ll be there,” I said, not daring to look at the upset man in my bed.

After I hung up, Brock tried to bolt, but I grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back. “Hold on.” I settled him in my lap. “Talk to me.”

“He had no right to invite you,” he said with a pout.

“Gee, thanks.”

He poked a finger in my chest. “You could have said no.”

I let the moment settle between us. We both knew refusing to go wasn’t an option. I pulled him closer and kissed the side of his face. “It’ll be fine, sweetheart.”

“He’s trying to set you up with my mom.” He bowed his head and avoided my gaze. Then he pinched my chest again. “I have a real problem with you dating my mom, okay?”

I tipped his face to look at him. “If it’s not apparent by the way I enthusiastically swallowed your cock last night, let me state it for the record: I’m not interested in your mom.”

“They don’t know that.”

“But your cock knows it. And hopefully, you know it. You’re the only Abbott I’m interested in.”

“Really?”

“I see what this is. You want further proof of my newfound love for cock.” I nodded my head as if I was negotiating a high-stakes deal. “Fine, Mr. Abbott. Name your price.”

He giggled. “Shut up and kiss me.”

After a few sweet kisses, he studied me with a grin. “But your gag reflex could use some work.”

* * *

“Why is Mitch here?”Brock asked with a hiss, trying to keep a smile on his face so no one would notice.

I glanced over at the rest of the group. Regina was laughing and talking to Ben while Sean teased Angel. It was a sweet moment. And then it was interrupted by Brock smacking my arm.

“He wanted to come. And he brought his boyfriend. I thought it would be a good distraction.”

“Stop being nice to my mom.”

I laughed. “Seriously? You want me to be mean? Rude?”

“No,” he said, sighing. “She’s been through enough. Just don’t encourage her.”

“I won’t. I promise.” I leaned in closer. “I’ve become addicted to the taste of your dick.”

His face turned red, and I knew I’d done my job.

Feeling uncomfortable in a situation was relatively new to me. I worked with the Wall Street elite, foreign countries, and people who could eat you alive, but here in a place with people who mostly cared about me, I felt unsure. Untethered. Brock, by comparison, was in his element. Cooking, spending time with his family and his roommate. And me. If this had been real—if we were real, I would be here as Brock’s boyfriend. Not a friend of the family who’d been estranged for the last five years.

Mitch had no trouble fitting in, and I resented him for it.

The only other person who might have been struggling was Ben. I joined him as he watched Sean playing football with Angel and Brock. “Who’s winning?” I asked, sipping my beer.

“Definitely Angel. But Sean is gaining on her.”

“Is he cheating?”

He tipped his head back to stare at me as if he was unsure how to answer. “Maybe?”

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