Totally gross.
Even after witnessing the gross, when Ethan looked back at the TV, he did it smiling.
Chapter Twenty-One
Overachiever
Cher
Late Thursday Evening
In my cami and pajama bottoms, I sat cross-legged in Merry’s bed, facing Merry.
He had his back to the headboard, his body stretched out, his chest bare, the covers pulled up to his hips.
And he’d just shared his day.
For once in my life, I was at a loss for words.
But, being me, it didn’t take long before I found some.
“That BMW bitch…she have dark hair cut short and look-at-me-I’m-loaded sunglasses?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he answered.
I knew her. She’d honked at me too. More than once.
“I’ve seen her wear those glasses during a thunderstorm,” I shared.
Merry said nothing, just kept looking up at me with half his mouth hitched up like he thought I was cute or something.
“You got outta your car, flashed your badge, and gave her shit?” I asked.
“Yep,” Merry answered.
So…totally…fucking…loved this man.
“You do something like that with me around to witness it, straight up, a month of blowjobs at your command,” I announced. “Any time. Anywhere. Swear. You give the word, I’ll drop and suck you off better than you’ve ever had it, baby.”
His hand, resting on my knee, slid down the side of my thigh as he shifted down the bed and slightly to his side. He caught me at my hip and gave a tug.
I fell forward even though I could have righted myself. I knew what he wanted, so I didn’t.
I uncurled my legs and stretched out on top of him.
We ended with one of his hands on my ass, the other sliding up my back, both of mine trapped between us on his chest.
“You’ve already given me that, Cherie,” he muttered.
I’d given him the best head he’d had?
Awesome.
“Then I’ll give it my all to give better,” I vowed.
He smiled, his hand sifted into my hair, and he pulled me down for a short, hard kiss.
He released the pressure and I lifted my head.
“You got no reaction to that Ryker shit?” he asked quietly.
I did.
I found it mildly annoying.
I also found that Ryker, the most up-front guy I knew, was full of shit.
Yes, sure, Lissa was a sweetheart and she wanted the best for the people she cared about.
But Ryker didn’t do the whacked-out shit he’d done to make Lissa happy.
He did it because he liked me and he liked Merry.
And because, under all that muscle and crazy, he was a romantic.
This meant I had fodder for years to give him shit.
Which I did not find annoying at all.
“I’ve decided for my peace of mind to jump right from mildly annoyed to amused,” I answered.
“Probably a good call,” Merry murmured. His hand moved from my ass so he could wrap his arm around my waist as he said, “All that shit taken care of, you’re good to go home tomorrow.”
As crappy as I thought Merry’s condo was, this was disappointing.
I didn’t share that.
I just said, “Yeah.”
“That’s why I didn’t arrange a bed for Ethan. After tonight, he’ll be in his own,” Merry told me.
I nodded.
“Though, thinkin’ of cleanin’ out that junk room and setting it up,” Merry stated. “Just in case.”
More sleepovers.
And my kid was invited.
That made me giddy.
I hid it and just smiled, though I had a feeling my smile was super huge because it hurt my face.
Merry’s gaze dropped to it, his lips quirked, his eyes fired, and his arms gave me a squeeze.
Because he was Merry and pretty much perfect, he didn’t rub it in, but instead let it go and looked back to my eyes.
“During that talk with my dad today, he mentioned he wants us all over for dinner.”
I knew Dave Merrick. I liked Dave Merrick.
I liked it more he wanted me and my kid to come over with his son for dinner.
A whole lot more.
“Okay,” I whispered, cleared my throat and suggested, “Maybe he’d like to come to Ethan’s party.”
“No maybes about that.”
Oh yeah, I liked that. A possible grandpa for Ethan.
I liked that a whole lot.
“When we go to Dad’s, we’ll get Rocky and Tanner, invite your mom, and make it a family thing. You think Grace’ll be up for that?” Merry asked.
My mother might literally be up for that if she could manage to make a miracle and walk into Dave Merrick’s house, doing it how she was feeling—floating on air.
“Think I can talk her around to it,” I muttered.
Merry smiled at me.
I didn’t want to take that smile away, but I had to ask.
“You okay with Mia’s dad’s surprise visit?”
His fingers at my waist started stroking the skin there. “Not really. But he’s not as hardheaded as she is. I think he got my message. Whether he’s able to get it to sink in for her, no clue.”
I hoped he could. Except for the unknown of whether Peggy and Trent had something up their sleeve, or if they’d actually smartened up and were giving Ethan some space, Mia was the only wildcard we were dealing with.
“You think all the crap swirling around us will settle and we’ll find out what it’s like to be together when it’s just normal?” I asked.