I place my hands on the insides of Cynthia's legs, made accessible by her short skirt. I discreetly spread her thighs so I can slide my palms against her soft skin and to the space between her legs. When my thumb reaches her soaked panties, I slowly run it up and down her slit. Her head tilts back. Her eyes drift shut. “Call it in,” I tell her, pulling away.

Her eyes snap open and a slow smile appears. “Yes, Mr. West.”

***

I give Allie and her dude another fifteen minutes before I approach them. With as much calm and casualty as I can muster, I tap her shoulder. “I gotta go. You want to stay or what?”

Her face falls. “What? Where are you going?”

“Just to a girl's house.”

“Excuse me,” she whispers to her guy, pushing him away so she can get to me. She grips my arm and moves us a few feet away. “You're leaving me?”

“You seem to be doing fine on your own.”

“You're leaving me alone with a guy you don't know in a place I don't know?”

I ball my fists at my sides and try to contain my frustration. “I honestly don't know what you want, Al. I ask you to come here so we can spend time together. I told you I missed you and that I wanted to see you. You said the same thing. But the first chance you get, you bail on me and attach yourself to some guy. I'd never do that to you. And you want me to be protective now, but then you don't other times. You say you're a big girl, but you're upset I'm leaving? You're such a fucking contradiction.”

Her gaze drops. “I'll just get my stuff,” she says, the heartbreak in her voice evident.

I grasp her arm. “Allie, I didn't mean—”

“No, Tyler. You did. You meant every word.” She shakes her arm out of my grip.

“You're leaving?” her dude asks, his eyes moving from me to Allie over and over.

“Yeah. I've got a ton of homework I need to get done.”

“Well…” He looks nervously at me once more before focusing on her. “Can I get your number?”

She smiles, but it's sad. “I live two hours away.”

He shrugs. “So what's two hours?”

Allie's gaze flicks to me quickly.

He speaks before she can. “Look, I get that this might just be a night of fun or whatever for you, but I really like you, Red.”

Red? Jesus Christ—he's practically me in Abercrombie. He tugs a strand of her hair, causing her to smile—for real this time.

“I really want to see you again, Allie,” he adds.

And that's where he's better than me. I'd call her Red so I wouldn't have to remember her name.

“I-I…” Allie stutters. Shit. She only stutters when she's nervous. She actually likes this guy. “I just got out of a relationship and…” she trails off.

“That's fine. We don't—” he breaks off with a sigh. “Look, I just want your number. I want to call you. Talk to you. Drive two hours to see you. I don't care what it is.” He looks at me quickly as if I'm the reason he's hesitating. Then, he takes both of her hands in his and bends his knees so they're eye to eye. “I just don't want you to forget me, Allie. That's all.”

“Tyler?” she calls out, never breaking their stare.

“Yeah?” I sigh, knowing exactly what's coming next.

“I think you're good to go. Have fun tonight.”

***

Chase knocks on my door just as I finish getting ready for Cynthia. “Where's Allie? I was going to keep her company while you were out.”

I shrug and act indifferent. “She met some guy at the sports bar.”

“So you left her there?”

“I'm not her bodyguard.”

“Still…”

I slip on my shoes and grab my keys and wallet. “If you care so much, you deal with it. You have her number. Besides, she'll probably listen to you over me.”

“I think I will,” he says, nodding slightly. “I just don't feel comfortable. She's supposed to be staying with us and she's—”

“Are you into her?”

“No, Tyler. I wouldn't do that to you.”

“What?” I eye him sideways as I make my way to the door. “It has nothing to do with me.”

“No. Of course not.”

CHAPTER NINE

Cynthia answers the door of her townhouse in nothing but a light-purple silk robe and, without a word, leads me upstairs—her perfect ass swaying right in front of my eyes.

I'm barely in her room when she pushes the robe off her shoulders and lets it pool by her feet. “Strip,” she orders.

I do as she says.

Her eyes drift down my body and pauses on my limp cock. “What's wrong, baby?” she asks, the concern in her voice palpable. “You not happy to see me?”

“It's not that,” I tell her. “You're beautiful and I guess my head’s not in it. I'm sorry. It's very unprofessional of me.”

She curls her finger and smiles at me. “You need me to take care of you?”

I nod and exaggerate a pout.

She drops to her knees in front of me and takes my dick in her hands. Then she smiles. But the smile fades when a banging noise comes from somewhere downstairs. “You expecting visitors?”

She shakes her head and stands up. I check her hand for a ring—no husband. At least that's something.