She was?

“You were?”

She crosses her arms. “Is this what you do when I’m gone? Shack up with the neighbor boy?”

“You know his name.”

“Demi.”

I put the lid on my water, setting it down I then turn around, leaning against the countertop. I lift my hand. “It’s not like you’d know if I was telling the truth or not, but no,” I say and the corner of her eyes pinch the slightest bit. “Last night was our... was his first time staying over.”

Her gaze tightens, but her lips smooth out, so I can tell she appreciates the honesty.

“Protection?” she asks.

I nod even though, no, we didn’t pause for that like we should have. I am on birth control, but we should have gone for double protection.

My mom looks away a moment, pretending to pick lint from her blazer before looking back to me.

“I like him.”

“I’d hope so,” she comes back instantly, judgment burning in her stare, but concern is also evident.

My shoulders fall and I step toward her.

“Mom...” I pause. “I’m serious,” I whisper. “I like him.”

It takes her a few seconds, but her features smooth and she glances away. “Is he... are the two of you...”

“Dating?” I help her out.

She gives a stiff nod, so I nod back.

“You know, Trent is—”

“Mom.” I stop her, moving closer. “Trent is Nico’s best friend, my friend’s boyfriend, and even if he wasn’t either of those things, he would still only be a friend to me. I don’t and I won’t want him. That’s never going to change.”

“Friends...” she tests the word, her lips pinching.

I shrug. “That’s all.”

After a moment, my mom surprises me when she clears her throat and nods, a fitted smile on her face.

She reaches out, gently touching my cheek, a bit of dejection plaited in her words, “Don’t be late for school, Demi.”

She steps back, grabs her purse and her keys, and walks out the garage door, locking it behind her.

It’s odd, for a mother to do nothing else, but mine has no clue what to do, and leaving is easier for her than facing the fact that she’s oblivious to how to parent a teenage girl. I can’t fault her for it, but sometimes I almost wish she’d try.

I take a deep breath, my eyes stuck on the way she exited before I pick up my water and head back for my room, but as soon as I step around the corner, I find Nico standing there, leaning against the wall, his boxers on and a throw blanket draped over his shoulders.

“Hi.” I grin.

“Hi.”

“How long you been standing here?”

“Since you stepped foot in the kitchen.” He eyes me, a gentleness I haven’t seen in his before. “Thought you were sneaking out of your own house on me.”

A small laugh escapes.

“She left?”

I nod.

His eyes blaze. “Come here.”

I do.

He lifts his arm, running his hand along my neck before leaning in to kiss me lightly, the blanket falling to our feet as he grabs my hand.

He pulls back, nodding his head so I follow him up the stairs and into my in-house studio room.

There’s a few small stools in the corner, a sound system in the other and that’s it.

He walks over to the stereo, glancing back at me as he turns it on. “What’s in here?”

I shrug, not remembering since I prefer to practice outside. I lean against the frame, eating up every inch of his body standing in nothing but boxers for only me to see and enjoy.

After a moment, The Weeknd’s “Earned It” comes through the speakers and he moves to one of the stools, dropping onto it as his head falls against the wall.

“You said I couldn’t handle it,” he rasps, a slow smirk forming on his lips. “Prove it.”

“Prove what?”

He lifts his chin, calling me to him and I don’t hesitate.

I stop right between his legs.

Nico scrapes his teeth over his bottom lip, his hands coming up and sliding under my robe at my shoulder. He slips his hands around and down my arms, taking the soft, fleece material with him, his hands staying on my skin until I’m left standing how he wants me.

Completely bare for only him.

“Dance for me, baby,” he whispers, his fist gliding across his hard-on.

My eyes are forced to follow.

I give him what he wants, and Nico gives even more in return.

“Why’d you want to meet here?” I ask my dad, taking a quick drink of my water.

“I thought it would be nice to have a meal with my daughter.”

“Mom always orders in food when you come.” I smirk.

He lets out a low laugh. “Yeah, she does do that, doesn’t she?”

“You didn’t tell her you were here, did you?”

“Would we be sitting here so peacefully if I had?”

I scoff. “No, we would not.”

He gives a small smile, tilting his head. “I hear you have yourself a boyfriend? Any threats I should be making?”

I laugh, covering my face with my hands. “Oh my god, Dad, no.”

We don’t talk about my relationships, ever, but maybe that’s because I’ve never been much of a dater.

“Do I know him?” he asks.

“Mom told you about him, but didn’t tell you who it was?”

“Who is it?”

I stretch my lips over my teeth in a nervous smile. “Nico.”

His instant frown makes me laugh.

“Little Nico, who lives right behind you, way too damn close, and used to stare at you through the fence every second he could, Nico?”

I’m pretty sure I blush. “He’s not little anymore.”

My dad throws his head back with a laugh, but when he looks back, there’s a softness in his eyes. “No, I guess he wouldn’t be. Neither are you, baby girl.”

He lets out a deep sigh and I know he brought me here for a reason that makes him feel uncomfortable.

I lay my forearms on the table, giving him a soft smile. “What’s up, Dad?”

“Your mom called me the other night, she said she was worried about you.” The corners of his eyes pinch. “Considering all the spending lately, and how you don’t text me in the evening as often as before made me wonder if she had a right to be. I can never really tell with your mother, so I wanted a chance to chat with you away from her, just in case.”

A knot forms in my throat even though I knew this was coming, but still, I delay. “Why didn’t Leah come?”

“We have an issue at the firm, and one of us had to stay in town just in case.”

“I’ll have to drive over soon to see her, it’s been a while.”

He nods, tilting his head to the side. “Is everything okay, sweetheart?”

“Actually, Dad, yeah.” A light laugh leaves me. “More so than any other time I’ve claimed so.”

“Do I have the boy to thank for that?”

I smile, shrugging.

He chuckles. “All right, I won’t pry... yet.” He winks. “So why do you think your mom freaked out and called?”