Chapter 16
— Scout —
I startled awake the next morning in a daze for a hot second. After a glance sideways at the empty side of the bed, I flicked the covers back and set my feet on the floor. The TV was on downstairs, so I took my time in the upstairs bathroom before jogging down to find Remmy’s pert ass aimed high in the air.
One leg lifted and extended behind her, and her upside-down face smiled when she saw me.
“Good morning, Ace.”
I grinned and gave her ass a squeeze. “Mornin’. What are we doing here?”
“Stretching.” She groaned, switching legs. “My back is sore today. Your bed is too hard.”
“My bed’s the perfect amount of hard,” I drawled, rubbing her toned booty as she stood up and reached her hands high above her head.
She folded in half again while my hands wandered. “This is a morning view I could get used to.”
“Don’t get used to it,” she sassed. Without warning, she shifted one leg in front of her, then twisted at the waist. “Coffee’s already brewed.”
“No coffee date in the shower this morning?”
Remmy’s laugh made my morning sunnier. “No because I don’t want my tits burned.”
Snickering, I breezed into the kitchen and poured myself a coffee from the carafe. Perching at the kitchen island, I sipped it while gleefully watching her stretch luxuriously for the next couple of minutes. By the time she lay on her back in the middle of my living room floor, I’d topped off my coffee, had hunger gnawing a hole in my gut, but had no idea how we’d spend the day.
“You good down there, honey?” I called.
“So good. Now I can start the day.”
“What do you want to do?”
She rolled to standing, shut the TV off, then sauntered over with a wide smile on her gorgeous face. “Hmm, dunno. Wanna go get brunch somewhere?”
I sat straighter. It was a bold suggestion for someone who wasn’t used to drawing attention everywhere they went. She probably still did though, but for entirely different reasons than me.
I swallowed that thought with a sip of coffee. “Sure. Anywhere in particular?”
She breezed over to counter and helped herself to the coffee pot as if she’d spent a thousand mornings in my kitchen already. “Just somewhere low-key that people aren’t going to create a stir.”
“Mm,” I hummed around another sip as an idea hit. “Actually, ever been to Alberta Arts District?”
Her mug cracked down on the counter with a little too much enthusiasm. “I love it! The murals and the food and the shopping. It’s like…” she waved her hand around “…you can be whoever or whatever you want, and people literally don’t care. Let me shower, then I’m taking you to brunch.”
The plans happened so fast that Remmy had picked up her coffee and was walking away by the time I found my tongue. “Whoa, hold up now. I’m taking you, not the other way around.” I cursed and picked up my half empty coffee, then rushed after Remmy’s trailing laughter. “I’m serious. You ain’t taking me to brunch, babe.”
“Oh come on, this isn’t the eighteen hundreds,” she threw over her shoulder while ascending the stairs.
And I was sure she put extra sway into her hips, making me grit my teeth. I laid a little spank to her ass as we both reached the landing, and it wasn’t fucking lost on me that this was the second time in roughly twelve hours that I’d been dragged—literally and figuratively—up those stairs by Remmy.
“It’s our first brunch,” I reasoned, kicking out of my shorts in a bid to get the shower heating so I could join her. “My momma would whoop my ass if she found out I didn’t pay at least the first time.”
Remmy scoffed while stripping out of her tank. “Because you’re a big baseball star?”
Her cynical tone created my own. “Because that was how I was raised, honey. And I’m also stubborn as fuck, so if you wanna try and argue, then buckle up and get comfy.” I rolled my head from side to side then shook out my arms, earning another scoff.
Her jeans got discarded. “Cute that you think I’d back down.”
I gave her a wry smirk. “I don’t. But I’m not going to either.”
Dazzling green eyes held mine, swimming with both amusement and that underlying fire I loved to play with.
A smile threatened at the corner of my mouth. “Shower’s warm.”
“Perfect.”
“Great,” I countered dryly.
Remmy locked down a smirk. “Awesome.”
“Terrific.”
“Coo—”
“Get in,” I growled, cutting her off.
Both dark eyebrows rose dangerously high, but I made myself hold her eye contact. I’d do this all day if I had to.
At last, a wicked challenge entered Remmy’s gaze. “Make me.”
~
It was fair to say that I made her. In fact, I made her do two things. One, I’d backed her into the corner of my bedroom, then thrown her over my shoulder and carried her to the shower kicking and screaming profanities through laughter. And two, I’d helped her stretch more by bending her in half, plus made her come for good measure.
I was attentive like that.
Glancing over at Remmy striding along the sidewalk next to me like a raven-haired warrior, I couldn’t help but openly chuckle.
Her face whipped my way. “What are you snickering at?”
I squeezed our laced fingers. “You. You’re hot wearing my t-shirt.” My gaze lingered on her visibly pebbled nipples—she was free-titting under the white material thanks to her bra getting wet when I carried her into the shower.
A hard slap landed on the bill of my cap, forcing it down over my eyes. “Perv.”
“Not even gonna deny it.” I laughed and adjusted my cap, though kept it low on my brow.
Walking down Alberta Street mid-morning was refreshing despite people around us. They were too focused on getting to their destination to pay us any attention, and it wasn’t long until we stopped outside a Mexican skillet restaurant that threw mad brunch vibes.
The Chilaquiles and Breakfast Tostada sold us on eating there, and it wasn’t until a waiter named Micah approached to show us to a table that I was recognized. Albeit subtle, his eyes still widened, and he stammered a little while introducing himself.
I played it cool while resting my hand on Remmy’s lower back. “Thanks Micah. Just a table for two. Outside would be great.”
“Sure. Right this way.”
“I’m just going to the bathroom real quick,” Remmy whispered, then beelined for the back of the restaurant.
I followed Micah to a table in the offset seating nook on the sidewalk and took a seat.
“Here are your menus…” He laid them in front of me with a flourish, then a notepad appeared in his hands as if by magic. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Americano for both of us.”
Poor dude was flustered just by glancing at me. “Two Americanos. Are you also ready to order food or…?”
“Now please.” I flicked my cap backward, hoping to put the guy further at ease, and ordered the Chilaquiles and Breakfast Tostada for Remmy and myself.
Remmy passed him as she exited the restaurant, then scoffed at me as she slid onto the opposite side of the picnic table bench. “Really?”
I set my elbows on the table but upturned my palms. “What?”
“Mr. as if I’m not hot enough, I’ll just flip my cap backward and have my fuck buddy lusting over me at the brunch table .”
My voice pitched as high as my eyebrows shot. “ What ?” A deep, loud laugh followed from behind my hand. “Oh my god, you did not just say that.”
“I said what I said,” Remmy drawled as Micah came back with a carafe of water and glasses. She smiled sweetly at the young guy while I pissed myself laughing.
The second we were alone again, I dabbed my laugh-tears away with the back of my knuckles. “Christ, you’re going to be the death of me.”
“I hope not. I’m here as long as that—” she pointed at my crotch “—is on offer. What?” she added when I choked on another laugh. “We’re both adults and know the deal: here for a fun time but not a long time.” She then checked out her nails in the most nonchalant manner.
I smirked. “Is that the deal?”
Her bright eyes met mine. “Yeah. It’s an unwritten rule in the book of wedding hookups.”
“But we’re post-wedding now.”
Micah chose that moment to arrive with our coffees. “You guys are married ?” he blurted, before going beet red.
“Oh god no,” Remmy crowed and laughed, making me frown hard at her.
She made it sound like a disease. It was all fun and games until someone caught the clap.
“I’m so sorry,” Micah stammered.
“It’s fine, dude,” I said, soft but even. “We were referring to a friend’s wedding, so don’t go spreading rumors, eh?”
He shook his head profusely. “No. I promise I won’t. I’ll… I’ll be back with your food soon.”
Remmy tittered after he disappeared indoors again. “He all but shit himself, poor boy.”
She lifted her coffee as if not feeling the heat of my glare. When she finally glanced up, her chin tucked back. “What?”
“What’s wrong with marrying me?”
Her top lip curl in confusion. “Pardon?”
While I was fucking with her, I was a little goddamn insulted too. “You all but threw salt and sage at me when declaring we weren’t married.”
Understanding filtered through her expression. It pulled tight until I cracked a smirk. “Asshole,” she sassed. “What I meant was, we’re just casual with no intention of getting serious. Right?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged and sipped the strong, black coffee. “But I mean, would it be so bad?”
“It wouldn’t be bad at all. In fact, I’m picking it would be real fucking good,” she replied.
“I’m sensing a but…”
She hummed and took a quick sip. “There is and isn’t. I’ve been enjoying hanging out with you. And honestly? It’s nice to be living in the moment. Really nice.”
The tentative smile that touched her mouth had my heart softening. I’d almost ruined the relaxed atmosphere around us by getting butthurt over a stupid comment. I didn’t take criticism well at times.
I reached across the table and clasped her hand. My thumb running over the bumps of her knuckles relaxed us both. “I like hanging with you too. You’re a breath of fresh air, Remmy.”
“On a cold winter’s day,” she joked.
“Spring when the blossoms come out. You make people sneeze, then curse you,” I teased right back, grinning when she laughed.
“I see no lies. Oh, here’s food!”
We broke apart as if being caught kissing in a tree house, and while Micah set our plates and cutlery down, I extracted my wallet.
Credit card scissored between my fore and middle fingers, I offered it his way. “No matter what she says or does to you from this point on, Micah, I’m paying for our meal.”
“Don’t accept that,” she sassed at our waiter.
I lifted my brows at him. “See?”
Micah’s eyes ping-ponged back and forth between us. “Uuhhh, isn’t it—”
“I’ll tip you better,” Remmy rushed.
“She won’t,” I drawled.
Remmy countered. “I’ll give this place a one-star rating.”
The poor dude looked out of his depth and torn in two. I looked him square in the eye. “She won’t do that either. She’s going to realize that I won’t be backing down and that she has to concede graciously because we’re out in public.”
Despite her growl of frustration, Remmy let out a heavy sigh and threw up her hands. “Fine. You win this round, Ace. And for the love of God, leave Micah alone now.”
I grinned at him. “See? Thanks, dude. I appreciate it.”
Clutching my credit card tightly, he gave a little bow. “Enjoy your meal.”
Remmy playfully slapped my hand. “That was so naughty.”
I smiled around my mouthful. “I’m surprised you backed down so easily.”
“I got distracted by all the ways I’m going to maim you later.”
I chuckled while chewing. Fuck this felt good. The easy banter. Her company. Going out in public without purposely avoiding crowds. It was nice not having to force a conversation to fill the relaxed silences between us.
As I popped another piece of Breakfast Tostada into my mouth, my eyes snagged Remmy’s. She looked so damn smug I knew something was up.
My eye narrowed. “What are you smirking at?”
“He’s going to bring your card back without charging it.”
I sat straighter as my glare narrowed further. “Why?”
Remmy failed miserably to hide her satisfaction. “I gave them my card after I went to the bathroom.”
“You bitch,” I exclaimed through a bark of disbelieving laughter. “No wonder he looked confused as fuck!”
Remmy, mouthful of food, laughed behind her hand. The kind of laugh that was so hard it becomes silent. The kind of laugh that had me grinning and shaking my head while chewing another mouthful.
She got me good. Got me so damn good.