Babysitting the Player

Chapter 9

Johnny's car is waiting in my driveway and Johnny's on the front steps with a bouquet of flowers.

That's new.

I walk up the sidewalk and stand in front of him. "Hi."

"Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to take you on a date."

"You never take me on dates."

"I know." He runs his free hand through his hair. "But I messed up the other night."

"Yeah. You did."

"I know. And I'm really sorry."

"You tried to start a physical fight with kids around."

"I know."

I look down at the ground for a second and he wraps his arms around me.

"I'm sorry. I know I really hurt you."

"And you did it anyway."

"In the moment I was just so heated, I wasn't thinking straight. Seeing another guy look at you like he was." He shakes his head.

"Bryce is just a friend."

With benefits.

"I know that's all it is on your end, but his might be a different story."

I shake my head.

"Alex." He reaches out and grabs my hand. "I'm sorry."

"Let's go inside." I open the front door and let us in.

"Are you gonna take your flowers?"

"When we get inside you can trim the stems and put them in a vase for me." I joke.

"Oh, I can do it?"

"Yeah, you can do it."

"You're lucky you're cute."

"I know." I grin and lead him into the kitchen.

He sets the bouquet of red roses on the counter and grabs the scissors from the wooden butcher block while I grab a glass vase out of the cabinet above the fridge. I place the vase on the counter and start filling a glass with water.

"Is this a good height?" Johnny asks and I look over to see him holding a flower next to the vase.

"That's perfect." I dump the glass of water into the vase and he drops the first flower in. I set the glass on the counter by the sink and stand behind Johnny. I wrap my arms around his torso and rest my cheek against the back of his shoulder.

"What are your mom and grandma doing today?"

"I think they're out shopping."

"Why didn't you go with them?"

"Well, I was still sleeping when they left. But either way, I had to go next door."

"Right. How's she doing?"

"She's okay." I slide my right hand down his stomach and it settles on his hip.

"Babe."

"Yes, babe?"

"I'm holding scissors."

"So?"

"So you probably shouldn't put your hand near my dick."

"That's boring."

"It's distracting."

"I think you'll live."