Bad for You (Dirty Deeds)

by J. Daniels

  “She’s the best,” Val chimed in, reaching across the seat and squeezing my arm.

  I gave her a warm smile.

  “Wow. That’s awesome, thanks!” Bridgett grinned at me. She looked young. I’d guess her age to be around twenty, tops. “I’ll definitely take you up on that.”

  “Looking forward to it.”

  That wasn’t me being fake nice either. I meant it. I was genuinely anticipating adding Bridgett as a client.

  Strippers needed good hair care too.

  The lights dimmed, and the room hushed to a silence.

  “Shoot,” Val whispered.

  I watched her mess with her phone and wondered if she was sending Sean a text. I almost sent one myself, but figured he’d probably be coming on his bike and wouldn’t hear the alert.

  I said a silent prayer everything was okay and he’d get here soon.

  A spotlight turned on and focused on the stage, then a woman walked out and stood in front of the curtain holding a microphone. She welcomed everyone and spoke about the company for a minute, then she asked the audience to stay in their seats while recording so they wouldn’t distract the dancers.

  When she moved off the stage, the curtain lifted, and I smiled as Caroline and Fiona’s class walked out, holding hands. They were all so little and sweet-looking, all big smiles and eyes full of excitement. They stood in a line that stretched across the stage.

  Val sat forward and waved, and when the girls spotted us they stood on their toes and waved back, then I watched them search around where we were sitting, frown, and slump back onto their heels.

  They were looking for Sean.

  I turned in my seat and squinted in the dark, hoping to see him enter, but he didn’t. I was sad for the girls and for him. I knew how badly he wanted to be here.

  Where was he?

  The music started—a slower piano number—and I spun around and pulled up the video mode on my phone. At least he’d be able to watch it later.

  I smiled videoing the girls—they looked seriously freaking adorable in their little tutus as they danced around, twirling and pointing their toes in front of them—and they stood out too, considering the pink in their hair and the way the spotlight hit them.

  Val leaned over the seat and whispered what a good idea that was. I couldn’t have agreed more.

  The girls were focused and in sync with the rest of their class. They didn’t miss a beat. Then Caroline stepped forward and pointed toward the back of the auditorium, jumping up and down and yelling, “Daddy! Daddy!” in the middle of the number.

  Everyone turned in their seats.

  “Oh, thank God,” Val exclaimed, taking the words right out of my mouth.

  Sean stalked down the aisle with his attention focused solely on his girls. His steps were heavy and purposeful.

  Hair down and tucked behind his ears, he was dressed in jeans and a tight dark T-shirt that was showing off his chest in a crazy good way, even in the dim lighting. He grinned at the stage as he moved toward it.

  “Daddy! Watch!” Fiona yelled.

  Everyone started laughing quietly as Caroline and Fiona dashed to the front of the stage and kept up with the routine, dancing right in front of Sean, who hadn’t even glanced at the seat Val had saved for him. He was too busy focusing on them.

  Sean stood directly in front of that stage, arms crossed over his chest, grinning, looking proud while he watched his girls dance, smile, and wave at him between steps—they were too excited to simply go through the routine.

  It wasn’t just sweet. It was a beautiful moment I knew they’d all remember forever.

  And because it was both of those things, nobody seemed to mind, and I swore, most of the women in the audience were too busy watching Sean rather than their own child if they were up there. I really couldn’t blame them. Did I mention the tight shirt? Well, his jeans were a little tight too, right around his ass, so just add that to the mix.

  The number ended, and the girls, along with the rest of the class behind them, all curtsied, then Caroline and Fiona both gave Sean a big hug and a kiss before running off stage.

  “Sean!” Val whispered, waving and getting his attention when he finally turned and glanced around at the seats.

  He squeezed down the aisle and sat down between Val and me. He smiled at me and winked.

  I smiled at him, and added Sean winking to the kryptonite list. Holy wow.

  The show went on, and the next number the girls performed was a tap dance to the tune of “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” I’m positive it was adorable, though I wasn’t watching them at all.

  I was watching Sean.

  “There was a pile-up on Route Seven. Tractor-trailer overturned. That’s why I was late.”

  The show had finished, and once Val had grabbed the girls from backstage, Sean gave his explanation so everyone, including the girls, could know he’d wanted to be here on time and would’ve been, had circumstances allowed.

  “See? I told you,” Bridgett said, looking at Val.

  “Well, we’re just happy you made it. Right, girls?”

  “Right!” Caroline shrieked, while Fiona stayed on task and kept playing with the ends of Sean’s hair.

  She’d claimed his arms the moment she came running out into the auditorium.

  “Daddy, can we have a sleepover tonight?” Caroline asked.

  Sean’s face tightened like he was uncertain about that idea, but before he could say anything, Val chimed in.

  “Oh, um…I’m not sure about that, baby.” Val bit her lip and looked to Bridgett, who merely shrugged in response.

  Sean wasn’t the only one unsure. It seemed everyone was. Well, everyone except me.

  “Please,” Caroline begged.

  “Yeah, Daddy, please? Please with a cherry on top?” Fiona pleaded.

  “I think that’s a great idea.”

  All heads turned to me after I spoke.

  “You do?” Val questioned.

  “Absolutely.” I grinned at Sean, who was looking shocked as shit and a bit terrified, which I found to be completely adorable and totally unnecessary—he’d be just fine—then I gave that grin to Val. “I bet they’d have a blast,” I told her.

  Her brows lifted, then she seemed to warm up to the idea, and slowly nodded her head. “Yeah. Yeah, I bet they would.”

  “Plus, a little birdie told me someone has new princess bedding…” I added in a singsong voice.

  Caroline stared at me like she’d just tried swallowing a watermelon.

  “Princess bedding? Daddy, is it mine? Is it!” she shrieked, tugging on his shirt. “I’m gonna die if it’s mine!”

  Val, Bridgett, and I all started laughing.

  Sean rubbed at his mouth, thinking. He still seemed hesitant, until Fiona grabbed his face with both her little hands and forced him to look at her. She pressed closer until their foreheads touched.

  “Daddy?”

  “Yeah, baby girl.”

  Okay, Sean saying “baby girl” was now at the top of my kryptonite list. My GOD. Could he say that to me? Would that be a weird thing to request? Probably. I didn’t care.

  Fiona stayed serious when she spoke. “We really want to spend the night. Really bad. This is a big deal.”

  Bridgett and Val both made an “aw” sound. I was smiling behind my fingertips.

  Sean’s eyes were filling with emotion. I knew there was no way he’d say no to this now, and I was right.

  “If it’s a big deal, then you got it,” he told her.

  Fiona threw her arms around his neck and hugged him while Caroline jumped around in a circle, chanting, “Yes, yes, yes!”

  “We’ll need to get your sleepover bags packed,” Val directed at the girls, then she looked at Sean. “I can drop them off. Shouldn’t be more than an hour.”

  “Works for me,” he said.

  “Wow. I’m going to have a free Saturday night.” Val pulled her hair over one shoulder and fidgeted with it. She laughed a l
ittle. “I haven’t had one of those in forever.”

  “Let’s go out!” Bridgett suggested, grabbing Val’s hand so she quit twirling and twisting strands.

  “That sounds like fun,” I said, encouraging her. “Everyone needs a girls’ night.”

  Bridgett pointed at me. “Yes, sister! You get it!”

  “Shay, you should come with us,” Val proposed, smiling, looking eager for me to join in.

  “Oh, uh.” I looked to Sean and saw him watching me with interest.

  I had planned on spending time with him after the recital, and going by the way Sean was looking at me, he’d been banking on that too, but hey, I could still do that. It would just be later than I’d originally hoped for. This would allow Sean and his girls some alone time, and that could never be a bad thing.

  Decision made, I smiled at Val and nodded firmly, telling her, “I’m in.”

  Val hugged me. Bridgett gave me a high-five. Caroline was still jumping around and chanting.

  Sean stared at me like I’d just agreed to commit a double murder or something, until I winked at him.

  Then I knew he had his own list going inside his head of things I did that drove him absolutely wild, based on the way his eyes heated and his body grew taut.

  I had plans on exploring that list thoroughly very, very soon.

  But first, girls’ night with Sean’s ex and her stripper sister.

  You couldn’t make this shit up.

  Chapter Sixteen

  SEAN

  How’s it going over there?

  I read Shayla’s text while Caroline tied another bracelet around my wrist, this one yellow. The one before that had been purple.

  You need more colors, Daddy, she’d explained.

  Using my left hand, I typed out a response.

  Good. Girls are having fun. U?

  I still thought it was weird the three of them were hanging out, but as long as I wasn’t getting a call to bust Shayla out of jail for assaulting Bridgett, I didn’t care.

  Still would’ve preferred her here, though.

  I just rode a mechanical bull and DIDN’T fall off. So, I’m kind of a big deal now. Spread the word.

  Not surprised.

  No?

  Didn’t fall off me the other night.

  A bunch of cartoon faces with open mouths came through.

  Are you flirting with me again? I LOVE THIS. Keep going.

  Get over here and I will.

  We’re almost done. I think we’re leaving soon.

  “Daddy, can you paint my toes?” Fiona asked, climbing up onto the couch and holding out a tiny bottle of pink polish.

  The girls’ sleepover bags included a duffle stuffed full of makeup, jewelry, dress-up dresses, and other shit I now had spread out all over my house. Caroline’s bracelet making kit was shoved in the duffle too.

  I was beginning to think Val let the girls bring over every fucking thing they owned.

  “In a minute,” I told her, then I glanced back at the phone when it vibrated.

  I’m on video duty. See you soon! xoxo

  “How about a blue one next, Daddy.” Caroline rummaged in her kit on the cushion next to me. “Or red. Which one do you want?”

  “Whatever you wanna give me, baby girl.”

  “I think blue.”

  She got to work on sizing the string and cutting it the length she needed while Fiona knelt in front of the couch and colored a design on my knee with markers.

  She always drew on me, and anything she put on my skin, she thought I’d get permanent.

  Fiona had reason to think that, considering the designs I’d gotten made permanent over the years.

  Since the girls were both occupied, I opened that stupid fucking snap app and checked it for pictures of Shayla, wanting to see her.

  She’d changed her username to HairByShayla a couple weeks back. Changed the sign hanging on that door too.

  Every time I saw it, I grinned.

  Clicking on her name, I got into what she’d posted.

  I shook my head at the images of her with that weird shit on her face that made her look different, and the ones she took with Val and Bridgett, posing together, looking friendly like they’d all known each other for years…I didn’t know what the fuck to think about those.

  Then I smiled because that was just her—Shayla being Shayla. She could push her way into any group, onto any person, and make them want to hold onto her. Even a group including my ex and her sometimes pain-in-the-ass sister, someone Shayla did not have a good first impression of. But that was just how Shayla was. She had a light that people wanted to be around, and once she found something good about you, you didn’t have to work at getting her to be on your side. She was already on it.

  Looks like what I told her about Bridgett finally penetrated.

  “Daddy, you got Snapchat?” Caroline asked, putting her weight on my chest and trying to grab my phone.

  I looked at her while keeping my arm outstretched. “You know what that is?”

  How the fuck?

  “Mommy has that,” Fiona explained, getting up onto the couch now too and trying to get at my phone. “Can we play it?”

  “Daddy, we wanna see the filters!” Caroline cried.

  “I wanna be a cat!” Fiona yelled.

  “I wanna be the princess first, then the puppy, and then the cat!” Caroline informed me, planting her knees in my lap and reaching out while holding onto her sister for balance.

  “Ow, Care!” Fiona hollered when Caroline pushed into her too hard. “Stop!”

  “Jesus, here.” I handed Caroline the phone and then grabbed Fiona, scooting over with her to make room. Then I planted her next to Caroline on the couch.

  After pulling the leg of my jeans down, since Fiona was clearly finished drawing on me, I threw my arm behind the girls and leaned over, watching Caroline work that app like she messed around with it every day. She gave me the run-down on how to work the filters—something I did not give one fuck about—then she took pictures of herself and Fiona while the two of them giggled.

  “Daddy, my toes,” Fiona said, wiggling her bare feet while she made faces at the phone.

  I snatched up the pink polish she’d showed me before, then I knelt in front of her and carefully painted the color on her tiny nails. While she dried, I moved on to Caroline after she requested I paint hers next.

  An hour later, the girls were in bed after a bath where I was forbidden to get water anywhere near their heads.

  Apparently, that pink color Shayla had put in washed out, and Caroline looked close to tears just thinking about losing it.

  I got them as clean as I could.

  Once the girls were asleep, I snuck out of their room, grabbed my phone, which I had to charge since they drained the battery messing around on that app, and called up Shayla.

  “Hey, I just pulled onto your street. I’ll be there in a sec,” she answered.

  “Thought you’d be here already,” I said, yanking the front door open and stepping out onto the porch.

  The April air was warm with a slight breeze.

  “So did I. We got caught up kicking ass at trivia night.”

  I saw headlights approaching. “Yeah? You win?”

  “Second.”

  “First-place loser.”

  “Oh!” She giggled. “Look at you cracking jokes. I forgot how funny you can be.”

  Shayla slowed in front of the house and turned into the driveway.

  “I see you,” she purred, waving through the windshield.

  I smiled and disconnected the call, tucking my phone into my pocket as an energy moved beneath my skin.

  My hands shook. I itched to touch her.

  “Are the little princesses still awake?” Shayla asked, stepping up onto the porch and stopping in front of me.

  She was grinning, excited to see my girls and just happy being here, because she always was.

  And fuck if I didn’t feel the exact same way.
<
br />   “They’re out cold.” I grabbed Shayla’s tiny hips and pulled her body into mine, bending to kiss her.

  Her lips were soft, so fucking soft, just like the rest of her. She was little and smooth everywhere. I wanted to keep her and keep doing this for hours.

  And it felt fucking good not fighting that anymore.

  “I bet they had so much fun with you,” Shayla said, staring up at me with nothing but truth in her eyes, like she knew that information for a fact, like there was no way my girls wouldn’t enjoy being here.

  “Yeah.” I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and just fucking held her, my nose in her hair so I could breathe her in.

  “Aw.” She burrowed closer. “You missed me.”

  I didn’t say anything, but when Shayla tried leaning back I squeezed her tighter so she couldn’t pull away.

  She giggled into my chest, then her body seemed to melt into mine, and she sighed and held me back with all the strength she had.

  “I got some good news tonight.”

  I leaned away then to peer down at her, brows lifting. “Yeah?”

  Shayla nodded. “My dad started this new medicine, and it seems to really be helping him.”

  “Fuck. That’s awesome.”

  “It is.” She grinned. “Lately, everything is.”

  Knowing she was including me in that everything, I bent and kissed her once more, lingering there, my tongue pushing inside her mouth and stroking against hers.

  Eventually, and only because I knew I’d be kissing her again inside the house, I released her and we made it inside.

  “Wow.” Hands on her hips, Shayla glanced around the living room while I locked the door. “It’s like a princess party bomb went off in here.” She looked over at me and smiled. “What all did you guys do?”

  “What the fuck didn’t we do?” I returned. “They brought every toy they own. Didn’t need to, though. Once the girls got into those stupid fuckin’ filters, that was it.”

  Shayla cocked her head. “Filters? You mean like, on Snapchat?”

  Oh, fuck.

  I gripped the back of my neck and looked at the floor.

  “Oh, my God.” She giggled. “Sean, do you have Snapchat?” Shayla stepped closer, getting right in front of me, and tilted her head so she could see my face.