“What do I get if I behave for the whole game?” I asked, hoping she’d find some secret code to offer me something kinky in return.
“I’ll let you spend some time in the arcade,” she offered.
“There’s this part of me that wants to tell you I’m a grown man and you can’t bribe me with video games, but I really do want to go to the arcade after we play.”
Chelsea slipped her arm around my waist, and my arm immediately settled over her shoulders. I was definitely a hugger when it came to this woman.
“You’re adorable when you’re acting nerdy,” Chelsea told me.
I chuckled. “Then I must be adorable all the time.”
“Pretty much,” she agreed with a shrug.
Chelsea paid for our game since she’d insisted it was her turn to take me out, and we made our way to the first hole.
“Don’t they make anything bigger?” I asked, looking at the little golf club Chelsea had handed me. I’d be bent all the way over trying to use it.
“This is the adult size club,” she told me. “They don’t make clubs for giants.”
“Giant?” I asked. “Are we still talking about my height, or were you referring to something else?”
“Behave,” Chelsea warned, waving her club at me.
“I’ll try,” I agreed. “Do you remember the last time we played mini golf together?”
“How could I forget?” she asked with a laugh as we waited for the family to finish up on the first hole so we could take our turn. “I still can’t believe my mom made me take you and Tyler out here.”
I’d been eleven, and Chelsea had recently turned seventeen. At that point, I’d already been completely in love with her, or as in love as an eleven-year-old boy could manage.
“Do you remember why your mom wanted you to take us?” I asked, moving closer to Chelsea. It was a day I’d never forget.
She nodded, and I could tell she was still bothered by that day, too. Chelsea had been really angry on my behalf. “You’d stayed over at our house the night before, and you stole my panties. I still have no idea what you did with that pair.”
I chuckled. “Your panties were absolutely fascinating to me in my youth,” I admitted before my mind drifted back to that day. “My mom was supposed to pick me up,” I continued. “It would have been the first time I’d seen her in almost three years.”
“I remember,” Chelsea told me. “It was your birthday.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I’d stayed at your house because my dad had gone to Mexico for a week and my nanny had the weekend off.”
“She never showed up,” Chelsea continued sadly. “I hated your mom, and I wanted to tell her off. What kind of person does that to their own child?”
I grinned at how indignant Chelsea was on my behalf. It had been the same that day, and somehow, knowing she cared had made me feel better. In the end, the day hadn’t been horrible at all. “It turned out to be the best birthday I’d ever had.”
“Really?” she asked, looking skeptical. “That was a horrible birthday. Both your parents abandoned you for it.”
“My day started off with your mom making me waffles and bacon. Then, after my mom didn’t show up, I was really down. Even though you grumbled about having to take me and Ty to play miniature golf, you bought us tokens so we could play video games. Then you took me out to dinner, and you told me it was her loss because I was awesome.” That memory was one of my better ones. Sure, my mom’s rejection had hurt, but I hadn’t been alone. Chelsea wouldn’t allow me to be alone. She’d blown off her boyfriend to spend a Saturday night making me feel better.
“You were an annoying pain in the ass, but you deserved a good birthday,” she told me with a shy smile.
Leaning down, I brushed my lips across her cheek. “You’ve always been amazing. It was more than just you being beautiful. My crush on you had to do with all the things you did for me over the years.”
“Like kicking you out of my room when you were bothering me?” she asked.
“Like making popcorn for me and Ty when we were watching movies,” I told her. “Or like taking me and Ty for burgers when my soccer team won their league championship. It’s the little things that make you realize how much someone means to you.”
“Wow!” Chelsea said with a laugh. “That was a big emotional speech for you.”
I laughed, too. “You’re right about that. I’m kind of tired now. Hey! I’ve been thinking of good pet names for you.”
“I’m afraid to ask what you’ve come up with,” she mumbled.
“These are good, my Juliet,” I assured her.
“Juliet?” she demanded. “I’m not really sure you should use someone who committed suicide with her star-crossed lover.”
“Good point.” I agreed. “How about my lady love?”
“Too nerdy, even for you,” she replied with a laugh.
“Huh,” I said thoughtfully. “I really like that one. Poppet?”
“That one is great if you suddenly become a British governess,” she teased.
“I’m running out of ideas,” I admitted.
“Lucky for you, it’s our turn on the hole now,” she told me. “Prepare to get your butt kicked on the golf course.”
“Feeling a little cocky?” I asked.
“Just a little,” she admitted as she put down her ball and hit it, making a hole in one. “I still come here with Tyler.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t place a bet,” I told her.
Chapter Thirty
Chelsea
I handed Luke five dollars in tokens, trying hard not to gloat about how badly I’d beaten him at miniature golf.
“Go ahead and say it,” he encouraged me. “You’ll feel better once you do.”
“Say what?” I asked, as if I didn’t know what he was talking about.
“You know you want to gloat about winning,” he told me.
“Since when am I the type to gloat about winning?” I asked. There was no denying I was totally the type to gloat about winning. While I was never a bad loser, I really was a terrible winner, something Tyler often pointed out.
“Do it,” he ordered.
“Nope,” I refused with a shake of my head. “I can’t brag about that. It was far too easy. Were you even trying?”
“That’s my girl,” he praised. “Do your victory dance.”
“I don’t have a victory dance,” I argued.
“Sure you do,” he insisted. “You used to do this bouncing thing whenever you won. It’s why I used to let you win at games when we were kids.”
My mouth dropped open. “You let me win to see my victory dance?”
“Only when I realized how much I enjoyed seeing you bounce around,” he replied.
“Pervert,” I accused. “Go use your tokens, and I promise to take you for ice cream before we head back to my place.”
“In a hurry to get me home?” he asked with a sexy grin.
“I’m just in a hurry to get out of this arcade,” I explained. “This place smells like foot funk and body odor.”
Luke looked thoughtful for a moment. “Now that you mention it, most arcades smell that way. This is definitely not a sexy date.”
“But it’s been fun,” I added.
Luke slipped his arm around my shoulders. “It has definitely been fun, but I think I’ll pass on the ice cream. I’ve been very good, and I deserve a reward.”
“That’s why I offered ice cream,” I teased.
“I’ve got something else in mind,” he began. “Wanna know what I’d like for a reward?”
“Behave,” I told him.
“I’m trying,” he assured me.
“Mr. Robinson!” a girl who looked around twelve or thirteen called out just before we were surrounded by kids, all looking excited to see Luke.
“Hey, guys,” Luke greeted them, keeping his arm around my shoulders. “Are you all taking a break from your biology reports?”
Th
ere were several groans before one smartass kid asked, “Are you taking a break from grading our exams?”
The boy reminded me a little of Luke. He was tall and skinny with thick glasses and a mop of blond hair that definitely needed to be combed.
“Don’t remind him,” one of the girls said, smacking the boy in the arm. “We aren’t all as smart as you.”
Luke raised an eyebrow at the girl’s comment. “You have the highest grade in all my classes, Jen, so I’m not sure why you’d be worried about me grading your exam.”
“Is that your girlfriend, Mr. Robinson?” one of the boys asked.
“Yes, this is my girlfriend,” Luke replied, sounding pleased with himself. “Chelsea, these are some of my students. Brandon, Jen, Teagan, Meg, Lori, and Mario.”
“Nice to meet you all,” I said, unable to keep from smiling at how much Luke’s students obviously loved him.
“I’ll see you all on Monday,” Luke told his students before guiding me deeper into the arcade.
“You seem to be a very popular teacher,” I remarked.
“With that group, I am,” he replied. “They don’t all love me, but I suppose the ones who think I’m a jerk aren’t going to approach me outside of school.”
“You mean the ones who’ve had you read their text messages in front of the class?” I asked.
“Yeah, some of them aren’t crazy about me, but it’s not my job to be their best friend, so I can live with that,” he stated.
“I still can’t get over the fact that you’re a teacher,” I mused.
“Some days, it still surprises me,” he admitted. “When I first decided I wanted to teach, I was a little afraid I’d end up hating it. I worried I’d be ready to quit after the first week, and there are days I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.”
“It seems like a really hard job,” I added as Luke settled into the seat of some driving game similar to the one he and Tyler had played a lot when they were kids.
“It’s worth it,” he told me. “Maybe I’ll change my mind and get jaded. I see that happen to other teachers. There is a lot of bureaucratic bullshit to deal with, and that bugs me more than the kids. Come sit on my lap while I drive, Chels.” His sudden shift to flirting had me shaking my head.
“What will your students think if they see me sitting on your lap while you play a video game?” I asked.
“They’ll think I’m the luckiest guy here because I have a gorgeous blonde on my lap,” he replied. When I just raised an eyebrow in response, he continued. “What? That’s what I would have thought if I’d seen any of my teachers on a date with a woman as hot as you. I suppose their parents might not appreciate it. How about if you sit in the seat next to mine since no one is using that game?”
I settled into the uncomfortable driving simulator to watch Luke play his game. He seemed to be more focused on me than his game.
After crashing twice, Luke looked ready to admit defeat. “This may not have been one of my better ideas. It’s hard paying attention to my game with you sitting there looking so tempting.”
“Good. I’ll get out of the arcade quicker if you’re distracted,” I pointed out.
“So, you’re just using that hot body of yours to get your way?” he asked, dropping another token in the machine.
“It has its uses,” I replied.
“I intend to explore all those uses when we’re done here,” he assured me.
“How about if you try that line when we get out of this smelly arcade?” I suggested.
“How about if we save the rest of these tokens for later, and I take you back to your place to play a different type of game?” he suggested.
“So, no ice cream?” I asked. “I’d think you’d need it after losing so badly.”
Luke gave me a warm smile. “You really are adorable.”
“I must be going crazy, because I’m starting to like it when you call me adorable.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Chelsea
I’d been seeing Luke for two weeks, and my friends had been surprisingly good about not pushing for details. This was especially hard for Delaney, who hadn’t asked me anything more about spanking. I would have praised her for her self-control if she weren’t still texting Luke with suggestions on ways he should spank me. The only reason I hadn’t demanded she stop was that she had some good ideas, and I’d already enjoyed a couple of them with Luke. After testing out her theory on spanking with a leather glove on, Luke had asked if we should send Delaney a thank you card.
I was having dinner at my parents’ house with Tyler. Brook wasn’t coming because she had a big project to finish. She had her own graphic arts business, so she often worked on weekends.
My dad greeted me at the door. He had a full head of salt and pepper hair, blue eyes like mine and Tyler’s, and a lean build that came from running half-marathons. “How’s the remodel of the downstairs bathroom going?” he asked me.
“I delayed starting,” I replied. It had been my next project, but then I’d stared dating Luke and no longer had as much free time.
“You must be working too hard,” my dad remarked. “Isn’t Ty supposed to be helping with some of that workload?”
“Don’t worry,” I assured my dad with a laugh. “He’s been doing a lot to help me out.”
I hadn’t mentioned dating Luke to my parents because every time I talked to my mom, it just seemed wrong. My reaction was crazy, and the longer I kept dating Luke, the more I realized I needed to tell my parents. Things hadn’t ended in a week, like I’d expected. Two weeks in, I was still enjoying my time with Luke, and we spent several nights a week together. We were definitely a couple.
It wasn’t until I heard voices from the kitchen that I realized I definitely should have told my mom about me dating Luke. My mom was in the kitchen talking to a man about my many attributes, meaning she was trying to fix me up with someone.
I groaned, and my dad patted my shoulder. “I told her she should talk to you about it first, but after you agreed to go out with the last few young men she picked out for you, your mom figured you wouldn’t mind.”
“This could be worse,” I muttered just before the doorbell rang.
“That’ll be Ty and Luke,” my dad announced.
“Luke?” I shouted loud enough to silence the conversation in the kitchen, and I was certain Luke and Tyler heard me from the front porch.
My dad smiled at me over his shoulder as he reached for the front door. “I know, sweetie, but he’s not the boy who used to harass you anymore. He’s a grown man now.”
He opened the door and Luke’s eyes landed on me right away, his lips curling into a smile. “You didn’t tell me Chelsea was going to be here,” he told Tyler.
“I didn’t?” my bratty brother asked, and something told me he knew damn well he hadn’t told Luke about me being there, probably for the same reason he hadn’t told me Luke was coming to dinner. Tyler hadn’t been happy when he’d heard I hadn’t told our parents about me dating Luke. Apparently, he’d decided to set the stage for the big reveal with my parents. I made a mental note to kill my brother later.
“Why don’t you go meet the young man your mom is fixing you up with while I talk to Ty and Luke?” my dad suggested.
“Shit,” my dumbass brother hissed out, having just realized what a problem he’d created with his own scheming.
Luke’s eyes narrowed. “Isn’t that nice that your mom is trying to fix you up with someone since she thinks you aren’t dating anyone?”
My dad has always been somewhat oblivious to what’s going on around him, which was why I wasn’t surprised when he didn’t catch on that Luke was angry. “Chelsea hasn’t dated anyone since her divorce, but her mom is forever trying to find the right man for her.”
As if on cue, my mom walked into the room. “Luke!” she said excitedly, pulling his head down so she could kiss his cheek. My mom’s hair was dyed dark auburn to cover her grey, and as always, her makeup was flawless. Sh
e was curvy like me, but unlike me, she was dressed in a flowing skirt and blouse. “How have you been since you got back?”
“Good,” he replied. “Thanks for having me over.”
“Any time,” she assured him. “I should have asked if you had a young lady you’d like to invite to dinner. Are you seeing anyone?”
Luke’s eyes landed on me. “Yeah, I’m seeing someone special, but I’m beginning to wonder if it means more to me than it does to her.”
My mom looked back and forth between me and Luke. “Well, shit,” she finally said.
“That about sums it up,” Luke muttered.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Luke
That had been one of the most uncomfortable dinners I’d ever had with Ty’s parents. After everything that had happened, I decided to ride home with Chelsea instead of Ty. I’d already asked Ty to check on Tasha, expecting to keep Chelsea at my place over night. I was pissed and hurt.
“About tonight,” Chelsea began.
“Let’s talk about this when we get back to my place,” I suggested.
“I really need to get home to Tasha,” she argued, probably to get out of having a longer conversation or argument. I was willing to admit it might be an argument.
“Ty said he’d stop by to take care of Tasha,” I told her. “Before you get pissed at me for asking Ty to take care of her, you need to keep in mind that I didn’t do it to take charge of your life or push you around. I asked Ty to watch Tasha because I care enough about you that I want to talk about this before I have time to dwell on it. I also don’t want you to have time to convince yourself this has some deeper meaning that proves we don’t belong together.”
Chelsea was quiet for a short time before speaking again. “I didn’t know my mom was going to fix me up with someone.”
I let out a frustrated breath, wondering why I’d thought Chelsea could wait until we got back to her place to talk about what was going on. “I figured that out on my own,” I assured her. “It’s not like we agreed to be exclusive, so even if you had known, I wouldn’t have any right to be angry about that.”
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