“You were on her bed,” she repeats, trying not to sound alarmed.
“Yeah,” I say smoothly, smiling as I look over at her. “She didn’t like it much, either.”
“Did you fuck her?”
I shake my head. “No. Like I said, just giving her a warning.” My hand stills on her leg. “She told Aubrey you let me fuck other people. For obvious reasons, that wasn’t something I wanted her to know.”
Anae’s eyes widen. “Are you fucking serious? That little cunt. Does Aubrey suspect anything?”
I shake my head. “It shook her confidence in me for a minute, but I was able to iron the wrinkles back out pretty easily. Since she hasn’t had sex before, it’s easy to control her with it.”
“She sounds boring,” Anae states.
“She’s no you, that’s for sure.”
Anae meets my gaze and smiles.
“Anyway, while my little gift hasn’t been the most entertaining, it still made me appreciate you for not being like that. You should have seen the insecure fit she threw when she thought I might want to fuck other people after we’re married or wherever she thinks this is heading.”
Anae laughs. “What a fucking child.”
I smirk. “Yeah, I had to exercise a lot of restraint dealing with that.”
“I bet. My poor baby,” she croons, but I can tell how delighted she is. She can’t stop smiling.
I resume stroking her leg. “Since you gave me a gift, I’d like to get one for you. Is there anything you’ve had your eye on lately? I plan to do a little shopping this weekend.”
The possibility of presents catches her attention. “Actually, yes. There’s this gorgeous Dior necklace I’m dying to get my hands on, but it’s a few thousand dollars. Mom has been such a cheap-ass lately, she won’t let me buy it. It’s ridiculous.”
“Done,” I tell her. “Send me a link so I get the right thing, I’ll pick it up this weekend.”
Anae sighs contentedly, resting her hands on her abdomen. “You really are the best boyfriend ever.”
I smirk and give her leg a squeeze. “That’s why I’m yours.”
Chapter thirty-one
Aubrey
When Dare picks us up to take us to the airport, it’s so early that it’s still dark outside.
Even though I know where we’re going, it doesn’t really hit me until we literally drive up to a matte black private jet that I am going on a private jet.
Dare isn’t fazed as we all get out of the car. Mom walks up ahead to give us a moment to say our goodbyes. Dare wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close.
“I wish you could come with us,” I tell him.
“Me too. We’ll go somewhere another time. I’ve got a lot to deal with here this weekend, and you’ll only be there long enough for the doctor’s appointment, anyway. When I go with you, we’ll go somewhere fun.” He leans in and kisses my lips, murmuring teasingly, “Maybe Italy.”
I bite down lightly on his bottom lip before I pull back. He cocks an eyebrow in surprise.
“What? I’ll miss you.”
He cradles my head in his palm and pulls me in to give me a slower, more lingering kiss. “I’ll miss you, too.” When he breaks the kiss, he says soberly, “But, to be honest, I feel more comfortable with you in New York today. At least I know you’ll be safe there.”
“Thank you again for doing all this for us. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
He smirks down at me. “You can show me when you get home.”
I grin and steal a look over my shoulder at my mom to make sure she didn’t hear that. Seeing she didn’t, I look back up at him. “Oh, I will. Come over tonight after my mom’s in bed and I’ll let you do anything you want to me.”
“Oh yeah?” he murmurs with interest.
I nod and lean up to kiss him one more time. “I better go. It seems like they’re waiting for us. I don’t want to be rude.”
He chuckles, but lets me go. “Here,” he says, reaching for his wallet.
I frown, watching him open it. “What’s this for?” I ask as he holds out a credit card.
“Anything you might need. I told you the whole trip was on me. I don’t want you paying for so much as a coffee.”
“You are much too generous,” I tell him, leaning in to give him one more kiss. “Thank you, Dare.”
He smiles, caressing my face briefly before letting me go. “You’re welcome, mermaid.”
Dare falls back and I walk over to join Mom in looking up at the plane. It’s lit from the inside, the staircase already open for us to climb aboard.
“This is crazy,” Mom says.
“Right?”
“His plane matches his car,” she adds.
I crack a smile. “He has an aesthetic, that’s for sure.”
“It’s a bit ominous for such a nice boy,” she remarks.
I bite my tongue rather than respond to that. “Well, I guess it’s time to board.”