Closing my eyes, I sighed. “You know there’s no controlling the paparazzi. Half the time, we don’t even see them. The one who took the pictures was probably hiding in a bush.”
He grunted. “Keep that in mind, Adelaide. Someone is always watching.”
“Got it.”
With a short goodbye, he hung up. I slowly turned back to Adam, who was frowning at me. “I guess you got the gist of that.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “Friendly?” He waved around one of my new toys. “You let everyone you’re friendly with hold your vibrating cock ring?”
I sputtered a laugh at his ridiculous question. “Yep. The mailman said his wife has the same anal beads as me. They’re rose gold. So cute. Having that in common drew us closer. We’re having Thanksgiving together.”
He smooshed my face with his hand and shoved me backward. I added some drama to it, falling against the couch cushions with a squeak.
“You’re a fucking menace,” he groused. “I don’t like you saying we’re friendly like I’m not in your goddamn apartment more than my own.”
It struck me then he was being real. Adam’s feelings were hurt. And if I was being honest with myself, my feelings also would have been hurt to hear him downplay the level of our friendship.
Sitting up, I gripped the front of his T-shirt, jerking him closer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean a word of what I said to my dad. I was trying to protect you. You know you’re important to me.”
He held the sides of my head, capturing my gaze. “You don’t have to protect me, Baddie. I appreciate it, but you don’t need to do it. I’ll never deny who you are to me, even if it means facing down your dad’s wrath.”
“He’s not so bad when he’s not being an asshole. Promise.”
Adam huffed. “He made you, so he can’t be one-hundred-percent terrible.”
My nose tingled. “That was very, very sweet.”
Dropping his hands, he picked up the cock ring, tossing it back and forth. “It’s true. You’re still a menace, but I like you anyway.”
And now, my eyes burned. “I’m still tipsy enough to start sobbing if you don’t cut it out.”
He laughed, rubbed the top of my head, and we slid back to normal.
Easy.
Just friends.
Nothing for my dad to worry about.