The Queen of Pouts wears one when arriving at the rental house. No doubt her pouting pop didn’t take kindly to her forcing him to follow. The man makes the rules! He doesn’t follow them, dammit! I smile at her sullen expression until she finally gives me a tiny smile.
Audrey leaves her Harley at the curb where her father’s bike still idles. I stand on the porch, waiting for her to join me.
“It’s a quiet neighborhood,” I say and lean down to kiss her forehead. When my lips linger on her soft skin, Audrey presses her hands against my chest as if wanting me to stop. Except her fingers also dig into my shirt, keeping me close. Her mixed signals turn me on.
“Harleys in the morning aren’t considered cool around these parts,” I whisper. “No wild parties either.”
“My pop doesn’t think I’ll move,” she says, lifting her gaze to find mine.
“I’m only interested in what you think.”
Audrey’s pouty face again breaks into a smile. “You see me and only me.”
“Is that a question?”
Audrey shakes her head, and I’m relieved her sexy pout is on vacation for the time being.
“Let’s get this over with,” Cooper says, joining us on the porch. “I’m ready to ditch this shithole.”
Grinning at his irritation, I gesture for them to enter. Audrey follows her father inside, though her hand reaches back to find mine.
The house was built only twenty years ago, but the design harkens back to a time when boxy contemporaries were all the rage on the coasts. The former owner wanted the same style in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the second owner added a Spanish flair to the kitchen floor with Cholula Mexican tiles that clash with the checkerboard pattern in the main living room. Some rooms are colorfully painted, others are stale white. The house lacks in a single style but has more than enough space along with brilliantly high ceilings and doorways.
“The aesthetic needs help, but the house has solid bones,” I say after we’ve walked through the living room and into the kitchen.
Cooper snorts, clearly unimpressed with every inch of the place. “Aesthetic? You sound like one of those idiots on HGTV.”
“Mom likes that channel,” Audrey mentions, hoping to calm her father’s temper with a shout out to his old lady back home.
Cooper refuses to play along, though. “This house is hideous. The floors don’t match. The kitchen looks older than Audrey. It’s a dump.”
“No, it’s not,” Audrey spits out, and I’m turned on by how she inherited her father’s temper.
As proud as I am to see her standing up to him, I know she’ll break under his disapproving glare. As her man, I should do my best to at least throw her an assist.
“The house needs remodeling,” I explain, “but the plumbing and electrical are solid. The master bedroom is big enough for a king mattress, which I’ll need to sleep comfortably.” I finish off with a little wink—just between us guys—that causes Cooper Johansson’s face to twist into a fierce snarl.
“You give me that look again, and I’ll bury my fist in your face,” he growls.
“Big talk from a little man,” I taunt, and Cooper makes a move.
I never learn if he’s seriously throwing down because Audrey steps between us before I’m forced to pound on the old man. “I think this place is cool,” she says, giving me a nervous smile and possibly signaling how I should stand down. “It’s both modern and retro. Could I paint the walls?”
“Of course. The plan is to overhaul the interior, but we’re behind on updating some of the houses we own in the area.”
“What’s the rent like?” Audrey asks.
Leaning down, I whisper, “I’m sure I can get you a discount if you’re agreeable to my terms.”
Cooper literally growls nearby, and I must clench my teeth to avoid laughing at him. I remember how my father reacted to news of Cricket’s pregnancy by some dirty biker in West Virginia—of all places. He growled cuss words late into the night and made many vile threats against the man who seduced his daughter into the family way. I thought my dad’s behavior was hilarious then and I’m barely able to avoid laughing at Cooper’s now. Of course, one day, I’ll likely have a daughter, and the universe will punish me. For now, I only smile at Cooper while he struggles not to punch me.
Audrey tugs me around the house, looking at the rooms and talking about furniture placement. Cooper lingers back, watching me in the way a patient predator watches its next meal. I occasionally glance back at him and smirk. Audrey, though, avoids her father’s gaze during the tour.
“I’ll miss you,” I say as we return to the front door. “How long before you’ll be ready to move?”
“I’m not sure. How long does it usually take?”
“I live with my parents, so I don’t know the answer to that question.”
“She isn’t moving,” Cooper says, walking past us and toward his Harley.
“He’s sad because his baby girl is leaving him,” I whisper while tugging her against my body. “I don’t blame him for wanting you around, but it’s time he learned to share you with a younger, sexier man.”
“You are so arrogant,” she coos, smiling up at me.
Giving her a soft, warm kiss, I whisper, “Because I know my worth.” Cooper revs his engine like a whiny jerk, but I refuse to acknowledge him. My gaze remains on Audrey’s. “I hope one day you’ll know yours too.”
Wrapping her arms around my waist, Audrey hugs me with all the strength in her petite body. I caress her head, knowing she has to leave and letting her set the pace of our affection.
Her father figuratively yanks at her from one side while our future together tugs on her from the other. The choice she makes in the end must be hers because Audrey Johansson won’t put up with being anyone’s bitch.