Page 42 of Payoff Pitch

He licks his lips. “Hopefully from behind, but that’s all the info you’re getting from me right now.”

Gemma giggles as she covers his mouth. “I can accommodate that request.”

She brings her lips to his and kisses him. Deeply.

Did I say it was awkward a few moments ago? It just got a lot more awkward.

Suddenly the manager, a middle-aged woman from south Philly shouts, “Last call! If yas don’t work here, sleep here, or fuck somebody that works here, pay yas tab and go home.”

Gemma breaks the kiss and spits in laughter. “Holy shit. That’s funny. I’m using it in a book.”

I look at her. “You should. That’s in line with the humor of your books. By the way, we don’t have practice until the afternoon tomorrow. We’re having brunch. Do you want to join us?”

“Sure. Having my grandmother in town frees up my time, but can’t we just say we’re gonna day drink? Is there any reason to bring eggs into this?”

I giggle. I really like Gemma.

Trey pays our tab, and we all walk out the door. Ezra lives near Trey and Gemma, so he shares an Uber with them. They offer to drop me home first, but Tanner has his car and says he’ll drive me.

We get into his red McLaren. I’ve seen the car at his house, but I’ve never been in it since there’s no backseat and I’ve never spent real time with Tanner without Harper.

“Wow, this car is beautiful.”

He smiles, looking sexy as sin getting into the driver’s seat. “Ilove it. I’ve got my eye on another sports car that will be out next year. A Maserati.”

“Have you always been a car guy?”

“I guess so. When I was growing up, my father restored old cars as a hobby. I used to work on them with him. Even my little brother helped now and then.”

“Where is he now?”

Tanner lets out a laugh. “Who knows? We’re total opposites. He’s a free spirit. Last I heard, he was surfing on the other side of the world. He’s a good-looking fucker and always gets slightly older, wealthy women to bankroll his goal to never work an honest day in his life. Maybe one day he’ll grow up.”

“Wow, you two are different.”

“Night and day. My mother coddled him. He was a later-in-life whoops for them. She was forty and Dad was fifty when he was born. I think she felt guilty and let him get away with murder. It made him lazy and a bit of an asshole.”

“Do you ever see him?”

“He randomly shows up on my doorstep every few years. I won’t give him money, but I usually let him stick around for a bit. We’re not close like you and Kamryn.”

“I can’t imagine another sibling. Kam is about all I can handle.”

He chuckles as he pulls up in front of my building. “This is you, right?”

“Yes, thanks for the ride.”

He places the car in park. “It’s late. I’ll walk you up.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I insist.”

We walk inside and into the elevator. As soon as the elevator opens on my floor, I hear Kam’s moans. Our apartment is right near the elevator bank.

Tanner looks at me in question, but I shrug. “My sister is a screamer. I’ve been dealing with it for years.” I reach into mypurse for my AirPods and hold them up. “These help. I have noise-canceling headphones in my bedroom.”

He smiles. “You came prepared.”