Page 37 of Buckin' Around

I stumble back toward the front door.

“You... You absolute, fecking eejit. Of all the self-absorbed, stupid shite.” She glances at the baby on the floor.

My back hits the door.

She reaches around me and opens it. “Outside.”

I hold up my hands like I’m in a literal stickup.

The door shuts behind her, and she closes her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose as she sucks in a breath.

I fold my arms over my chest. “Where?—”

Her hand shoots up between us.

What on earth is she doing?

Her head tilts slightly to the side as her eyes open. She rights herself and looks up at me.

Her dark hair is pulled back in a long messy ponytail with a navy velvet scrunchie. Now the fire in her eyes has my body responding in a way it absolutely shouldn’t be.

“Spencer, when you decided to keep Ivy, how exactly did you see this thing going?”

Fuck. How I loathe introspective, open-ended damn questions.

I tense up, jaw set. “What’d you mean?”

“I came home at four, with Ivy, and was locked out. I don’t have a key.”

I release my arms to my sides. “I gave you my number.”

Her face twitches.

Gotcha, little firecracker.The tension coiled in my body releases as hers ratchets up with every second that passes.

“So, where’d you two go?”

Her gaze flickers down the hallway to the only other door on this floor.

“Ah, been out visiting. Mrs. Henderson would love the company. See, Riles, all’s well that ends well.”

“No, Lockwood. I need a key, and you need to communicate, or this deal is off.”

“If the deal is off, O’Malley, I’ll have my money back.”

“God, you are a world class ass, you know tha?—”

A small cry interrupts our fight.

Our first fight.

“Mommy and Daddy shouldn’t be fighting, Riley. It’s bad for the baby.”

Her eyes narrow. “You are insufferable.”

“You’re welcome.” I gesture with a hand toward the door.

She turns on her heel for it. The scent of her perfume and shampoo hit me like a concrete block to the face.