Complicated Girl (Baker Street Romance #2)(34)
Author: Mimi Strong

Looking around the room again, I realize something’s off. “Drew, if your brother bought this house, why did he let you have the master bedroom?”

Drew looks sheepish. “He’s… kind of a musician.”

“Ah. So it’s your house, and you let him live here.”

“Do me a favor and don’t ever say that in front of him. He does have his pride. He’s a really good musician. I think he’s going to make it someday.”

“If he looks like you, sure.”

Grinning, Drew gets to his feet and helps me up. “Let’s go down. I want to show you off.”

I look down at my plain shirt and sweatpants. “Aren’t you embarrassed to be seen with me, looking like this?”

“You look perfect.”

“But this shirt is too sheer. You can see my bra right through it.”

“Isn’t that in style for women?”

“No.”

With a sigh, he leads me over to his closet and hands me a black, V-neck T-shirt, and a pair of his dark jeans. “These might fit.”

I whip off my damp clothes and stand before him in my underwear. He looks me up and down, then swallows audibly.

“You’d better get those clothes on fast, or I’m going to be a very rude party host.”

Giggling, I get dressed quickly.

“Damn. You look better in those clothes than me.”

He kisses me again, but before things get too hot, I take his hand and lead him back downstairs.

Drew’s office manager, Patty, as well as the other people gathered around the living room, go quiet when we walk into the room.

“Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Megan,” he says.

“Hi.” I wave at the room. “I’m Megan, but everyone calls me…”

I turn and raise my eyebrows at Drew. He smiles and nods, as if to say that I can call myself whatever I want.

“But everyone calls me Megan,” I say. “I used to have an embarrassing nickname, but I’m letting that part of me go.”

A guy with a guitar on his lap says, “Megs? Did they call you Megs? Or Maggie?”

The guy has dark hair and brown eyes, plus a dash of Drew’s good looks. He’s definitely the brother. I can tell by the glint in his eye that he’s curious about my nickname. He should be able to tell by the glint in my eye that I’m not telling. Not yet, anyway.

“Megs or Maggie, sure. Something like that,” I say.

Patty brings some additional chairs in from the nearby dining room, and Drew and I join the party.

Drew’s brother starts strumming his guitar and singing the Rod Stewart song, Maggie May. He’s got a good voice.

Over the sound of him strumming and singing, I call out, “I haven’t heard that one!”

Everyone laughs

I look around the room, at all the friendly faces. Drew has more friends in real life than I have on Facebook. For a moment, that nasty insecure feeling takes hold—the bad feeling that says I might not be good enough for Drew.

Drew leans over and murmurs in my ear, “I’m glad you’re here. I barely know half these people.”

I let out a laugh of relief.

He pats my knee, and then he starts singing along with his brother on the chorus. He’s got a nice voice. He’s not as practiced as his brother, but when he turns to me and sings the chorus while gazing into my eyes, my heart flutters in the most deliciously girly, butterfly-like flutters I’ve ever felt.

Chapter 25

It’s been six weeks since I showed up at Drew’s party, looking like a drowned rat.

We had our first big fight two weeks ago, over the dumbest thing. My regular dental cleaning appointment came up, and I went to see my normal dentist, a nice lady who makes me laugh while she’s checking my teeth.

Apparently, this sort of thing is considered cheating, according to Drew. He didn’t care that it was with a woman, not a man. I responded by making fun of him for being so sensitive. He got distant. And then I realized what was happening, and I apologized.

I literally got down on my hands and knees and crawled toward him, apologizing. His eyes twinkled, and he took me over his knee and playfully spanked me.

Pretty soon, all was forgiven.

I plan to see her again in six months, then beg Drew for forgiveness again. I’m really looking forward to it.

Drew walks up behind me and grabs me in a hug. “This was a good idea, babe.” He rubs his cat whiskers against my cheek.

I bark at him, because I’m dressed like a dog, and that’s what a dog would do.

We’re at his house, throwing a Halloween costume party for everyone from my self-help group. It’s back to being my group again, because Drew stopped coming once we started dating. He says he doesn’t need the group, since he has me. He can be so corny sometimes.

I’m the one with the bigger issues, so I’ll keep going on Tuesday nights. I had a big breakthrough last week and asked everyone to start calling me Megan. I felt like a dunderhead asking people to change their habits on account of me, but they all took it in stride.

Feather says I’m doing well, and she said I can fill in for her when she has the twins. That’s right, twins. It turns out my crazy dream was a bit of a prophecy.

She’s here at the party, looking radiant and lovely in her creamy white pantsuit. She says she’s dressed as Humpty Dumpty, but she looks like that supermodel, Heidi Klum.

Abbie won the prize for best costume, because she came dressed as a dominatrix. I now see the white-haired granny in a whole new light. Good for her.

Drew rubs his cat whiskers on my cheek again. “Meow.”

“Let’s start clearing the dishes so people take a hint and leave.”

He hugs me tighter, swaying us both to the music. Drew’s brother’s entire band is here, doing an unplugged version of their songs in the living room.

“Meow,” he says. “Nobody will notice if the two of us disappear upstairs for a bit.”

“Don’t you have that book you wanted to lend me?”

“What book? Oh. Right. Yes, come with me.”

We cut through the living room, muttering about getting more chips and salsa, then we race up the stairs to the master bedroom.

I shut the door behind me and lock it.

Drew jumps on the bed and slinks around like a tomcat on the prowl.

I look down at my furry dog suit. “Honey, you do realize we’re turning into freaks, right?”

“What do you mean?” He pretends to lick his paw.

“First of all, there was the spanking. And then we went a little further. We’ve had a few turns playing dentist, and you are one very kinky boy.”