Tex twists and sits on my lap, almost kneeing me in my most important area. “Should I scold you for that?” she rasps.
I run my hands up her thighs, and I’m about to take her mouth when the bus door opens. Gripping her waist, I launch her off me, and she lands on the sofa, staring at me like I’ve lost it.
“What the fuck, Kitt?” she snaps, whacking my arm, as Mark, Jimmy and Will walk into the room.
Mark is immediately suspicious of Texas’s action. I laugh, trying desperately to make it look like a joke. I’m not really sure how to explain to him that his daughter was straddling me five seconds ago.
He’s accepted our relationship—although I do think he’s been a little too cool with it. We get no hassle, but it won’t take much for him to freak out again, and I know Texas will always choose him. From the second she was born, she’s been a daddy’s girl. I’m close to my grandparents, but I had a closer version of a normal childhood. The way Mark and Texas live and what they’ve been through makes their relationship a little different. It’s strong as fucking steel.
“Hey, Daddy. How’d the sound check go?” Texas asks, settling back into the sofa after realising why I threw her like she’d burned me. Her cheeks turn pink, and she looks to the left of Mark.
The girl is shit at lying.
“Speakers cool now?” I ask.
Mark nods, mouth tight. “All good.”
“I’m fucking starving,” Will says. “Jimmy, cook some bacon.”
“Why do I have to cook?”
Will rolls his eyes. “Mark, cook the bacon.”
“Jesus Christ!” Texas says, pushing herself up and stroking my hand as she goes. “I’ll cook! Besides Will, you all suck anyway.”
“May I remind you, master chef, that you burned toast?” Mark says, pointing at Tex.
She turns and narrows her eyes. “I was distracted. The toaster didn’t pop up on time.”
“Blame the toaster, Tex? Really?” I tease.
The look she gives me tells me that if her dad wasn’t here right now, she’d be telling me that I’d be outta luck for sex tonight. Unlucky for her—and lucky for me—she could never stick to a threat like that.
“You wouldn’t even know which end to put the bread in, Kitt, so I don’t know why you’re taking the piss.”
“Have you ever thought that I pretend to be an awful cook, so I don’t have to do it?”
She takes a minute before replying, “No. I think you’re just horrible at it, but please feel free to cook us all some bacon and prove me wrong.”
Fuck, she’s got me. If I don’t do it, she’ll think she’s won, and if I do it, she’ll have food cooked for her and still win.
And from the cocky head tilt and pursed lips, she knows it, too.
She puts her hands on her hips. “Well?”
“Well, I’ll sit right here and let you win while getting me meat.” If I’m losing, I’m getting something out of it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Mark watching us. He’s intrigued, confused almost. He enjoys seeing how we interact because he can see that we’re meant to be. But he’s still watching.
“Fine. I’ll make it. You’re buying dinner anyway.” She smiles and heads to the kitchen area.
“When have I not paid, Tex?”
“I’ll treat you one day.”
She bloody won’t, but I don’t want her to. I want to be the one who looks after her. And I will. Tex has a pretty strong personality, but I’m not backing down from that. She can kick and scream, but she’s mine, and I’m taking care of her.
“Where’s Milo and Cooper?” Will asks, flopping down beside me and throwing his hands behind his head.
“On the piss somewhere, I think. That, or screwing some chicks.”
“Men are disgusting!” Texas shouts over her shoulder.
I watch Texas while she cooks. Her head is tilted to the side as she flips the bacon with one hand and looks at something on her phone with the other. She turns away, and I realise it’s because she’s reacting to something she’s read.
Her shoulders slouch, and I’m on my feet. Something is up.
I walk over to her, stand close, and ask, “What’s going on?”
“Last night, you cheated on me with this chick,” she replies, shoving her phone in my face.
“Tex, no, I—”
“Don’t,” she says, ending my sentence. “I know it didn’t happen. It’s been twenty-four hours, and I can’t count how many times one of us has cheated or there’s been a new rumour. I can’t keep up on any of my pages because they’re being bombarded, and anytime I step outside this bus, people are there in crowds, waiting to fire questions and tell me how to live my life.”
Shit. This never bothered her before, but like she said, it’s been a day, and she can’t keep up. She’s already had enough. I can’t wait to get this show over with, then we only have a quick stop in Finland before home.
“I’m sorry, baby.”
She wraps her arms around my waist. “It’s not your fault, Kitt. I need to stop looking so much. I’ll ignore it. Doesn’t matter what anyone else says anyway.”