Part 21 (2/2)

”Do you know this guy?” Tag asks.

”Yes, he's a journalist doing a story on my newest business that just launched.”

The security guard rewinds and then plays the only thing recorded.

It's our conversation, and he finally hits end after it plays, ”I need more champagne, not a friend. Tag Masters is my son's father, so if you're expecting me to say something bad about him to a guy I don't know, you're sadly mistaken.”

”If he was doing a story on your business, he wouldn't be recording a conversation with Ash. Get him out of here,” Tag says, and the guards usher out the conniving reporter.

”I recognized him. My dad has an obsession with newspapers. Don't ask,” I slur, and Melanie lets a sigh out before giggling.

”Only Ash can be smart when drunk. You got her?”

”Yeah, I've got her,” Tag murmurs softly while scooping me up.

”Tag, I'm not that drunk. I can walk.”

He smirks, and then he shakes his head.

”It looks like we'll be staying with you tonight,” he laughs, and I pucker my lips.

”We can go home. I'm fit to drive-well, ride.”

”Here that?” Wren chirps as he joins us. ”She's fit to ride, Tag.”

I blush as Tag and Wren both laugh, and Melanie rolls her eyes for the distasteful joke her son made.

”Well, you still have gifts to open. Not to mention, we haven't even eaten. As.h.i.+ara, how did you get so drunk?” she scolds.

”The champagne was really good,” I joke, making Tag laugh a little louder as he carries me inside.

”Where's Trip?” he asks a guy when we get back in.

”Billy and Shannon are showing him around.”

He nods, and then he starts carrying me up the stairs.

”Tag, please let me go. I want to enjoy the party. I'm fine.”

”You're drunk, and it's obvious you need to sleep it off.”

I cross my arms to sulk as he carries me on up.

”I don't want to sleep. I'm ready to drink. Please stop treating me like a child.”

He laughs and then he pushes the door open to the room where he stayed that weekend.

”I'll come check on you in a bit. I'm sure I can send one of the guys out to get you some clothes.”

I roll my eyes as he puts me on the bed, and I turn away from him as he covers me up. He's tucking me in the way I do Trip. How degrading is this?

Tag ”Tag, there you are,” another blast from the past exclaims, her cleavage showing, my d.i.c.k not responding.

I got more of a rise out of Ash's pouting lips than I am these jugs of fury bouncing around.

”Hey Camille, sorry, but I need to go find my son.”

”Aw,” she pouts. ”I just want some time alone with the new daddy. I would have never dreamed you'd be such a good dad.”

”Yeah, well, I've just been a dad for a little while. Let's not go giving me a number-one dad mug just yet.”

I start to walk off, but then she grabs my arm and pulls me into a dark room off to the side.

”I want to show you how impressed I am,” she seduces while dropping to her knees in front of me.

She grabs my belt and jerks it free, but the soft ma.s.s in my pants just laughs as I try to pull her up.

”d.a.m.n it, Camille, stop. I don't want to do this. I'm a happy man with a son, and I happen to love his mother.”

”Love?” she gasps while finally relinquis.h.i.+ng her hold on me.

”Yes, love. Now act like you have a little dignity, and please don't make me forcefully remove you from me.”

She puffs up, and then she shakes her head before following me out. Just as the door shuts behind us, Ash is standing there, eyes wide, tears glistening. Her lips tighten into a thin, almost nonexistent line as she stares in disbelief.

”Ash, this isn't what it looks like,” I blurt out like a cliche cheating b.a.s.t.a.r.d, even though I technically wouldn't be cheating.

It sure as h.e.l.l feels like it would be cheating, and with the way she's looking at me right now, she feels like I just cheated.

”Um, it's fine. I was just going to go tell Melanie goodnight, but I think I'll get another drink and check on my son instead,” she says, suddenly acting as though the shock of me exiting a dark room with a girl just sobered her up.

Camille slips away without clarifying the fact I turned her down, and Ash rushes away before I can defend myself anymore. Bity and Shannon are still holding Trip, and I see Ash kissing his cheek as I walk up.

”Can I please talk to you?”

”Tag, you don't owe me anything. Just enjoy the party. Go open some presents your friends got you.”

”What's going on?” Bity chirps.

”Camille Rags pulled me into a room, and I turned her down. Ash thinks something else happened.”

”Camille is here? I thought I saw one of your other trophies here as well,” Bity adds. ”I need to start carrying Trip around. Apparently he's a little chick magnet.”

Shannon elbows him in the ribs, and he laughs hard. Ash doesn't seem amused though. She seems colder, more distant - even worse than earlier when we arrived.

<script>