“All right, pack up your stuff, we need to get home so you can take a shower before bed.”

“I want to take a bath.”

“If you take a bath, you won’t have time to watch one of your shows after you’re done.”

“Fine, I’ll take a shower.” She gives in and starts to gather her books and things off the counter. I go to the microwave and take out the plate I saved for him that’s covered in plastic wrap and hand it over.

“Willow’s here?” he says quietly.

“She is.”

“Is this going to be a regular occurrence?”

“If I get my way, yes.”

“Let me guess, she’s not making that easy.” He smirks as his gaze goes past my shoulder.

I turn to find Willow in the middle of putting on her jacket.

“Where are you going, Mouse?” I ask her and she freezes then slowly turns to face me.

“Umm.” Her eyes ping to Miles then back to me. “I need to head home.” She rubs her lips together. “I have work early in the morning.” She finishes buttoning up her coat then starts toward the door where her shoes are.

“Damn, didn’t think I’d ever meet a woman in such a hurry to get away from you,” Miles mutters under his breath.

I glare at him.

“Will you be here tomorrow?” Winter asks her.

“Sorry, honey, normally I don’t get off work until after five or six so probably not.”

“Aw, but I liked having you here; it was so fun.”

“It was so much fun.” Willow leans down to give Winter a hug.

“Good luck with that.” Miles says before walking toward the door. “All right kid, give Uncle Clay a hug. We gotta go.”

On cue, Winter runs across the room to me and throws her arms around my waist squeezing tight.

“I’ll see you after school.” I tell her, rubbing the top of her head, and she nods, then zips to where her dad is. I head behind her, grabbing a hold of Willow’s wrist before she can try to follow them out the door, which I know she’s planning on doing.

“See ya around, Willow.” Miles says, dropping his gaze to where I’m holding onto her before smiling at me. “See ya, brother.”

Shaking my head I close the door behind them, then turn toward Willow, and she takes a step back holding her hands up between us. “I really do need to go.”

“I bet you do.” I take another step toward her. “You keep running, babe.”

“I’m not running, I just—” She cuts herself off and glances around, looking frantic.

“You just what?” I raise a brow and take another step toward her.

“I’m not interested.”

“You’re not interested?”

“No, I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re great and hot, plus you have that whole mysterious thing going on, but I’m just not into that right now.”

“You’re not into that right now.” I bite back a grin.

“Stop repeating what I’m saying.”