Secret Sin

10

Bishop bounce-passed a ball to me. “You pick any spot you think might be an easy shot for you to make. If you don’t make the basket, Gabe here will get to try a shot from wherever he chooses. However, if you do make the basket, then Gabe and I will try from that same spot. If one of us doesn’t make our basket, that person gets the letter H.” “Sweet. Okay. Let’s see.” I propped the ball on my hip and wandered the court. First, I assessed a spot a few feet from beneath the basket before migrating a bit farther. And farther. Until I was just beyond the three-point line. I shrugged. “This looks good.” Bishop’s brows rose to meet his brown curls. “You sure about that?” “It’s just for fun, right?” I bounced the ball a few times, sighted the basket, then lofted a textbook three-pointer. Nothing but net. Bishop burst into a fit of laughter. “Oh hell, I’ve been hustled like a chump. I’m surprised you didn’t try to put money on the game.” “I don’t need your money. Your pride will suit me just fine.” I tossed the ball to Gabe, who was grinning ear to ear. “Your shot. Show him what you’ve got.” Our competitive natures drew out the game to a solid half-hour affair of heckling and gamesmanship. But in the end, I pulled out the win and relished every second of it. “How long did you play?” Bishop asked as we collected our things. “All through school.” “You should play pickup sometime.” I shrugged. “Maybe.” The game was fun, but I was trying to get my parents to see me as an adult, and playing basketball didn’t seem like it would help my cause. Realizing Bishop planned to walk us outside, I paused at the entrance. “You should probably wait here. Our driver doesn’t need to see that we had company.” “Is my being here a problem?” A shadow of concern darkened his features. I didn’t want him to worry, but I also wasn’t ready to answer questions about him to my father. “Look, this was fun, but I told you that I wasn’t looking for anything.” “Neither was I, but sometimes you end up in places you never meant to be.” Impossible brute. I wanted to slam my fists into his chest and order him to leave me alone while simultaneously kissing him senseless. Instead, I just shook my head, bewildered. “Good night, Bishop.” “Night, Pip.” A slow, sultry grin crept across his face. “Sweet dreams.” His words were a dark velvet caress that liquified my insides. As if he knew exactly how he affected me, his eyes warmed to liquid molasses. I was in so much damn trouble. OceanofPDF.com “Hey, Pip. Mind if I come in?” My father stood at my open bedroom door. It wasn’t like him to seek me out. He was a busy guy and not the most hands-on type of father, so his unexpected appearance had me instantly curious. “Of course, come on in.” I’d been mindlessly scrolling on my phone, trying to ignore the fact that I hadn’t heard from Bishop in two days. Or, more to the point, trying to ignore the fact that part of me was disappointed that I hadn’t heard from Bishop in two days. I wasn’t sure how a person could be so damn conflicted. If any more shots were fired among the voices in my head, I was going to find myself locked up in a cute little padded cell of my very own. “What’s up?” Dad sat on the edge of my bed, leveling me with a curious stare. “A young man came to visit me today. He said that you two have been seeing each other.” He didn’t. He wouldn’t. I internally cringed. Wouldn’t he? Hadn’t he made his position perfectly clear? Still, I was dumbfounded. Dad plowed ahead, not registering my astonishment. “Why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone? And an Irishman, no less.” My lips parted, but nothing emerged. I had no clue what to say or how to explain. Well, Dad. We had a one-night stand, so I didn’t think it was worth mentioning. Riiight. My father had never raised a hand against me in my life, but that just might do the trick. “We’ve only seen each other a couple of times.” I decided that was safe enough to admit. “I’m not thrilled about him being Irish, but knowing you and Noemi, I shouldn’t have been surprised. You two always were more like twins than cousins. With her married to one of them, I should have known you’d follow suit,” he grumbled wearily. “We are not getting married,” I assured him. “Well, I’m just letting you know I don’t disapprove.” My brows drew tightly together as I studied my father. “I don’t understand. When I was in school, you did everything you could to keep me from dating. Now you’re just suddenly okay with it?” “It wasn’t the dating that bothered me, per se. There was just no point in any of those boys sniffing around what they couldn’t have. I wasn’t about to let you get involved with some asswipe future accountant or insurance salesman who couldn’t protect you. They don’t have a clue about our way of life. Bishop can take care of you, even if he is fuckin’ Irish.” He said the last part almost under his breath. I was a little stunned but not so distracted as to forget what started this little talk. “What exactly did you and Bishop talk about?”

“Not a lot, but he asked permission to formally pursue you, which I respect. Would have preferred hearing about this from you, however.” “I’m sorry.” I conceded somewhat reluctantly. Technically, I held firm that it wasn’t any of his damn business. “So what did you tell him?” If these two men had already started talking about weddings, someone was going to lose an eye, and it wasn’t me. Dad waited to answer until I’d brought my eyes back to his. “I said I had no objections, so long as it’s what you want.” My gut did its best pretzel impersonation, twisting until I felt my stomach rise into my throat. I was so damn torn. I liked Bishop—a lot—but the whole point in screwing him was to experience life, not get myself tied down even faster. Getting hitched to the first man I slept with was exactly what I’d been trying to avoid. My father stiffened when I didn’t immediately answer. “All you need to do is say the word, and I’ll make sure this guy never bothers you again.” “No!” I blurted. “It’s not that, exactly. Everything is just happening fast. I’m confused is all.” I didn’t want Bishop to push me into a relationship, but I also didn’t want my father to hurt him. My entire body recoiled at the notion.