out of this.”
Scarlet eyed it warily. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Just open it,” she said excitedly.
Scarlet opened the box and revealed a stack of lingerie and sex toys. Her face turned bright red.
“It’s for the next time you guys are trying.” Monnique winked at her.
Scarlet laughed. “Sean will love this.”
He came next to her and looked in the box. “I like what I see.” He picked up a black ensemble. “I really like what I see.”
Scarlet rolled her eyes.
“Monnique is the winner for the best gift.”
“What?” Ryan came back into the living room. “I got her a family necklace, and that beats some stupid lingerie.”
Damn, he was taking this seriously.
Janice grabbed his arm and pulled him in the hallway. I had a feeling he was going to get slapped hard.
Monnique’s smile disappeared.
“Just ignore him,” Scarlet said firmly. “He’s just stressed about everything.”
Monnique nodded but didn’t say anything. I knew she was hurt by the look on her face. When Scarlet walked away, I swooped in.
“I’m sorry about Ryan. I’ve told him to knock it off many times.”
“I know,” she whispered.
Standing across from her made me think of the kiss we shared. We hadn’t talked since it happened. I didn’t know what to say. I had a slip up. I shouldn’t have pressed my lips to hers.
But she still looked sad, and I hated it when she was sad.
Like an idiot, I wrapped my arms around her and held her. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s just…protective of me.”
She sighed when she felt my arms circle her body. She leaned into me, gripping me tightly. Judging by her breathing, I knew she desperately wanted me to hold her. Her grip suggested she would never let go.
“Cortland, I love you so much.”
Don’t say it. Don’t say it. “I love you too.”
“All of this has made me realize how precious life is. It could end so quickly. I don’t want to waste any time being unhappy. I just want to be with you. And if you love me too, then let’s not torture ourselves anymore…”
Everyone moved into the kitchen to have their shakes. We were here to support Scarlet, and I knew I shouldn’t be having this conversation now. “Let’s talk abut this later.”
She pulled away then leaned into kiss me. “Okay.”
I moved out of the way. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop myself if I kissed her again. “Let’s join the others.” I turned away without looking at her face. I suspected she would be hurt.
We sat at the table while Sean handed out the milkshakes. Scarlet had a chocolate one like she usually did.
“I’m having a neo,” Ryan said.
“A neo?” I asked.
“Neopolitan,” he explained.
“Good idea.”
Monnique sat beside me since it was the only open seat. Everyone else was next to their partners. It was like she and I were together again.
Ryan gave her a look of hatred then took his shake from Sean.
I’ve never seen Ryan so mad. I knew Monnique did a horrible thing, but she didn’t kill anybody…at least literally.
“How’s your new place?” Scarlet asked.
“I like it,” Monnique said. “It’s a little small but I don’t need much space.”
“It would be nice to have a house, huh?” Ryan jabbed. “A big yard with a fence and shit.”
Monnique looked down.
“Knock it off!” Janice yelled. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Because she’s a bitch. That’s why.”
Janice slapped him hard across the face.
Shit. This just got real.
“Don’t talk about her like that!” Janice yelled. “It’s not like you’re perfect, Ryan.”
“I’m perfect to you,” he countered.
“Ha,” she snapped. “You’re thoroughly embarrassing me. Keep your thoughts to yourself.”
Ryan glared at Monnique. “Leave Cortland alone. He doesn’t want you. Get over it.”
I knew Monnique wasn’t my girlfriend anymore, but I hated the way he was putting her down. “Ryan, please stop.”
He looked at me then averted his
Scarlet eyed it warily. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Just open it,” she said excitedly.
Scarlet opened the box and revealed a stack of lingerie and sex toys. Her face turned bright red.
“It’s for the next time you guys are trying.” Monnique winked at her.
Scarlet laughed. “Sean will love this.”
He came next to her and looked in the box. “I like what I see.” He picked up a black ensemble. “I really like what I see.”
Scarlet rolled her eyes.
“Monnique is the winner for the best gift.”
“What?” Ryan came back into the living room. “I got her a family necklace, and that beats some stupid lingerie.”
Damn, he was taking this seriously.
Janice grabbed his arm and pulled him in the hallway. I had a feeling he was going to get slapped hard.
Monnique’s smile disappeared.
“Just ignore him,” Scarlet said firmly. “He’s just stressed about everything.”
Monnique nodded but didn’t say anything. I knew she was hurt by the look on her face. When Scarlet walked away, I swooped in.
“I’m sorry about Ryan. I’ve told him to knock it off many times.”
“I know,” she whispered.
Standing across from her made me think of the kiss we shared. We hadn’t talked since it happened. I didn’t know what to say. I had a slip up. I shouldn’t have pressed my lips to hers.
But she still looked sad, and I hated it when she was sad.
Like an idiot, I wrapped my arms around her and held her. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s just…protective of me.”
She sighed when she felt my arms circle her body. She leaned into me, gripping me tightly. Judging by her breathing, I knew she desperately wanted me to hold her. Her grip suggested she would never let go.
“Cortland, I love you so much.”
Don’t say it. Don’t say it. “I love you too.”
“All of this has made me realize how precious life is. It could end so quickly. I don’t want to waste any time being unhappy. I just want to be with you. And if you love me too, then let’s not torture ourselves anymore…”
Everyone moved into the kitchen to have their shakes. We were here to support Scarlet, and I knew I shouldn’t be having this conversation now. “Let’s talk abut this later.”
She pulled away then leaned into kiss me. “Okay.”
I moved out of the way. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop myself if I kissed her again. “Let’s join the others.” I turned away without looking at her face. I suspected she would be hurt.
We sat at the table while Sean handed out the milkshakes. Scarlet had a chocolate one like she usually did.
“I’m having a neo,” Ryan said.
“A neo?” I asked.
“Neopolitan,” he explained.
“Good idea.”
Monnique sat beside me since it was the only open seat. Everyone else was next to their partners. It was like she and I were together again.
Ryan gave her a look of hatred then took his shake from Sean.
I’ve never seen Ryan so mad. I knew Monnique did a horrible thing, but she didn’t kill anybody…at least literally.
“How’s your new place?” Scarlet asked.
“I like it,” Monnique said. “It’s a little small but I don’t need much space.”
“It would be nice to have a house, huh?” Ryan jabbed. “A big yard with a fence and shit.”
Monnique looked down.
“Knock it off!” Janice yelled. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Because she’s a bitch. That’s why.”
Janice slapped him hard across the face.
Shit. This just got real.
“Don’t talk about her like that!” Janice yelled. “It’s not like you’re perfect, Ryan.”
“I’m perfect to you,” he countered.
“Ha,” she snapped. “You’re thoroughly embarrassing me. Keep your thoughts to yourself.”
Ryan glared at Monnique. “Leave Cortland alone. He doesn’t want you. Get over it.”
I knew Monnique wasn’t my girlfriend anymore, but I hated the way he was putting her down. “Ryan, please stop.”
He looked at me then averted his
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