Warmth trailed Elijah’s lips across my cheek to my ear. “I’ll be right back. I’m just gonna check in with Dec.”
Leaning into me as he dug his cell from his pocket, he paused long enough to nibble my earlobe, leaving me all sorts of off-balance in his absence.
“Rylie.” Rafe dropped onto the seat beside me as soon as Elijah excused himself, stretching his arm over the back of the cushions. The creep factor I associate with him had lessened over time, but I still wasn’t thrilled with the idea of him touching me. “I hear you’re smoking with us tonight.”
“Sure.” I tried to sound pleasant, but it came out strained anyway.
“Let me get you a hit then.” Snatching up the same purple swirled bowl they used the first time I’d come to one of these things, he lit a match and let it burn down to his fingers before blowing it out. “This ain’t a joint, sweetie. You gotta smoke it while it’s lit.”
“Oh.” Wow, brilliant . “Sorry.”
“Try again. Put it to your lips, cover that hole right there, and when I light it, inhale.”
I followed his directions and got hit with a much more potent lungful than I was used to. Fighting back the coughing fit desperate to break free, I held onto it as long as I could.
“Strong, huh? This is some new stuff I just got in. It’s good.”
I choked out a cough or two and nodded.
“Not bad. Eli’s been teaching you well.”
“So why don’t I keep it up.” Squeezing in between Rafe and me, Elijah took the bowl from my hands and helped himself to a hit before passing it on.
I felt myself relax in a way that I only could when Elijah was with me. “Everything alright with Declan?”
“Yeah.” His arm snaked around my back and I snuggled closer to his side. “Everything’s fine.”
The bowl went around the room a couple times, but it didn’t take long before the effect hit me. Harder than I was used to. I sank back into the soft cushions and contemplated the ceiling . . . roof? What’s the difference between a ceiling and a roof?
“One’s inside and one’s outside.” Elijah sank back beside me.
“Huh?”
“A ceiling and a roof. A ceiling is inside, while a roof is outside.”
“Huh. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
“You do that a lot, actually.”
“What?”
“Say stuff out loud that you don’t mean to.”
“Oh. That’s embarrassing.” Not that I really cared at the moment.
“Nah, it’s cute. I like those glimpses into that brain of yours.”
“There’s some stimulating stuff going on in here.” I tapped my forehead. At least I meant to. Instead, I almost poked myself in the eye.
“Clearly.” Elijah chuckled and I couldn’t help laughing, too.
“Where is everybody?”
“Sleeping.”
“What time is it?”
“Around two, I think.”
“Two? How long have I been staring at the . . . ceiling ?”
“A while now.” Rafe’s deep laughter caused my head to drop faster than it should have given the dizzying swirls dancing before my eyes. “She’s cute when she’s like this.”
“I know.” Elijah tensed beside me, but I couldn’t understand why.
“I like it.” Rafe’s head appeared beside me, I swear out of nowhere. He was like the freaking Cheshire cat. “You should do it more often.”
“Do what?”
“Let loose. Enjoy life.” Rafe’s eyebrows danced in a way that I found more comical than it probably was.
“She lets loose enough. Come on, Ry. I think it’s time to go.”
“What does that mean?” I let Elijah pull me to my feet, but couldn’t quite support my own weight. “You think I let loose too much?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But that’s what you think? You think I smoke too much.”
“That’s rather hypocritical coming from the guy who’s over here buying weed almost every other week from me.”
Elijah snarled at Rafe’s interruption. “I didn’t say that and I didn’t mean that. You’re being paranoid. Let’s go.”
“It
Leaning into me as he dug his cell from his pocket, he paused long enough to nibble my earlobe, leaving me all sorts of off-balance in his absence.
“Rylie.” Rafe dropped onto the seat beside me as soon as Elijah excused himself, stretching his arm over the back of the cushions. The creep factor I associate with him had lessened over time, but I still wasn’t thrilled with the idea of him touching me. “I hear you’re smoking with us tonight.”
“Sure.” I tried to sound pleasant, but it came out strained anyway.
“Let me get you a hit then.” Snatching up the same purple swirled bowl they used the first time I’d come to one of these things, he lit a match and let it burn down to his fingers before blowing it out. “This ain’t a joint, sweetie. You gotta smoke it while it’s lit.”
“Oh.” Wow, brilliant . “Sorry.”
“Try again. Put it to your lips, cover that hole right there, and when I light it, inhale.”
I followed his directions and got hit with a much more potent lungful than I was used to. Fighting back the coughing fit desperate to break free, I held onto it as long as I could.
“Strong, huh? This is some new stuff I just got in. It’s good.”
I choked out a cough or two and nodded.
“Not bad. Eli’s been teaching you well.”
“So why don’t I keep it up.” Squeezing in between Rafe and me, Elijah took the bowl from my hands and helped himself to a hit before passing it on.
I felt myself relax in a way that I only could when Elijah was with me. “Everything alright with Declan?”
“Yeah.” His arm snaked around my back and I snuggled closer to his side. “Everything’s fine.”
The bowl went around the room a couple times, but it didn’t take long before the effect hit me. Harder than I was used to. I sank back into the soft cushions and contemplated the ceiling . . . roof? What’s the difference between a ceiling and a roof?
“One’s inside and one’s outside.” Elijah sank back beside me.
“Huh?”
“A ceiling and a roof. A ceiling is inside, while a roof is outside.”
“Huh. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
“You do that a lot, actually.”
“What?”
“Say stuff out loud that you don’t mean to.”
“Oh. That’s embarrassing.” Not that I really cared at the moment.
“Nah, it’s cute. I like those glimpses into that brain of yours.”
“There’s some stimulating stuff going on in here.” I tapped my forehead. At least I meant to. Instead, I almost poked myself in the eye.
“Clearly.” Elijah chuckled and I couldn’t help laughing, too.
“Where is everybody?”
“Sleeping.”
“What time is it?”
“Around two, I think.”
“Two? How long have I been staring at the . . . ceiling ?”
“A while now.” Rafe’s deep laughter caused my head to drop faster than it should have given the dizzying swirls dancing before my eyes. “She’s cute when she’s like this.”
“I know.” Elijah tensed beside me, but I couldn’t understand why.
“I like it.” Rafe’s head appeared beside me, I swear out of nowhere. He was like the freaking Cheshire cat. “You should do it more often.”
“Do what?”
“Let loose. Enjoy life.” Rafe’s eyebrows danced in a way that I found more comical than it probably was.
“She lets loose enough. Come on, Ry. I think it’s time to go.”
“What does that mean?” I let Elijah pull me to my feet, but couldn’t quite support my own weight. “You think I let loose too much?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But that’s what you think? You think I smoke too much.”
“That’s rather hypocritical coming from the guy who’s over here buying weed almost every other week from me.”
Elijah snarled at Rafe’s interruption. “I didn’t say that and I didn’t mean that. You’re being paranoid. Let’s go.”
“It
Similar Books
