down my face. He’s offended when I pull away; I see it in his eyes.
“You’re scaring me,” I offer as an explanation.
His hand gently cradles the side of my face. “Caitlin, I would never hurt you. Why don’t you know that? I don’t mean to scare you—ever. I just got really pissed when I saw that guy’s hands all over you, and the look on your face...” his voice trails off, cracking at the end. “What if I hadn’t gotten there in time?”
I place my hands over the top of his. “But you did. I’m fine because of you. I’m sorry for being so stupid.”
“Don’t call yourself stupid. You made a bad decision, but so did I by flying off the handle like I did. Not with the asshole, he deserved every bit of what he got. I’m talking about with you. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. Unfortunately, it seems to happen more often than I like.” I smile at Ethan and am relieved when he smiles back.
We stay like that for a time, not saying a word, until the spell we’re under is broken by Roman pounding on the door and shouting, “Are you two fucking in there or what?”
Laughter erupts from my mouth, but Ethan doesn’t seem to find it funny.
“Fuck off!” he shouts back at the door. Loud laughter fades as we hear Roman’s footsteps as he’s walking away.
“Umm, I better check on Kiaya. It’s getting late, and we’re supposed to go to Vertex.”
“No,” he says, shaking his head.
“What do you mean ‘no’? I need to check on Kiaya. She was really upset in the car.” I sit up a little straighter.
“Of course you should check on Kiaya, but you’re not going to Vertex. There’s no way.”
“Who made you my boss? I don’t bloody think it’s up to you, mister,” I snap.
“Did you just call me mister ?” he asks, chuckling.
“With a shitty attitude like that you’re lucky I didn’t call you a wanker.”
He’s smiles. “Fair enough.” I can’t help it; I smile back. It’s getting harder to stay cross with this infuriating man. It’s also not lost on me I was bordering on being terrified of him a moment ago, but I realize he’s not like Stephen at all. Ethan’s gruff, hot-headed, and sometimes too demanding, but all in all, he’s kind and caring. I’m falling for him no matter how much I try to resist it.
Kiaya’s downing a shot with Roman as we walk into the lounge. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” A worried looking Asher asks.
“Yep!” Kiaya slaps the kitchen counter and gestures to Roman. “Again!” Spotting me she shouts, “Caitlin, get your ass in here, woman. We’re doing shots.”
“Count me in,” I say, walking over and giving her a quick hug. “Are you doing ok?”
With a squeeze to my shoulder and an exaggerated wink, she says, “I will be.”
“Why do I feel this is a bad idea?” Ethan asks, leaning in close to me. His warm breath that skates along my neck sends shivers up my spine.
“Because it is,” says Asher, frowning. I don’t know what his problem is. We’re just trying to forget those guys at the bar, let our hair down, and have a bit of bloody fun. Party pooper.
“Why are you pussies moaning? There are two hot girls who want shots. I say give them shots, lots of shots!” says Roman, wiggling his eyebrows at us. Asher and Ethan moan, but Kiaya and I take a shot from Roman and both shout, “CHEERS.”
“I want to go to Vertex,” I slur after a few more drinks. “Let’s vote.”
I know Roman and Kiaya will vote with me, so I have already won, and of course they do. This is much to the annoyance of Asher and Ethan, but I don’t care. We’re going to Vertex whether Ethan or Asher like it or not!
ELEVEN
Caitlin
As we approach Vertex I see a long line that snakes around the corner. I try to join it, but Roman grasps my hand and pulls me into his side.
“Roman,” Ethan warns from behind when Roman wraps his arm around
“You’re scaring me,” I offer as an explanation.
His hand gently cradles the side of my face. “Caitlin, I would never hurt you. Why don’t you know that? I don’t mean to scare you—ever. I just got really pissed when I saw that guy’s hands all over you, and the look on your face...” his voice trails off, cracking at the end. “What if I hadn’t gotten there in time?”
I place my hands over the top of his. “But you did. I’m fine because of you. I’m sorry for being so stupid.”
“Don’t call yourself stupid. You made a bad decision, but so did I by flying off the handle like I did. Not with the asshole, he deserved every bit of what he got. I’m talking about with you. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. Unfortunately, it seems to happen more often than I like.” I smile at Ethan and am relieved when he smiles back.
We stay like that for a time, not saying a word, until the spell we’re under is broken by Roman pounding on the door and shouting, “Are you two fucking in there or what?”
Laughter erupts from my mouth, but Ethan doesn’t seem to find it funny.
“Fuck off!” he shouts back at the door. Loud laughter fades as we hear Roman’s footsteps as he’s walking away.
“Umm, I better check on Kiaya. It’s getting late, and we’re supposed to go to Vertex.”
“No,” he says, shaking his head.
“What do you mean ‘no’? I need to check on Kiaya. She was really upset in the car.” I sit up a little straighter.
“Of course you should check on Kiaya, but you’re not going to Vertex. There’s no way.”
“Who made you my boss? I don’t bloody think it’s up to you, mister,” I snap.
“Did you just call me mister ?” he asks, chuckling.
“With a shitty attitude like that you’re lucky I didn’t call you a wanker.”
He’s smiles. “Fair enough.” I can’t help it; I smile back. It’s getting harder to stay cross with this infuriating man. It’s also not lost on me I was bordering on being terrified of him a moment ago, but I realize he’s not like Stephen at all. Ethan’s gruff, hot-headed, and sometimes too demanding, but all in all, he’s kind and caring. I’m falling for him no matter how much I try to resist it.
Kiaya’s downing a shot with Roman as we walk into the lounge. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” A worried looking Asher asks.
“Yep!” Kiaya slaps the kitchen counter and gestures to Roman. “Again!” Spotting me she shouts, “Caitlin, get your ass in here, woman. We’re doing shots.”
“Count me in,” I say, walking over and giving her a quick hug. “Are you doing ok?”
With a squeeze to my shoulder and an exaggerated wink, she says, “I will be.”
“Why do I feel this is a bad idea?” Ethan asks, leaning in close to me. His warm breath that skates along my neck sends shivers up my spine.
“Because it is,” says Asher, frowning. I don’t know what his problem is. We’re just trying to forget those guys at the bar, let our hair down, and have a bit of bloody fun. Party pooper.
“Why are you pussies moaning? There are two hot girls who want shots. I say give them shots, lots of shots!” says Roman, wiggling his eyebrows at us. Asher and Ethan moan, but Kiaya and I take a shot from Roman and both shout, “CHEERS.”
“I want to go to Vertex,” I slur after a few more drinks. “Let’s vote.”
I know Roman and Kiaya will vote with me, so I have already won, and of course they do. This is much to the annoyance of Asher and Ethan, but I don’t care. We’re going to Vertex whether Ethan or Asher like it or not!
ELEVEN
Caitlin
As we approach Vertex I see a long line that snakes around the corner. I try to join it, but Roman grasps my hand and pulls me into his side.
“Roman,” Ethan warns from behind when Roman wraps his arm around
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