Page 81 of Fighting the Forbidden

“I’m not. I’m serious.”

“What are you going to do? Toss her on the floor next time?”

“There won’t be a next time.” I reach over and curl my arm around Molly’s waist, dragging her closer, rumpling her bedspread. In a smooth move, I sweep her up and into my lap, draping her legs over mine and clamping my hand over her thighs to keep her where I want her.

Remy said, “keep the door open.” He didn’t say anything about touching Molly.

“You’ll be the only one in my lap from now on,” I swear.

“Oh, please.” She waves a dismissive hand in front of my face.

I capture her wrist and press her palm against my chest. “I’m serious. Last night was stupid, Muffin. I didn’t know your brother planned to have those girls over. He caught me off-guard.”

Her gaze flits to mine and then away. “You can do whatever you want.”

“I want to be with you. And that’s what I told Remy downstairs a few minutes ago.”

She pulls back, wide, disbelieving eyes trained on mine, her hand still pressed to my chest. “No you didn’t.”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“How would I know?”

That stings. I’ve always been honest with her. But I also understand she’s still hurt from last night. “You know me, Molly.” I press my fingers under her chin, tipping her head back.

“You really told him?” Her voice picks up a hint of excitement. “I thought you wanted to wait until my birthday?”

“Not after last night. I don’t want to put you through that again. And if I didn’t tell him, he’d?—”

“Keep trying to fix you up with other women?”

Fix up sounds a lot kinder than what Remy had actually intended. But I don’t want her to turn her anger on her brother. “Exactly.”

She drops her hand from my chest and hooks two of her fingers around two of mine. She tilts her head, and her lips curve into a shy smile. “So, you and me?”

“You and me,” I confirm. “No more sneaking around.”

“I like how that sounds.” She glances at the open door and a frown creases her brow.

“Your brother slapped a few conditions on us being together,” I explain. “One was leaving the door open.”

“Oh.” She snorts and rolls her eyes. “Figures.”

“So, you got a prom date yet?”

The sweetest pink spreads over her cheeks, and she ducks her head. “No. I’m going with my girl gang. Why?”

“Want to go with me, instead?”

Her eyes widen. “You know I do.” Without glancing down, her fingers pull at the fringe of the blanket at the end of her bed. “I thought you were worried...I don’t want to get you in any trouble.”

“It’ll be okay.”

She raises an eyebrow, her face wearing an expression very similar to her brother’s. “You talked to Remy about taking me to prom too?”

“He suggested it.”

“Wow. I didn’t see that coming.”

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