Page 130 of Fighting the Forbidden

“I’m not complaining.”

“All right, girls!” Ella claps her hands. “Final lipstick check! Then you’re on your own.”

“Where’s your bag?” Griff asks me. “I’ll go put it in the car.”

“Uh, on my bed. I can go get it.”

“It’s okay.” He kisses my cheek. “Sounds like Ella’s planning to jet.” He brushes his thumb against my bottom lip. “And I smudged this a little.”

He casts a glance at the backyard, almost like he’d rather go outside and climb up the side of the house into my bedroom window than risk the girls twittering over him again.

I’m last in line for Ella to touch up my lips. “You two have fun tonight,” she whispers.

“Guh,” I mutter, trying to thank her without moving my lips.

When she’s finished, I give her a quick hug. “Thanks for helping us out.”

“Not a problem.”

“Pictures, please!” Remy shouts.

“Hey, will you take a picture with me?” I ask Ella.

“Sure.”

Remy must be in a good mood. He usually hates sitting still for pictures or being asked to take them. But today, he’s turned into a professional, firing off a slew of combinations and poses for us to follow.

“Just the girls.” He waves Griff and Ella to the side.

The five of us squeeze in tight and smile wide.

“Okay, Ella, join them,” Remy directs.

Ella flicks her gaze to the sky but allows all of us to pile on until she’s in the center of a big group hug.

Remy snaps a few more shots, then allows Griff to join me. I run over to Ella and hand her my phone. “Will you take a few? Just in case he cuts off Griff’s head or something.”

Laughing, she accepts the phone and waves me away.

Griff backs us up to the wide stairs of the front porch, and Remy spends more time than I’d expect framing the pictures.

“Go up a few steps, Molly,” Remy directs. “Take her hand, bonehead,” he says to Griff. “There ya go. Our very own Prince Charming.”

Griff ignores the taunting from my brother by focusing all his attention on me. “You do look like a princess tonight,” he whispers against my ear.

My heart flutters faster.

“All right. That’s enough,” Remy says.

Griff slaps Remy’s chest. “Let me take a pic of you two.”

“Get out of here,” Remy scoffs.

“Please?” I pull the pout I know my brother can’t resist.

“Fine.” He slings his arm over my shoulders and allows Griff to take a few pictures. “Remember what I said,” he says low against my ear.

“I will.”

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