Page 149 of Bad Blood

She stands with a scowl, one arm pointing at the exit. “Out.”

I grab the pillow from behind me and cover my face. “I’m not looking, swear. And I won’t peek.”

She kept the napkin.

“I don’t trust you.”

“I’m good at keeping my word.” I wave one hand around in the air, pressing the other to the pillow to show I’m keeping my promise.

There is a scuffling of something and the sound of her tip-toeing out of her room.

A couple of minutes later, she drops onto the bed and shakes me. “Let’s go.”

“Don’t be so violent.” I pull the pillow from my face and whack her with it. The heated moment from the shower forgotten.

She rolls her eyes.

I’m gonna let this one slide too. She has no idea what it does to me. And how hard it’s getting for me to resist.

She clenches her jaw. “I’ve lost my appetite.”

There’s a pair of shoes beside her on the floor and socks in her hand.

I admire the perfect sway of her denim-clad hips as she makes her way to the door, enjoying the idea of not feeling guilty about watching her.

“After you,” she says, breaking my trance as she sweeps her hand toward the stairs.

I bound off the bed and onto the landing. “You need to eat.”

“And you should go home, change out of your wet clothes.”

“After I get you food.”

She bounds down the stairs, shoes in hand, and drops onto the bottom step before slipping them on.

When I don’t join her, she glances over her shoulder to find me. “Are you coming?”

“Not ye—”

She cuts me off. “Don’t say it.”

“Say what?”

She rolls her eyes. Again. And I have to remind myself this is neither the time nor the place.

“Brighton?” I take the stairs slowly and watch as her lips tighten with annoyance.

“What?” She stands and places a hand on her hip.

“That’s bad for your health.”

“What is?” A V creases between her brows.

I take the last step and close the distance between us, my chest inches away from hers. I lift her chin, directing her lips toward mine, and she tenses when I lean in and whisper against her mouth, “Rolling your eyes.”

“Grow up.” If she wants to flirt to distract herself from whatever she’s feeling, I’m here for it. She shoves against my chest, creating way more space between us than I’m comfortable with. “Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?”

“Liam does, all the time.”

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