“He smells so, so good, Lucy. I smelledeverything in his room. It was so, so good. Why don’t you smell like him?” Ileaned forward in her arms and tried to sniff her hair. “You still don’t smelllike him.”
“I’m thinking that’s a good thing rightnow. Try to stay still for a minute! We’re gonna fall down the stairs thenyou’ll never get to smell him again.”
“I can’t fall. I want to smell him and lickhim all over.”
“Good, then help me a little so we can getyou up these last few steps and in a bed.”
I hummed a song that was stuck in my headand managed to make it in front of our apartment’s door with Lucy’s help. “Idid it!” I yelled, lifting up my arms. “I did it! Now, what do I win? One nightwith Jason?”
Lucy’s hand clamped down on my mouth. “Bequiet for god’s sake,” she hissed, and instead of taking out her key, sheknocked on the door.
Marcus opened it. “What is going on—”
“Marcus,” I cried and threw myself in hisarms.
Catching me at the last second, he glancedat Lucy before looking down at me.
“I got married,” I announced as I shoved myring in his face. “See?”
“I do see,” he said, pulling me up in hisarms as I started to slide down.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked tosomeone over my shoulder. I looked back and remembered that Lucy had brought meback home. Then I noticed that my hands were touching bare skin.
I frowned at Marcus’ naked chest. “Why areyou not wearing anything?”
“I think you lost the privilege to askthat, don’t you think?”
My frown deepened. “Why should I lostprivy-le…privilg—”
“Oh, stop it you two,” Lucy exclaimed frombehind my back. “Either help me get her in, or get out of our way so I can—”
Before she could finish her words, I wasup and in Marcus’ arms.
“Whoaaaa,” I chuckled. “You never carriedme before, Marky. Why didn’t you ever carry me? I don’t think I’m feeling sogood,” I added, resting my head on his shoulder.
Charlotte was leaning against her doorframe,her face unreadable. “Char, I missed you today,” I said, holding out my hand toher, but she shook her head and closed her door.
“Where are you going?” asked Lucy, followingus hurriedly. “Take her to my room.”
“What’s wrong with Char?” I asked, but bothMarcus and Lucy ignored me.
“Marcus, are you hearing me?” she repeated.
Marcus opened his door, carried me to hisbed, and gently placed me in the middle.
I curled into myself and murmured, “Mystomach is doing something inside.”
“What do you think you are doing, Marcus?”
“I’m taking care of her. Someone has to.”
“What the hell do you think I was doing?”
“You’re being too loud,” I said, cringingand grabbing on to the sheets so I could stop spinning.
“Come on, Olive. Let’s go to my room.”
“Let her be,” interjected Marcus. “Jamesonis still in your room and Olive’s room is practically empty. She needs to sleepit off. Where the hell is her so-called husband?”