Page 134 of Always You

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The next day, I walk out of the house and into the yard. My bare feet welcome the warm tiles around the pool, a soft breeze ruffling my brown hair. Jensen is draped on a floating flamingo, eyes covered by sunglasses, glee etched in his fatigued features and typing away on his phone.

“Emily?” I lower my feet into the pool, taking a seat on the edge.

“What?” Jensen slowly pulls his attention from his phone, before locking gazes with me. “No. It’s Rae.”

The mischievous grin he’s throwing at his screen purses my lips with suspicion. “Are you sexting with her?”

“I wish. She’s mad at me.” His entire stance tells me that he’s not the least dissatisfied with that conclusion, and I let out a chuckle.

“What did you do now?”

“I might have been a bit flirty with Marie Louise Baker last night. People are complaining.” Considering she’s the wife of one of the biggest sponsors of the LA Knights, I can imagine the backlash that might have brought to Jensen’s doorstep.

“You mean, her husband?”

A lopsided grin comes my way. “And Rae.”

“What are y’all doing?” Jason’s voice sounds behind me.

“Jensen is sexting his PR girl.”

Jason drops down beside me, the water sloshing a little over my knees at the movement. “Oh, she’s cute.”

“I’m not sexting her.”

“You’re just pissing her off because you can?” My counter results in a full-blown evil grin, his eyes sparkling bright enough to show the excitement in his gaze from underneath his glasses.

“It’s fucking fun, man.”

“You’re a sadist,” Jason pitches in.

“Proudly. Are we throwing you a graduation party?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Jason shakes his head, running a hand over his bare chest before he slowly rears his chin my way. “Are we throwing you an engagement party?”

“What? Fuck no.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Jensen says. “Your girl dropped some hints.”

“She didn’t.”

“She basically dropped a pink elephant into the room that saysplease propose.” His reply has me glaring at him, wondering how quickly he’d drown if I shove him off that bright pink flamingo and keep his head underwater, but I can’t deny he’s right. Laurie slipped that comment in like it was nothing, but I’ve barely had any sleep thinking about it. I never wanted to get married, and when I moved to LA, I thought I was safe from having to think about it until… forever.

“Whatever.”

“Are you going to?” I don’t have to move my head to know Jason’s judgmental eyes are boring into my side.

“What?”

“Propose,” Jason clarifies.

“It’s not like the man has a choice.” I pull a face at Jensen’s revelation. “What? After a certain time of dating, it’s kinda required.”

“Where do you get this shit?”

“Being the son of a politician? Don’t look at me like that. You know it’s true. You’ve been living with her for a while now. Her dad likes you more than he likes her. I bet it will be no less than six months before he’s breathing down your neck to make his baby girl an honest woman. If not for the happiness of hisbaby girl, at least for all the publicity it will give his business.” Jensen pulls the words from his lips like it’s nothing, but really they come at me like a fucking bulldozer. My chest tightens, and for a hot minute, my brain isn’t getting any oxygen. It’s no secret that Laurie’s dad and I get along great. I know he was a big part in why Laurie and I started dating in the first place, but marriage? Is that really something that’s inevitable? Green eyes that are not my girlfriend’s flash in front of my eyes, and I shake my head to get rid of them.Get a grip, Hunter.

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