Page 82 of Wings of Destiny

I sat on the edge of the coffee table across from Libby, urging her to look up at me as I stared at her.

She popped her head up only to acknowledge Josh as he walked through the doorway with his phone pressed to his ear, decked out in a light grey suit, and chewing someone out by the sound of it.

“I do not care if we are short staffed at the moment. I need as many eyes and ears on this as possible. Hire additional staff, if necessary, as long as they meet the requirements.”

“You sure you wanna snap that thing so hard? You could crack the screen, then you’d be out a few grand,” I said.

The vein in his forehead throbbed. “Seth, you know as well as I that a few thousand dollars in the scheme of things, is but a drop in the ocean.”

“Maybe to you. But if I buy something, I’m taking care of it, not blowing through and destroying it.”

Unappreciative prick.

“For those of us who don’t have our pockets loaded, one of you is paying for dinner tonight. I’m starved,” Derik chimed in.

“I second that,” Libby added. Her phone dinged. “So does Erin. She said she wants something greasy.”

Derik’s mouth salivated. “Man, I like her. My type of woman.” He winked at Libby, and she smacked him on the arm. A flare of heat punched my gut.

“Pizza, it is then.” I shook it off, reminding myself that Derik didn’t fit the bill on Erin’s type. Although, neither did I.

Derik and Libby whooped, while Josh nodded in agreement.

I gave Josh a sideways glance, and jealousy reared its ugly head.

But he does.

Chapter twenty-eight

Seth

Erin padded into the living room when the pizzas arrived half an hour later. I tipped the driver a couple twenties, impressed he got all five grease-covered pies out here in record time.

Lib sat on the floor, huddled next to Erin on a pile of pillows they’d dragged out from the guest room. Josh rolled up the sleeves of his button down and lifted the pizzas from my arms then placed them in the center of the coffee table. Derik was the first to dive in, tossing open the lid of the box on top, double fisting two slices spanning the length of his head. Libby and Josh followed suit, each grabbing two slices of pizza. Erin sat, leaning back on her hands, legs spread out in front of her, the corners of her mouth lifting as she watched Derik attack his pizza; sauce covered his chin, cheese oozed onto his shirt. She looked up, her grey-blue eyes meeting mine and the rigid pang of jealousy from earlier melted away as her lips spread, her tongue darted out, and she giggled. The sound wrapping itself around me.

Erin flicked her gaze to the diminishing pizzas.Grab some, and I’ll get a slice tooshe seemed to say, her eyes meeting mine once again.

I grabbed a piece of meat lovers and plopped down on the hardwood floor, flanking Erin’s side. She reached for a slice of cheese pizza, a long string roped between her and the almost empty box. She pulled it above her head, the string of melted heaven finally breaking. Erin opened her mouth, dropped the melted gooeyness onto her tongue, and slurped it down. Her cheeks were stuffed, resembling a squirrel harvesting nuts for the winter; eyes closed, hips wiggling as she did her little food dance. Libby and I chuckled. Josh smirked. Derik was too focused on polishing off the last of the food.

Erin’s eyes popped open. “Mwhat?” She muffled, cheeks still stuffed.

“You’re adorable.”

Pink rose to her cheeks as she gulped down the remainder of her slice. Libby took that as her opportunity to loop Josh into a conversation, her back to Erin and I.

Erin cleared her throat. “Yeah, well…You’re ridiculous.” She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

I bit down on my pizza slice as I felt Erin scoot closer. I met her movement, resting my hip against hers so she was still on top of her pillow pile. She leaned into me. A sigh escaped her lips as she rested her head on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Seth,” she whispered. “For storming off.”

Ah. So, she’s guilting herself for earlier.

“No need to apologize, Rin. It’s frustrating, I get it.” I polished off my slice and pulled her in, hugging her tight. I buried my chin into the hair on top of her head, the scent of her peach shampoo intoxicating.

“Does any of this get any easier?” she asked meekly, my chest tightened.

“I wish it did, Rin. I really wish it did.”

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