Page 139 of Forbidden Lessons

“Let me guess. You tried dating. Then you broke up. Now it’s only sour grapes on the menu.”

I purse my lips. “That’s…inaccurate.”

“Then correct me.”

Blowing out a breath, I head for the door. “I gotta get the rest of my stuff.”

“He’s just pulling your hair.”

“Oh no!” I turn back to her, scowling. “He fucking hates me, Melissa.” The fingertips on each of my hands press together as I raise my arms and stalk back to her. “If he could kill me and get away with it, I’d be taking a dirt nap right now.”

“Drama queen.” Her sleek red hair shifts around her ears as she shakes her head. “Hate and love are two sides of the same coin. One day he’s going to flip it, and it’ll come up heads.”

I glare at her. “Both sides of his coin are tails. It’s a special coin.”

“Be glad it’s Kai.” She goes to her closet, pulling out a fluffy robe and a pair of slippers with bunny ears on them. “I drew the short straw when I got Ezra.”

“Ezrais your ex?”

“Don’t sound so horrified,” she says. “At least we pretended to like each other.”

“No, it’s just…” I frown at her. “Isn’t he gay?”

She stops rooting through her closet, arms raised as she glances at me over her shoulder. “Why would you say that?”

Alarm bells are clanging in my head. I lick my lips, shrug. “Those polo shirts?” I gesture at my neck. “The popped collars? And his hair is just way too neat.”

Melissa snorts. “Yeah, I suppose he might be on the spectrum. Only ever wanted to fuck in the shower. But he got hard for me.” She turns to me, frowns. “Do I look mannish to you?”

I stare at her in her pink suit-skirt. Her long, sculpted legs. Her immaculate hair and stunning almond eyes.

“You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

She laughs. “Yeah, of course. Maybe he’s bi.” But there’s just a touch of unease around her eyes as she gathers up her shower stuff. “You need a hand with your things?” Her eyes dart to my bed, then back to me.

“Nah. One more trip, max.”

“’Kay. See you later.” She pauses at the door and turns back to me. “Oh, yeah. What are you wearing?”

I look down at myself. “Uh…clothes?”

She’d been about to walk away again. She grabs onto the doorframe and gives me a hard stare. “To the Rain Dance.” I guess my face isn’t screaming gotcha, because she rolls her eyes. “The fundraiser we were literally just discussing in the meeting?”

“That’s tomorrow?” I clear my throat.

“Yeah, it’s tomorrow. Did you forget?”

Guess I missed the memo.

“Oh, uh…what’s the dress code again?”

“Black tie.” Her bunny slipper gives me a dismissive wave when I just keep staring. “I’ll send you all the deets.”

A black tie fundraiser?

I didn’t even go to prom.

Melissa leans out into the hall as if she’s checking to make sure it’s clear. “Who would you pick, though?” she stage whispers.

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