Page 34 of The Friend Zone

She offers me the same bag she gave Bay earlier and I dip my fingers in it.

Like in Bay’s case, two tiles seem stuck together and like before, the old lady has no problem separating them.

“B, W.” She says, setting the runes on the table. “These are the initials of your soul mate.”

Motherfucker.

I’m too shocked to even think straight right now. I shift in my chair to grab my wallet from the back pocket of my jeans.

“No,” Madame Svetlana shakes her head in that dramatic way that must be her signature move. “Madame Svetlana said these predictions are on the house. Your money is no good here tonight. Now go, you were my last customers. We’re closed.”

We’re thrown out of the fortune teller’s tent as abruptly as we were ushered in earlier.

The night seems to have become much darker in the few minutes we were with Madame Svetlana. I realize that the wind has picked up, gathering clouds that are obscuring the moon and the few stars that are visible even with the light pollution on the pier.

“That was weird.” I say.

Bay reacts with a visible shudder. I have to wonder if it’s a physical reaction due to the slight drop in temperature, or if she’s thinking about the predictions she just got.

“Yeah. I bet she’s seen my driver’s license when I opened my wallet, that’s why you drew my initials.”

I don’t voice any of my objections to her theory. Like, even if she had seen her driver’s license, how could she make sure I drew the right letters from that pouch? And what about her drawing those three initials?

“You’re probably right.” I don’t want to get into a fight with Bay right now. She’s obviously in denial and nothing good will come from antagonizing her.

I think that’s why she and I started on shaky ground. Deep down, we’re very logical people and we need time to process things we don’t understand.

“Let’s go to the end of the pier,” she says, eager to move on from talks of destiny and soulmates. “The view from there is worth it.”

Again, I don’t argue with her. I don’t tell her that with all the clouds that are blanketing the night sky, we probably won’t see much.

The truth is that I’m not ready to take her back to the Gamma house. I don’t want this night to end. Not yet at least.

We’re halfway to the end of the pier when the first drop of rain hits the back of my hand.

Another one falls on my shoulder and in a matter of a few seconds the skies open and we’re pelted by the most violent downpour I’ve ever seen.

“Shit,” I grab Bay’s hand. “Let’s find some shelter.”

We take off running, but all the shops and restaurants in this section of the pier seem to be closed.

“We’re already soaked.” Bay laughs as I pull her into the arched entryway to an ice cream shop.

The place is closed too, but the small arch above the door provides partial respite from the pouring rain.

I take a step closer, until Bay’s back meets the ice cream shop’s door. My back is still getting pelted, but at least she’s out of the rain. “You’re all wet,” I say, tucking a strand of wet hair that has escaped her ponytail behind her ear. “And I didn’t even have to try.”

There’s amusement in Bay’s eyes. “The rain beat you to it. I had no idea that your mind was in the gutter, Ryker.”

“With you?” I chuckle leaning closer, so that my lips are just a breath away from hers. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you since the second I saw you for the first time, Cinnamon. And after I got to kiss you at that stupid party? I haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

Those perfect pink lips curl in a soft smile. “Really? I thought about that too.”

I don’t even know who closes the distance between us, but the second our lips touch we ignite like a wildfire.

There’s nothing sweet or gentle about our kiss, our lips collide over and over with bruising intensity. I want to breathe her in, taste her, consume her.

When I nip her bottom lip, she opens for me and when our tongues tangle, something inside me snaps.

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