Page 14 of Cupid's Naughty Elf

“Ouch, lady!” It doesn’t hurt, and she sees right through my mock-injured act, holding her fingers up in warning of possible further retaliation. “There’s nothing to spill, I swear. I’m just telling you what I want.”

“Again, your vision is too specific.”

“And you did say not to settle.”

“Touché.” Settling back into playing with my hair, Mom falls into a silent rhythm. Undoing the small knots from having my hair up all day and in between, she’s pursing her lips in thought. Something is weighing heavily on her mind, but I beat her to it.

“If I had a boyfriend, I’d tell you. Promise.” Holding my pinky up, I wait until she twines one of her with mine and nods. “Besides, all I’m pointing out is that I want my future husband to look at me like Dad looks at you.”

Mom winks down at me with a smile. At ease now. “He better, or I’ll shoot him.”

“Dad might fight you for the privilege,” I say, a giggle slipping through. “You know, father of the future bride and all that jazz.”

“I’m a better shot and he knows it.” She shrugs, but then turns serious. “Promise me you’ll never settle, Pip. That you’ll fight for your happiness.”

“I will. I want it all or nothing.”

“That’s my girl.”

“…you okay, Piper?” The sound of Liam’s voice pulls me from the memory, but the sting—the instant grief—hits me in my chest. More so, as his warm green eyes meet my hazel ones, and I hear Mom’s words in my head again.

All it takes is one moment, Piper. One look and the world around you brightens in ways that feel surreal, and yet grounds you.

Moreover, this isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way.

Liam Rutherford is my lobster, and of that, I have no doubt.

He’s facing me now, shielding me from the others while his furrowed brows make me want to reach up and smooth the area with my thumb. To nuzzle his neck and place a small kiss over his Adam’s Apple, but I don’t. Instead, I smile and nod before peaking over his side at Miri, who’s looking at me with concern.

Needing to shift the conversation back to the party, I grin up at the group. Meet all their eyes with a haughty look. “So, who’s going to get me my first drink tonight? I’m ready to celebrate.”

“I will.”

“She’s underage,” Liam and Cain speak in unison as a waiter swings by with a tray of drinks. Immediately, I snatch one while they go back and forth on twenty being old enough. About them all getting drunk at the age of seventeen as a rite of passage for the intimate group of friends.

My cousin rolls her eyes.

Jonah watches her with hunger.

Cain is riling Liam up by defending my right to get lit on my twentieth turn around the sun.

And Liam…

My Liam is busy arguing my untouched alcoholic virtue, missing my first sip of the night. Silly man forgets where I grew up and that the rules in Hollywood are outside the norm for others. I was allowed a one-drink maximum at sixteen and then bumped to two six months before my parent’s death.

“Good shit?” Miri asks, walking over seconds after I take a sip. She wraps an arm around my shoulders, biting back a smile when Jonah tilts his head in our direction.

He says something we can’t hear, but Liam’s hissed response is clear:

“She’s not yours to corrupt.”

“That’s an interesting take he has, little cousin.”

Ignoring the sudden racing of my heart and the rush of wetness coating my labia, I drink a little more. “It’s delicious. You should grab one.”

“We’re playing the denial game tonight?”

“Nope. Just changing the game a bit.”

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