Page 90 of Clean Out of Luck

I can’t help but grin back at her. I’d like to laugh maniacally, but I’d better not. There are other people in the courtyard.

“You’re laughing,” I say slowly. “This is a good sign, right?”

She takes another step toward me and wraps both her arms around my waist. “I appreciate you telling me so soon. It only makes me trust you more.”

I run my hands through her loose hair and appreciate the feel of the silky strands between my fingers. It’s like holding a cloud in my hand.

Scarlett’s face is pressed against my chest, and her head fits perfectly under my chin. It’s like we were made for each other. Two perfect puzzle pieces that complete each other. That complement and enhance rather than smother and detract.

I take in a deep breath, enjoying the scent of her shampoo.

Scarlett sighs and tightens her hold around my waist, and then I feel her hands move. They dip into the back of my jeans pocket. My eyebrows shoot up at that, but I don’t complain.

Then she steps back and smiles up at me. “Thank you.”

With a sigh, I let my hands fall to my sides. Maybe a public display of affection is not a good idea next to the pool.

But something in the air shifts. Scarlett’s sweet smile turns sinister. I know because I’ve seen this same smile many times over the years I’ve known her.

The last time she had that wicked grin, she’d left a confetti bomb in my car.

“Scarlett, what—” I freeze when I see what’s in herhands. It’s not just her sunglasses anymore. She has my phone and my wallet too. That’s why she reached into my pants.

“What are you doing?”

She just grins and gives my chest a hard shove with one hand. I lose my footing and begin freefalling backward. I might shriek. Or maybe it’s Scarlett. But then I’m hitting water instead of pavement.

Cold water.

Scarlett just shoved me in the pool.

When I resurface, I find Scarlett standing there, doubled over with laughter.

“Your face! The way you screamed!” She can barely talk, she’s laughing so hard.

That’s it. I swim to the edge of the pool and climb out slowly. I want her to know retribution is coming. I stalk toward her with revenge on my mind.

She finally gets her laughter under control enough to realize I’m there to get even. She holds my phone in a tight grip. “You can’t throw me in the pool! You’ll ruin both our phones!”

“Oh, I know, Scarlett, but man, am I wet. If only I had something to dry off with…”

She tries to dodge my hands when I reach for her, but she’s laughing too much to make a good evasive maneuver. I wrap her up in my arms and bury my wet face in her neck.

“My neck!” she shrieks. She’s convulsing with laughter at this point, and so am I.

“You shoved me in the pool,” I growl at her. She starts fighting back by tickling my ribs. I blow a raspberry on her neck, and she shrieks again.

I hold her tight against my chest as we both catch our breaths.

“Well, have you learned your lesson?” she gasps out.

“Hmm, I think so. If I ever cross you, I can expect swift retribution. Is that what you mean?”

Scarlett tips her head back and grins cheekily at me. “Yes, that’s exactly it.” She wiggles loose, then turns around to wrap her arms around my neck. “And the other thing.”

“What would that be?” I ask as I wrap my arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground and walking us toward one of the side doors to The Serendipity.

“I want you to know I’m in this for you. I’m not dating you because my brother wants—or doesn’t want—us to date.” She looks me in the eyes as I slide her down to the ground and open the door, letting her go inside first. “Whatever you might think, I’m not that easily manipulated.”

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