Page 41 of Sticking Around

“Wow.” I drive my hands into my pockets. “That’s fucking rude.”

“I’m sorry.” She lightly touches my arm and winces. “I can understand if you want to leave.”

“Yeah, I fucking want to leave.” She nods in understanding, as I pull one hand from my pocket and capture her hand. “And you’re coming with me.”

Her head rears back. “What are you talking about? I can’t leave.”

“Yeah, you can. Brighton offered you a room. I heard her.” She glances down, staring at the pale, cracked tile on the floor, conflicting emotions moving over her beautiful yet distraught face. “Fine, if you don’t want one of the downstairs rooms, you can stay with me.”

Her gaze jerks back to mine. “In your suite? No, I can’t do that.” She shakes her head adamantly and tries to step back but I keep her hand in mine and step with her, keeping our bodies close even though her rejection feels like a hard slap to the face.

I keep my composure. “Why not?”

She blinks rapidly. “I…I…” She can’t find her words, because she can’t come up with a reasonable answer.

“Look, it won’t be for long. We’re going to look at places today, and maybe you’ll find something fast, but until then, you’re with me.”

Her long hair falls over her shoulder as she shakes her head again. “I…I just don’t want to be a bother. If I become?—”

“I never said you’d be a bother.” She swallows as the walls practically vibrate from the sex screams reverberating down the stairs. “Obviously, you can’t stay here.” Her eyes narrow, looking almost vacant, like she’s remembering something unpleasant. A second later, she squares her shoulders and her lips part, no doubt about to protest. “Get your stuff. I’m not taking no for an answer.” I shake my head, warning her not to fight me on this, and when a loud bang and scream that sounds more like pain than pleasure reaches our ears—did someone’s head hit the fucking roof?—I can almost feel her softening.

Wanting to sweeten the deal, I remind her, “Think about how much more time you’ll have to study before your big test. No transport time back and forth to the resort.”

Wow, way to spin it, dude.

Hit her where you know it’s going to do the most damage. The fact that I’m pushing my help on her doesn’t go unnoticed. What was it that I always said about not taking on more responsibility, and here I am doing just that. Maybe I’m just used to people wanting things from me, and it’s in my nature to give, or maybe I’m pushing because it’s Lanie.

When she remains quiet—because that’s a sweet offer too good to pass up—I continue. “I’ll give you all the time you need to study, and will only ravish you at night,” I tease. “Now, go pack what you need.”

She gives a curt nod, the vacant look clearing from her eyes as her back goes rigid. “Right.”

I give a nod in return. “It’s settled then.”

She holds one hand out, palm toward me. “Just promise if I get in the way?—”

“You won’t.” I hold my hands out. “Give me your keys. I want to take a look at your car.” Once again, her mouth opens and I shake my head. “Lanie,” I warn.

“Fine,” she blurts out and plucks a set of keys from a bowl on a table near the door. “I’ll be fast.”

I wince, my shoulders almost touching my ears as the screams continue. Theo was loud and obnoxious, but this takes it to a whole new level. “I’d say that’s a good idea, otherwise that ridiculousness is going to drive you straight to therapy.” I pull her to me, and kiss her lightly. “I’ll be outside.”

I wait for a second as she picks up her bags and darts up the stairs. Once she disappears from my sight, I step outside, enjoying the quiet. Not that it’s all that quiet. Kids are playing in the streets, and a couple of houses down, a man is mowing his lawn. The sounds are still quieter outside.

My phone pings, and I tug it from my pocket and slide my finger across the screen. “What’s up, Gunther?”

“Bunch of us are headed to Duke’s for a game of pool this afternoon. Join us. I owe you a beer.”

“You don’t owe me a beer.”

“Fuck yeah, I do. So does Conner. Come play pool and we’ll pay our debt.”

I wince as I glance back at the house. The guys think they owe me a beer because I stupidly bet that I could get Melanie into bed. Obviously, the bet was bogus and I didn’t really think it meant anything until they asked about it on the rooftop the other night. “I can’t. I uh…I’m tied up.”

He laughs. “If you’re blowing us off, it better be because you’re tied to a damn bed post.”

“Fuck off.”

I hear a car door slam in the background, and a motor rev. “How about we go double or nothing?”

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