Page 85 of Hate Game

33

RUE

Midnight insisted we stay the night and then go down the stairs in the morning on a mattress, naked, for a grand entrance for a catered-in breakfast.

Malice and I declined.

“No riding on the mattress naked for you, huh?” Malice glances sidelong at me before returning his attention to the road. It’s two in the morning. I cover my yawn. I plan on sleeping Sunday away after I log onto Malice’s laptop and register for Dumas’s February event.

“Been there, done that,” I say, answering his question. “Can I borrow your laptop when we get home?”

“Are you planning on watching porn without me?”

I play-punch him on the shoulder. “You wish.”

“Wishing.”

I laugh. “Not happening.”

“Pretty please.”

“Okay, but only if you apply for a position at the bakery in McMillan with me.”

“Done.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah. We’re into baking. Hopefully, we’ll get the same shift so we can ‘commute’ together.”

Malice using air quotes is cute. I lean in and kiss his cheek.

“It’s a win-win, and I am all in for winning,” he says with a shit-eating grin.

I smile wide. Nice.

“Back to this ‘been there, done that.’ Explain.”

“Promise you won’t be mad?”

“Starting out with that sentence gets me curious, but cross my heart and hope to die, I won’t be pissed.”

Here goes. “Remember when Seven drove to Dumas, found Leigh at the party at Galley’s, and hauled her out of Zeke’s bedroom with her over his shoulder?”

“Yeah, he was pissed at her for partying with randy, older dudes.”

“Well, um, we stayed at Midnight’s. Did you know your cousin is a huge fan of thePrincess Diariesmovies?”

“No shit. Go on.”

“One scene sticks out for him, except he likes to put his own spin on it. It’s the one with the slumber party. The girls go down the stairs, riding on a mattress. Except”—I cover my eyes—“we go down on a mattress naked.”

“Come again? I didn’t hear you with the muttering you’re doing.”

That butt. He heard me loud and clear.

“I said we go down the stairs on a mattress butt naked.” I uncover my eyes.

“And that’s how you saw Red’s junk.”

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