Page 42 of Into the Shadows

“They were acting more like lovers than siblings,” Gia grumbles.

“Please remind everyone what happened afterward,” Lottie throws out nonchalantly, earning a death glare from Gia.

“No, you didn’t,” Michael groans. When I was first introduced to him, there was something in his dark eyes I connected with. Lottie’s friends seem to have the most wholesome families and lives I’ve ever seen. I don’t know Michael’s story, but I recognize trauma when I see it because it’s reflected at me in the mirror every morning. Lottie explained that he was adopted when he was a kid, and I have a feeling those first years weren’t kind to him.

Gia grimaces. “I did. I’m not proud of that one. It was a major lapse in judgment.”

Ryan frowns. “Did what?”

“She slept with the loser,” Carson says, point-blank.

Ryan’s cheeks heat. “Ah. Well…that’s okay, G. We all make mistakes.”

Gia grins at him and wraps her arms around his waist. “Thanks, Ry. Lord knows I’ve made plenty of questionable choices.”

“Who here hasn’t?” Carson adds.

“Ryan and Lottie,” Michael and Gia say simultaneously.

“Hey!”

“Not true.”

Lottie’s and Ryan’s protests set everyone off laughing again. I kiss Lottie’s temple, knowing her friends are right. The only thing Lottie’s done that could be considered a bad choice was getting on the back of my bike when she didn’t know me from Adam. I can’t say it was a mistake, though. It brought me here, next to the woman who has managed to burrow her way into my heart despite my best efforts to push her away.

Were they your best efforts?Probably not.

“Teddy, has Lottie told you about the time she thought the adult gift shop in Raleigh was a home decor store?”

“Noooo,” Lottie moans. Her hands fly to her pink cheeks. I raise an eyebrow at her in question. She shakes her head. “I can’t say it out loud.”

Gia laughs. “She told me she wanted to do some shopping for Christmas presents and had heard about this new store opening. The Forbidden Apple.”

I snort. “Really? You didn’t make the connection.”

Lottie’s face has reddened completely. “No. I was a sheltered, naïve child. I had no clue what I was walking into. I didn’t even know they had stores like that.”

Lottie’s friends are grinning at her now. Carson asks Gia, “What did she say to you when she got home? I can’t remember.”.

Now, it’s Lottie’s turn to glare. “You know exactly what I said. You still say it to me.”

“She said—” Gia starts to giggle and has to take a second to compose herself. “She said, ‘Forbidden Apple? More like forbidden ding-dong.’”

I can’t help it. Laughter flows out of me harder than I’ve laughed in years. Lottie’s face is bright red as she giggles with the rest of us.

She wipes the tears from under her eyes to help calmdown. “I went back a year later and got Gia a massive butt plug to get her back for teasing me mercilessly.”

“And I promptly put it to good use.” Gia winks.

The whole room groans. “TMI, Gia. Jesus.” Carson shudders.

Using the distraction of the group reprimanding a laughing Gia, Lottie lifts onto her toes to whisper in my ear. “I got my first vibrator that day, too. I’d never come so hard in my life. Until you, anyway.”

I whip my head to look at her. Her smug smile makes me want to kiss it off her face. “Do you still have it?”

The smirk on her face only deepens. “Mm-hmm. And I’ve added plenty more to my collection.”

I groan into Lottie’s neck. “You’re the devil, woman.”

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