Page 43 of Stick Around,
“What the… Debra!” I shrieked.
Debra looked up at me with what I could only describe as smug satisfaction, Thunderbolt’s mangled head still clamped between her teeth. She took a step backward, knocking a lamp off an end table with her substantial donkey ass.
“What’s happening? Is someone dying?” Kellan thundered down the stairs, skidding to a halt behind me. He was wearing only a pair of low-hanging sweatpants, his hair sticking up in every direction. Any other time, I might have appreciated the view, but I was too busy mourning Thunderbolt.
Kellan took in the scene before us. “How did she even get in here?”
“I don’t know!” I gestured wildly at the destruction. “But she’s eating Thunderbolt!”
He cautiously moved toward the donkey. “Okay, Debra, drop the horsie and no one has to get hurt.”
Debra responded by backing up further, knocking over an empty cup someone had left on the coffee table.
“Don’t antagonize her!” I whispered harshly. “She’ll eat the whole living room.”
“I’m not antagonizing her.” Kellan inched closer, and I didn’t know what he was planning on doing when he reached her. “We’ve had a talk about boundaries, haven’t we, Debra?”
The donkey snorted with what I swore was contempt, and more of Thunderbolt’s precious insides floated to the floor. I hadn’t even known I was so attached to the damn thing, yet here I was wanting to cry over it. It was like each piece of stuffing represented another fragment of my dignity disappearing before my eyes.
Debra’s eyes never left mine during this entire performance, and I could have sworn she was enjoying every second of my distress. The audacity of this animal was truly something to behold.
I moved to Kellan’s side. “We need to lure her out.”
“With what? Your virtue? Because I think that ship has sailed.” Kellan looked at me and winked, his dimple making a brief appearance.
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I tugged the hem of Reid’s flannel lower on my thighs. I wasn’t surprised Kellan made a suggestive joke while a demonic donkey was seeking revenge. His talent for inappropriate timing was truly unmatched, and I couldn’t exactly deny the accuracy of his observation, considering I’d just rolled out of Reid’s bed. Not that I was about to give Kellan the satisfaction of acknowledging that.
I elbowed him in the ribs. “Food, Kellan! What does she like to eat besides stick horses?”
Kellan edged toward the kitchen. “Apples. I’ll grab some from the fridge. You keep her occupied.”
“How exactly am I supposed to—” But Kellan was already gone, leaving me alone with the destroyer of worlds.
I faced Debra, raising my hands in a placating gesture. “Hey there, girl. That’s not very nutritious, you know. How about you give me what’s left, and we can part as friends?”
Debra regarded me with suspicious eyes, her long lashes fluttering with what I could only interpret as calculated malevolence. Each twitch of her oversized ears seemed to telegraph her thoughts: I know what you did last night, and I’m judging you for it.
I’d spent my entire adult life managing classrooms full of unpredictable children, but nothing had prepared me for the psychological warfare of being sized up by a vindictive donkey.
Kellan returned, an apple held out in front of him like a peace offering. “Look what I’ve got, Debbie. Much tastier than a stick horse.”
To my surprise, Debra’s ears perked up and her attention immediately went to the sweet treat. She dropped Thunderbolt’s soggy remains and clomped over to Kellan. He backed slowly toward the front door, Debra following the apple like a donkey possessed.
He opened the door, and once she crossed the threshold, Kellan tossed the apple outside. She took off after it like a dog chasing a ball, and he slammed the door shut and locked it.
He looked me up and down with a slow grin. “I see you’re wearing Reid’s shirt. I’m starting to feel left out. I should leave one of mine out for the next time you need to cover up after a night of debauchery.”
Heat crawled up my neck. “I… uh…”
“Relax, Quinn.” His voice softened as he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “We don’t have to figure it all out right now.”
But the gentleness in his touch made my chest ache with confusion. What were we doing here?
Kellan bent down and picked up the mangled remains of Thunderbolt, stuffing dangling from the torn fabric. “I think he’s seen better days.”
Something about seeing the symbol that had started this entire adventure destroyed in his hands broke something inside me. A lump formed in my throat, and before I could stop them, tears welled in my eyes.
“Hey, whoa.” Alarm crossed Kellan’s face. “We can get you another one, or sew this one up.”
