Page 66 of Lovers Like Us
My brows ratchet up. Because that’s not a reason she’d call Maximoff. I eat a spoonful of oatmeal, and Donnelly listens while he tries on winterbeanies.
“What’s she actually doing?” I askAkara.
“Looking for a birthday present for me and pretending like I don’t know what’s up.” He observes them out of the corner of his eye. “She opened the curtains in the room this morning and saw someone outside carrying aSullivan the Sasquatchsign. Probably heading to theconvention.”
I let out a long whistle. Dipshits thinking they’re clever are the leastclever.
“She’s freaking,” Donnelly pipes in, tugging a Mohawk beanie over his chestnuthair.
“She’s not freaking.” Akara catches the ball. “She’s just feeling out the water, and she’s used to having Maximoff beside her in new situations. Which is why she calledhim.”
That sounds more accurate. He’s the moral support for 99% of his family. MinusCharlie.
I’d say that Sulli did fine at the Camp-Away event, but the FanCon isn’t that comparable. Only three-hundred fans attended the Camp-Away and she took breaks in her cabin forsolitude.
The philanthropy sold athousandtickets for the Cleveland FanCon, and that’s just one tour stop of many. Here, all the famous ones are obligated to shake hands, hug strangers, and take pictures for hours with little to norest.
Not my thing, but that’s why no one’s paying for myselfies.
Donnelly subtly eyes them while facing us too. “Those mugs are bugging Beckett.” I can’t detect Beckett’s annoyance. But not a second later, he realigns the mugs in a neatrow.
Maximoff gesticulates from his chest to Sulli, speaking extremely fucking empathetically to hiscousin.
I skim him, a smile playing at my lips, and I take a swig of coffee. “He’s about to hug her.” On cue, Maximoff wraps his arms around his cousin, and she squeezes himback.
Akara bounces his ball. “She’ll buy a Sagittarius something for me. Wait for it…” We watch Sulli scan the shelves and then veer to a display of zodiac jewelry. She plucks a silver Sagittarius keychain off ahook.
Spending 24/7 with a person has thiseffect.
“Bodyguard powers on point,” Donnelly says and switches his beanie for a demon-hornheadband.
Sulli checks over her shoulder to ensure Akara isn’t looking. She can’t tell that he notices everything she’s doing. She tries to slyly head to theregister.
I almostlaugh.
Akara points at me with the bouncy ball. “She’s not the only one who doesthat.”
True. I stand off the table and really laugh at a thought. “I love when our clients think we’re oblivious to what’shappening.”
Our job description:watchthem.
Donnelly checks himself out in a full-length mirror. “They must think we’re plannin’ tea parties and brushing each other’s hair.” While I toss my empty bowl in a nearby trashcan, he adds to me, “Maximoff is looking over here for the thirdtime.”
“Fifth,” I correct and fix my earring. “It’slikehe likes me, he really likes me.” I turn and purposefully catch my boyfriend staring. I raise my brows athim.
He tries to hold ascowl.
I’m tempted to mime something dirty. Especially since the store is empty and the cashier isn’t in sight. But instead, I call out, “Need anything, wolfscout?”
Maximoff watches me lift my coffee to my mouth, and he tells me, “I already got what I wanted last night.” His forest-greens make a show of descending my build. “Thanksanyway.”
Damn.Heat clenches mymuscles.
Donnelly grins. “He likes that Farrowdi—”
I cover his mouth. Teasing Maximoff ismyjob. I study my boyfriend as his eyes dart between me and Donnelly, then the cashier appears, and he turns his back tous.
Donnelly licks my palm, and I wipe my hand on the side of his face. “Youmotherfucker.”
