Page 4 of Right Side of Paradise
“Oh…my god.” I hissed, mortified and flustered. There had to be a world record for how fast sweat dotted my forehead and dampened my palms.
I couldn’t see anything beyond the blob of tangled sheets, but I could hear plenty. And what I could hear had my heart in my throat and nerves fighting in the pit of my stomach.
Slamming my eyes shut, I blindly backed out of his room, muttering a string of curses the whole time.
I didn’t have shoes on, but I still managed to trip over my own feet.
I made so much racket the creaking sound stopped, and I popped open my eyes. Just to discover the tangle of sheets had stopped moving and Rico had peeked his head out to see what the fuss was about.
And I just stood there, looking back at him like a deer caught in headlights.
I didn’t expect the slow smile to spread on his lips or the throaty greeting he tossed my way. “Shit. Hey, sis.”
Fuck.
Everything beyond that moment was a blur. I fumbled with the door handle until I got my slippery palm to shut it. My soles barely hit the stairs on my way back down and I didn’t stop until I was in the kitchen, pulling a bottle of rum out of the freezer.
I needed a fucking shot.
Or three.
I knocked back one without wincing and glanced out of the open windows at the water kissing the shore outside.
“Jesus, Harlow. Five minutes back in town and you’re already in some shit.”
The ocean breeze cooled my skin as I poured another shot to soothe my rattled nerves.
It wasfine.
We weregrown.
Sex wasnatural.
Honestly, good for Rico for squeezing in some midday stress relief.
I just shouldn’t have barged in there like that?—
Fuck, I knew it was bad when even my thoughts were rambling.
Instead of pouring myself another bad decision, I capped the bottle and returned it to the freezer.
Eyeing the colorful backsplash, I shook my head with a dry laugh.
Well, at least now I know why he wasn’t picking up the phone.
Second Nature
Half an hour later, I was sitting on the kitchen counter beside a bowl of clementine slices, going towork.
I didn’t remember how many I’d already eaten, I just knew I planned to eat at least ten more.
Flavor burst in my mouth at the same time Rico appeared at the bottom of the steps leading into the kitchen.
And when he saw me, he allowed the smirk flirting with his lips to turn into a full grin.
The open-face platinum grill covering his bottom teeth caught the sunlight and winked at me as smile lines appeared around his eyes.
“Hey, Harlow,” he breathed against my hair once I was wrapped in his embrace. Then his lips brushed my temple.
