Page 38 of Burn for You (Flirting with Forever 3)

Sophia: How did we not already know this?

Hadleigh: That’s my girl!

Hadleigh: Was it hot AF?

I need details.

Madison: Gotta say, I kind of expected that after the way you were ogling him yesterday.

Me: I was not.

Me: Okay. I’m a liar. I totally was.

Me: Damn lickable abs and biteable biceps!

Hadleigh: More deets, please.

Me: I don’t know what to tell you. He was sweaty and hot and we were arguing.

Sophia: I feel like I need wine for this.

Madison: I just opened some.

Quinn: Me too.

Hadleigh: I’ve heard of hate sex. In movies, it seems totally hot.

Zoey: This sounds like the foreplay version …

Me: Well, it’s never going beyond that, trust me.

There’s quiet for several moments, no additional texts at all. Confused, I shake my phone and look at it again.

Sophia: Oh, sweetie.

Quinn: Never say never. I’ve learned that one the hard way myself.

Hadleigh: Good luck with that. That man is a sexy beast.

A few minutes later, Damon gets out of his seat and carefully makes his way to the back of the bus. When I glance over my shoulder, I realize there actually is another seat back there. The rat. He delights in making me suffer.

No sooner have I turned back around to get back to texting my girls than Elena slips into her brother’s seat next to me. “Hi, Ms. Mathison.”

I give her a tired smile and turn my phone over in my lap. “Hi, Elena. Did you have fun today?”

She nods. “I did. I’ve been playing the soundtrack to this musical for months. I just love it. It’s great.”

“Well, good. That was the idea. And a little change of pace toward the end of the year is always nice, too.”

“It is. It breaks up the monotony of being in class all day. Thank you for helping put it together. Da—Mr. Madero told me you did a lot of the organizing.”

My mind goes to two places after what she’s just said. First, it’s adorable how she tries to make sure she calls her brother Mr. Madero when she’s at school or school functions. I can tell by the way she talks about him they really are close despite their age difference. But second, he’s been talking to her about me, telling her that I was responsible for helping put this together? That sneak knows how much effort I put in, just to slide in and ride on my coattails. At least he’s honest about it. Well, he’s honest with everyone but me. I slide a glance back over at his sister and cock my eyebrow at her in question. “He told you that?”

“Yeah. He said he was just tagging along for the fun of it.”

I snort and laugh a little. “The fun of it … well, if you must know, I kind of tagged along, too. Ms. Beckett and Mr. Rivers are responsible for coming up with the idea and getting the tickets. Though, I did take over collecting permissions slips and money. And, of course, your brother helped with the activity.” I wink at her conspiratorially. “I’m glad for the quiet on the way home. That was a brilliant move on his part.”

“He’s pretty smart when he wants to be, but don’t tell him I said that.” She grins at first, but then her face falls. Her hands twist together in her lap and she looks down at them for a second before lifting her head and locking eyes with me. “He thinks you don’t like him, you know.”

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