Page 62 of Ruining Him (McKinley Ranch Duet 2)

Fourteen years later.

“Argh, I hate you!”Breanna slams the door on Josh’s face.

“No, you don’t!” he yells back. She opens the door, her arms folded under her chest.

“Every girl my age wears dresses like this. It’s not fair that you’re making me change.”

“Every other girl your age isn’t my daughter. I don’t care what they wear. What you wear, on the other hand, I very much care about that.”

I watch the back and forth between the two. It won’t be long before Bree wins, and Josh gives in to her. He always does. He can never say no to her.

“I’m not going then. I’ll stay home. I’ll just stay in this room for the rest of my life, and be the old spinster that still lives with her parents when she’s forty.”

Josh tilts his head at her and smiles. “Is that meant to be a threat, princess? Because it sounds like a fucking great idea to me.”

“Argh, you’re impossible. Mum, tell him there’s nothing wrong with the dress,” Bree pleads. Oh crap, I was really hoping to stay out of this.

Josh turns to me. “Not you too, Emmy. Really?” he says, looking me up and down.

“You’re overreacting, Josh. It’s just a dress,” I try to reason with him.

“Babe, that may be just a dress, but on you, it’s a fucking wet dream.”

“Ew, gross. I do not want to hear that,” our girl interjects.

“Where do you think you came from, Bree? It wasn’t the stalk.” Josh laughs.

“Lalalala.” She covers her ears.

“Come on, we’re going to be late. It’s not fair to Ash if we’re late because you’re being the fashion police.”

“Fine, but if any fucker looks at either of you the wrong way, the pigs are getting fed.”

“Again, gross. Besides, there’s only one guy I want looking at me the wrong way. But you don’t need to worry, Daddy. He doesn’t even know I exist.” Bree walks past us both, leaving us speechless.

“Whoever that boy is, he’s a fucking idiot, Breanna,” Josh calls to her back.

I have a feeling I know just who that boy is, and he’s not really much of a boy at all. He’s six years older than her. Let’s hope, for his sake, he continues to not notice her, because if he does take an interest in my daughter, he won’t have to worry about Josh. He’ll have me to deal with.

ASH

It’s my twenty-second birthday. I tried to tell my mother I didn’t need a fucking fancy dinner party or any big deal made. She ignored me and went ahead and arranged one anyway. I’m now forced to sit at the table all night with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and her.

Breanna. She’s my cousin’s cousin. I know, messy. I’ve grown up with her. I remember when she was born. I remember when she started talking.

What I don’t remember is when she stopped being a little kid who was like a cousin to me, and became the most beautiful girl in the room. And I don’t remember when I stopped looking at her like a friend, and started looking at her like she was mine.

She’s sitting across from me, wearing a little black dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. I’m not sure how she managed to get out of the house dressed like this. Why the fuck didn’t Josh stop her? Doesn’t he realise every fucking guy with a cock is staring at her, undressing her with their eyes?

Fuck me, I need to stop. She’s sixteen. She’s still in bloody high school. I can’t think of her like this. Adjusting myself in my seat, I turn and listen to Lily chatting about some party she went to the other night. Or at least I pretend to listen. I have to tune Breanna out, for both of our sakes. At least for a few more years.

BREANNA

I want to strangle the waitress who keeps batting her eyelashes at Ash. I also want to stab him in the face. In that tanned, sculpted, beautiful bloody face. He hasn’t acknowledged me all night.

I dressed up in the hopes he would notice me. I thought maybe tonight would be the night he’d stop seeing me as a little kid. He did notice. I saw the little tell-tale signs he was checking me out. But just as quickly as he started to drag his eyes down the silhouette of my dress, he stopped and redirected his attention to Lily.

I see my friend Ben from school over at one of the other tables. Excusing myself, I go and sit next to Ben.

---