Page 229 of Mad As Hell

“They’re my friends, too,” I pointed out. “And… I don’t know. You guys are a package deal, and I’m assuming whatever house we get won’t be a one-bedroom row home.”

He frowned. “What’s a row home?”

I stared at him for a beat. “Oh, my God.”

He smiled at me. “I get what you’re saying, and no, our first home won’t be a one-bedroom anything. There’s a development in Pacific City where we could live. We’re not the first students to get married. The houses aren’t quite a big as Gary’s or Beckett’s—”

“Which is fine,” I insisted. “I don’t need a giant house, but if you want the guys nearby—and with CI and Phoenix, it sounds like they need to be—I’m just saying, I don’t mind them living with us. I’m sure we can find a place big enough for all of us.”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “You’re serious.”

“Yes.” My cheeks heated as he stared at me like I was offering him the moon. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because I love you and I can,” he replied.

My head dropped and I groaned. “Do I seriously have to spend the rest of our lives with you making corny statements like that?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “But you also get to spend the rest of your life having me in your bed, kissing every fucking delicious inch of you while making you scream.”

I gave a soft hum of approval. “And can we do that now?”

Ryan glanced around the empty lobby of the dorm. “Kinky, but sure.” His hands dropped to my legs and started to lift my skirt.

I jerked away with a laugh. “Upstairs,” I said, backing to the elevators and hitting the button.

He prowled closer, the look in his eyes making my pulse jump as I hit the elevator doors. Before Ryan could grab me, the doors opened, and I stumbled into the car with a laugh that abruptly ended when I crashed into someone.

“Shit, sorry—” I started to apologize, turning around and freezing when I saw Brylee.

Her dark eyes looked at me with utter contempt before shifting to Ryan as he closed in behind me, blocking the doors.

“Well, if it isn’t the happy couple,” she said, rolling her eyes as she skirted around Ryan to get off the elevator. “You know, you two deserve each other.”

“And you deserve an incurable case of syphilis,” Ryan mocked, pitching his voice to an awful falsetto.

I barely smothered a snort of laughter.

Brylee looked at us with disgust. “You used to be a king around here, Ryan. Now you’re marrying the girl who made you look like a fool.”

“Married,” he corrected her with a dangerous smile.

Her brow furrowed in confusion until Ryan grabbed my left hand with his and held up our wedding bands.

We hadn’t discussed going public with our marriage at school, but apparently we weren’t hiding anything from anyone anymore.

Brylee’s jaw dropped. “You’re married?”

I nodded as Ryan looped an arm around my chest and held me against him. He rested his chin on my shoulder and fixed Brylee with a look. “What? No congratulations?”

Her shoulders stiffened.

“No, really,” Ryan said, his tone hardening. “Tell my wife congratulations.”

Her gaze flicked to me. “Congrats. I hope you both get everything you deserve.”

“Didn’t exactly seem sincere,” Ryan mused, studying her. “Maybe if she got on her knees and tried saying it again…”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m done with her.”

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