“What?” I ask with a disbelieving look.
She shrugs again and continues running her fingers through my hair in a comfortingway.
After a bit, Luna convinces me to come downstairs and get a late dinner. Begrudgingly, I agree on the condition that if Noah comes anywhere near me, she junk-punches him. She enthusiastically agrees and will even throw in a cunt punch if Savannah gets too close to me. I think it’s safe to say she’s securing the title of best friend very quickly.
When we head downstairs, I find Shane already using the kitchen inside.
“Hey, pretty ladies. Dinner will be done in about ten.”
“You’re cooking?” I ask.
He winks. “I’m a man of many talents.”
“He keeps saying that, but I’m just waiting for him to drop his pants and prove it,” Luna fake-whispers to me.
“Patience is a beautiful thing, sweet girl,” he says, smirking.
“I’ve never been very good at being patient. Maybe I’m not all that sweet,” she challenges with a waggle of her eyebrows that has Shane all but salivating.
Holy shit. I don’t know how I didn’t pick up on the sexual chemistry between these two before. I’m ready to tell them screw the dinner, just fuck on the counter already. It does smell really good, though, so I’ll keep my thoughts to myself for now.
“I’m gonna go rustle up some wine or something for us to catch a little buzz. We’ll be back,” Luna says, leading me out the main doors for the backyard.
I understand not wanting to have liquor stocked at the house. High emotions, sixteen people living under one roof and alcohol? That’s not good TV; that’s an unsanctioned WWE fight waiting to happen.
When Luna and I step outside, I see several of the newly paired-up couples really getting to know each other. By that, I mean Bella is dry-humping Connor like her life depends on it.
Angel and Mason are loved up in the swinging egg-shapedchair, and Cora and Andrew are intimately chatting and smiling on one of the daybeds. Love definitely feels in the air tonight, and it turns my stomach that I thought I was going to end my evening like them.
Luna and I head for the outdoor bar and are rifling through the cabinets when a pair of sleek black heels appear at my side. I look up to see Kenzie standing there with a half-smile.
“Hey, girl. I just wanted to thank you. I mean, you had first dibs, you could have gone for Calvin, but it felt like you didn’t because of me, and, well, you didn’t have to do that.”
For the first time in the last hour, I can smile, and I don’t even have to fake it. “Of course. I see what’s going on between you two. It wasn’t even an option.”
“If only others could be so considerate,” she mutters as her gaze drifts over my shoulder.
I follow her line of sight to where Noah and Savannah are snuggled up on one of the outdoor couches, looking like long-lost lovers as he licks and sucks on her neck while she moans like a porn star. Awesome. As if everything wasn’t bad enough, I’m going to have to get used to… all of that for the foreseeable future.
As if he can feel my eyes on him, Noah breaks away from Savannah, his smile falling instantly. I roll my eyes and scoff as I walk away towards the house. I fucking hate how emotional this whole thing has made me. I’m not one to show weakness. I don’t cry over men, like what the fuck? Have I forgotten the independent badass woman I am?
This one, though, for whatever reason is really getting to me. Maybe it’s because for once, all of my instincts were off. I let my guard down so fast, too fast, and went with my gut, and she fucked me nice and raw for all of America to see. I hope when Lily inevitably watches that episode, she isn’t too embarrassed to have such a damn fool for a sister. Though, knowing her, she’sprobably going to throw something at the TV as soon as Noah’s face appears front and center. I won’t be surprised if she develops a slew of nasty nicknames in his honor. Honestly, I can’t wait to hear them.
Fuck, I miss her.
Chapter Seventeen
Landon
Iended up finding this cool pool hall/game room in the back near the new rooms, and my favorite part was that there wasn’t a fucking soul in sight. I’m not cut out for all this shit. I thought at first it would be easy enough. Come in, charm the pants off a few beautiful women, win some challenges and retire like a king when all is said and done. I didn’t see getting paired up with the only woman who can’t stand to be in the same room as me.
I also didn’t anticipate not really vibing with any of the guys either. Maybe that part’s on me… I haven’t exactly made any efforts. Foster-kid lifestyle, though. Keep to yourself, keep your head down and you make it through shit a hell of a lot easier. When you get attached, get your hopes up, it only gives people the chance to hurt you. Damn, I can’t imagine if people actually heard me say shit like that out loud. Cue the Sarah McLachlan music.
Coming on to this show wasn’t my idea, not by a long shot, and I’m here for one reason and one reason only. So if I have to put up with Little Miss Stick Up Her Ass, so be it. She seemslike a tough bitch, and that I can use to my advantage when it comes to challenges. We’ve got half the competition in the bag. The whole making sure America “ships us” or whatever the fuck they called it… yeah, that’ll take some work.
Eventually, I decide I need to eat something and make my way into the indoor kitchen where Shane is shutting off the burners on the stove and stirring something into a big pot that fills the kitchen instantly with a savory scent that makes my stomach grumble in approval.
“What did you make?” I ask.
