Page 110

“I honestly forget. I’m stuck on the Riley home invasion.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t text her.” She smiled, turning back to the TV to find the movie and start it.

Settling back against the cushion, she pulled a throw pillow into her lap and wrapped her arms over the top of it as the movie began.

While the first movie was good, when they moved on to a teen scream flick, she quickly lost interest. The earlier parts were interesting, and she kept sitting forward to catch everything that happened, but as the plot progressed, it made less and less sense. Only half the things the kids did seemed reasonable.

She shifted on the couch, sinking back into her seat, and her arm brushed against Aiden’s. When had she moved so close?

A glance on each side of them made her realize they both had moved to the cushion that once posed as a divider.

Clearing her throat, she moved her gaze back to the TV at the same time a jump scare happened.

“Jesus fuck!” She rose off the couch a bit, startled. Well, that sobered her up the rest of the way.

Aiden burst into laughter.

She spun on him. “What?” Her voice was breathless.

“I have never heard you curse like that.”

“That’s because I try not to. I curse, but not often. But come on,” she said, throwing her hand out at the TV as she sat forward on the edge of the couch, grabbing the mixed drink and taking a swallow. “What did you expect?”

His hand rubbed over his mouth to hide his laughter.

“Go ahead, buddy. Laugh it up.” How is he not at least tipsy?

“What do you want me to do? Protect you from the big bad TV monster?”

“No,” she said with indignation, turning her nose up.

“Oh, come on, I’m just playing.” He reached forward, and before she realized what was happening, his large hands hooked her by the waist and pulled her back to the couch. “Don’t pout.”

“I don’t pout.” She crossed her arms.

“No?” He directed a pointed look at her arms and then returned his gaze to her face, to her twisted lips.

Fine. She was pouting.

“Whatever.” She turned her head to look anywhere but at him. She’d forgotten what this was even about, but she was having fun, so that was all that mattered.

“Charlotte.” He caught her chin with his fingers and turned her face to his. “I mean it. No pouting.”

“You’re not the boss of me.”

Something flashed in his eyes she didn’t recognize, but she saw it. A slight twitch of his brow where his eyes narrowed, and a brief glimmer of a smile.

“That may be so, but I don’t enjoy seeing you sad.” His fingers moved from her chin to run down the side of her throat. “It unsettles me.”

“Unsettles?” She swallowed.

“Makes me want to find whatever made you sad and make it regret ever crossing you.” His hand dropped, landing on her knee.

This had gone somewhere she didn’t intend.

Little sparks zipped up her leg from where his hand sat heavy on her skin.

“I’m not sad,” she whispered.