AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t worry. We’re not going to tell.” Carmen turns on the couch, pulling her legs up in a crisscross. “But I think we need to have a conversation about Zeb.”
“Why?”
“It’s a warning.” Rosalie’s voice hushes.
“About Zeb?”
“Well, he is a Guardian,” Carmen says. “If he’s like all the others, he’s going to be possessive and Alpha to the core. Not in the creepy Scott kind of way, but in the loving and supportive kind of way.” She holds up her hand. “I mean, he totally has our stamp of approval, but I just want you to know what you’re getting yourself into.” She scoots closer and lowers her voice to a whisper. “Now, back to the bullpen. Tell us everything you saw.”
“Not much to tell, to be honest. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why it’srestricted.” I use finger quotes to emphasize my point. Briefly, I give them the rundown of what I saw.
We laugh about the absurdity of the restriction and make a few plans of our own. Then I ask the one question I’m most worried about.
“Have you heard from Barbi? Mitzy took my phone to monitor this thing with Scott, but I’m really worried.”
“Barbi’s fine.” Carmen gives a dismissive wave of her hand. “Evidently, we were taking bets on the wrong couple.” She and Rosalie exchange another glance.
“What does that mean?” I look between them, getting a headache with all the twisting back and forth.
“Only that Barbi and Alec—evidently—have been hooking up since that first night.”
“They what?” I give a little shriek. “I don’t believe you.”
“Believe.” Rosalie brings her knees to her chest and props her chin on her kneecaps. “And you should’ve seen Rafe and Hayes when they found out.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say they’re acting like overprotective older brothers, and seem to think, since they’re with us, that they have a say about who you and Barbi date. If Alec and Zeb aren’t good enough, there’s not a man on earth who’ll pass whatever rigorous standards they have.” Rosalie shakes her head. “Men. Am I right? Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them. And you surely can’t understand them.”
“Yeah, I don’t know where they got the idea they could dictate who you see, or don’t see. Sleep, or don’t sleep with.” Carmen giggles. “They put the two of you on theDo-not-fucklist.”
“Oh lord.” My cheeks heat remembering the whole bathroom and shower thing this morning with Zeb. “Well, I’ll have to absolve them of that notion.” I shake my head. “And I can’t wait to watch Barbi go off on them when she finds out they told Alec not to touch her, and knowing Barbi, you know she was probably the one who touched first.”
Barbi is notorious for living fast and living loose. I still remember when she proclaimed it wasn’t fair for men to sleep around and be called studs, when she was called a slut, or whore, for having a healthy appetite for sex.
It’s hard not to agree with her when she puts it that way.
“So…” Carmen sidles up to me, “are you going to tell us why Zeb was seen coming out of your room if the two of you aren’t hooking up?” Carmen blinks innocently at me.
“I asked him to.”
“That’s it?” Carmen doesn’t look convinced.
“That’s it.” I completely lie to my friends.
“I don’t believe you.” Carmen shoves me on the shoulder. “What else happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing, my ass.” She looks at Rosalie. “She’s lying.”
“Am not.” I shift, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the lie. Although, technically, it’s more of a half-truth. I’m going to stick with that. “I was scared, feeling vulnerable. This whole thing with Scott is insane. I needed a hug, and asked him if he wouldn’t hold me until I fell asleep.”
“And that turned into him sleeping over?” Rosalie exchanges another look with Carmen, then they both break out in laughter. “Now, that’s one way to get a man in bed.”
“It wasn’t like that.” I playfully punch Rosalie in the arm. “We were fully clothed, if that matters.”
“So nothing happened?” Carmen doesn’t look like she believes me.
