Page 22 of Filthy Little Pretties

“I’m a virgin. I’m waiting for love. Wanna fall with me?”

Her laugh has us both smiling with her. Liam always did do that to her.

My voice interrupts as I twist the top off my water bottle. “Boy? Cute? I’m starting to feel like we’re losing this challenge, Liam.”

He nods against his arm in agreement.

“She’s friend-zoning us. You’re cruel, Van. Cold as ice. There must be a boyfriend—or maybe a girlfriend?” His head pops up. “Say it’s a girlfriend, and then tell us all about it.”

“Tuck your dick away. Perv,” I laugh, reaching around her to shove his shoulder.

“No boyfriend or girlfriend. I’m abstaining…from both. But it’s cute you guys thought you had a chance. Goals are important.”

Her laugh is evil, but before I can ask about what she just said, Liam reaches up to her hair, his body leaning in closer to her.

“Are those—” My hand reaches out, sweeping her hair over her shoulder as Liam’s fingers wind between her golden locks, to touch colorful feathers intertwined into a small long braid. “What’s this?”

She smiles mysteriously, looking between us. “A fond memory.”

And just like that, she draws me in just a little bit more than I already am.

Donovan

I’VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF RESILIENT, but the real test will be if I manage to survive Grey and Liam. One maybe, but both, unlikely. It’s not a horrible way to die—basking in the adoration of two incredibly hot guys.

I take another drink of my sparkling water and smile at the tray of food in front of me, trying to ignore Liam’s inspection of the feather in my hair. Liam turns his attention to Grey, mumbling something, but I barely register what they’re saying because I’m already lost inside of my head.

This attention won’t last. If there’s anything I know, it’s guys. Once the shine wears off, they’ll back off, and we can go back to being the kind of friends who don’t flirt. I shake my head slightly at my bullshit as I stare at the fruit cocktail occupying my plate.

I can’t fault them for taking a shot. If my circumstances were different, I might let one of them land me. But I’ve caused too much trouble in this area to go down this road again. It wasn’t that long ago that I searched for myself in any willing body, which ironically only made me lose myself more.

The only thing that niggles at me now is that right at this moment I’ve never felt likememore. There’s something about being back here with Grey and Liam that makes the world feel clear. Like I’m back where I’m supposed to be. So, I guess what I’m really terrified of is that I won’t be repeating the same fuckups but that I’ll be making even bigger ones.

“What’s swimming around in that expression? You’ve got thoughts. Serious ones. Spill, Cherry.”

Grey’s voice draws my eyes, but not my voice. God, he’s intense with only a look. “Shine wear off,” my ass. He might lose interest, but I’m not sure I want him to. My chest rises and falls slowly in rhythm with my breathing, but the rest of me is caught in his gaze, unable to escape this moment, that is, until he decides to let me go.

Fuck me. Also, fuck me.

He pushes his tray away slowly, locked onto me, and presses his thumb between his lips to lick off whatever food smeared on it. Maybe it’s the way his face says more about what he’s doing than the action, or perhaps it’s that I want it—his tongue and his attention. Or maybe I’m doomed to make spectacularly poor decisions. Either way, if I’m not careful, something will happen between us. There’s no point in pretending or wishing it away.

If I don’t stop it now, our mutual attraction will become too hot to snuff out. And I do not doubt that if given an inch, Grey won’t just take a mile; he’ll devour exactly sixty-six inches because he’ll stalk, pounce, and prey on me.

The arrogance his grin is soaked in halts my thoughts, and I lick my lips before quietly hitting him with the last one.

“Be warned, Grey McCallister. A girl like me is bad for a boy like you.”I have baggage too big to fit into anyone’s mansion.

“That sounds like a challenge, Cherry.”

Before I can dissuade him, Liam’s fingers find my side and tickle me, making me jump and squirm away, effectively breaking the trance.

“Quit.” I giggle, shoving at him, but Liam slaps his large hands on the table, standing and turning his chair back around to sit normally.

“All right. Get serious, Van. Stop throwing yourself at us. It’s embarrassing. Now catch us up.”

I widen my eyes dramatically and lean my head over to Grey’s broad shoulder. “He thinks I’m throwing myself at you guys…that I’m a whore.”

“I wish that were true.”