Page 187 of Lovers Like Us

Farrow puts the paper in his back pocket, still at ease. “Not a big deal, Maximoff.” He eats another piece of banana off the blade. “I’m going to the wedding as your bodyguard. It’s what Iam.”

I frown, thinking. He’s more than a bodyguard to me, but he knows that. So then why does something feeloff?

My eyes descend, and I just now noticeThatcherwritten in Sharpie on the banana peel. I’m less surprised that Farrow is eating Thatcher’s food than I am by this, “Who writes onfruit?”

“Hall monitors,” Farrow says as he slices the banana. He tosses the peel on my iron café table. “And I have to live withone.”

“Sucks you don’t have a boyfriend to crash with.” I draw towards him, our legsknocking.

Farrow eats the last slice of banana, and his other hand clasps myneck.

I’m the first to grab him by the shirt, then wrap an arm around his shoulder—he spins us in a swiftmaneuver.

My back thuds into the closed door. God. Breath flames in mylungs.

Farrow sheaths the knife in his black leather belt. “You’re not my boyfriend then?” He eyes my lips in a way that says,I won’t kiss you. I won’t fuck you. Unless you tell me I’m yours and you’remine.

It electrocutes every fucking part of me. His weight pins me to the door, and my cock begs for more hotfriction.

“You must’ve lost your boyfriend,” I say, my voicelow.

Bleach-white hair hangs in his lashes. Our mouths edging close, he whispers, “You failed Liars 101, wolf scout. Because he’s right in front ofme.”

Kiss me, man.I can’t wait. I clutch the back of his head and kiss him deeply. Hungrily, our mouths crash together. I spin him around, his back to the door. When I think I have the lead, his hand slides down my back, and he grabs myass.

Fuck.I groan against his lips, and he smiles againstmine.

Someone clears their throat. Behindus.

Great.

I pull back, but I play as cool as I fucking can and stand straight. This is my townhouse. I live here. We kissed. He grabbed my ass. On the PDA scale, this is minorlevel.

Farrow rests his shoulders on the wood. A lot more naturally at ease than me. But that’snormal.

Who sawus?

Mydad.

Hestands in the doorway, light rain pelting the street behind him. A box labeledLuna from Thebulais in his arms, biceps cut and features sharp-edged. His brows are cinched like he’s slowly processing something. Maybe that Farrow and I are really a couple. Or maybe he’s just stunned to see me withanyone.

He looks good though. Healthy, not edged orantsy.

He opens his mouth to speak, but voices escalate behind him. We all listen, but from where I stand, I can’t seeanyone.

“If I go in there it’s going to be real,” my mom says. “Maybe we should all have breakfast first. Anyone hungry? I could eat a waffle.Daisy?”

“Chocolate pancakes,” my auntsays.

“She’s not moving to fucking New Yorkor across the country,” Uncle Ryke retorts. “It’s nothing to fucking agonizeover.”

“Easy for you to say,” my mom replies. “Sulli wants to live at home for another year. My daughter isleaving.OhmyGod, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry this fast. I’m already crying.Rose—”

“Chin up, shoulders back,” Aunt Rose snaps icily. “What our gremlins don’t know is that they’re ours forever. No matter what geographical location they run off to and whether they like it ornot.”

My dad swings his head back and calls out to my aunt, “Take your talons off my kids,Cruella.”

“Bite me,Loren.”