Page 126 of Vicious Little Snakes

I would rather fight with Caroline any day of the damn week than be with anyone else.

“Nice try but I’m not going anywhere, Carebear.”

She spins on her heel, walking back to where I’ve swum to. I prop my chin on my arms that are folded over the edge of the pool.

“You are such a dick.”

I reach for her ankle, but she kicks at me.

“How are you trying to stay mad? It wasn’t even my fault. I’m sorry. Stop being salty. Let’s kiss and make up. You can choose where I kiss first.”

Her hands smush my face, pushing me back in the warm water.

“I hope you drown.”

Caroline stalks away again as I pull myself out, weighted down by my soaked clothes. I toe off my sneakers and socks as I call out to her.

“Carebear. Can we talk? Please? Stop being such a—”

Her hair slices the air as she spins around, towel around her, glaring at me.

“Say it. I fucking dare you.”

My face softens as I reach to where she’s standing and grab a towel from the bin.

“A brat. I was going to saybrat. Stop treating me like the enemy. Why are you so fucking mad—it wasn’t like I ghosted you on purpose. I was sitting on a concrete slab next to a guy that smelled like piss. Not exactly the night of my dreams either.”

Caroline tucks the towel to hold around her wet clothes as she walks out of the atrium, me following, and back inside the house. She throws her arms in the air, groaning.

“God, this is so like you. I sit in a room full of people feeling completely devastated, and you waltz in here with a twinkly smile and some flowers, and I’m supposed to what? Lay down, spread my legs? Say thank you?”

I drag my wet sweatshirt overhead, tossing it on an Adirondack, standing just outside the house, uncaring about the cold.

“Yes—without the thank you. You should forgive me because I never meant to leave you last night. I missed you too. And I know you’re pissed, but—”

“But nothing,” she yells, facing me in the doorway. “This is exactly why we don’t work. You can’t be serious.”

“So now us not being together is because I can’t be serious. Is that why? I’m losing track, Caroline. Or is this just a convenient excuse because you’re scared.”

“Fuck you.” She scowls.

Goddammit. I didn’t think she’d be this damn pissed. This is not going the way I thought it would.

I reach for the buttons on my jeans, tugging them open and dropping the wet mess to the floor, leaving me in my underwear, as I dry off a bit more, rubbing the towel over my boxer briefs, before wrapping the towel around my waist.

Her eyes run over my chest as she grits out, “Why are you getting naked? I’m not fucking you.”

“Because I don’t want to track water inside. I’m polite. Stop fucking around. We aren’t playing this game anymore. Tell me why you aresofucking angry.”

Her chest rises and falls, and I don’t miss that her fingers run over the scar on her hand. She’s a shitty poker player because that’s always her tell when she’s scared to say something that makes her feel vulnerable.Come on, Carebear, meet me here, baby. I’m not leaving until you do.

A delicate force of air releases between her pursed lips before she says in a voice so quiet, I’d miss if I breathed.

“I was devastated last night, Liam.”

Suddenly the world becomes smaller, locking me to her as I step closer, shutting the door behind me. Because the way she just said what she said was honest—not melodramatic like before, and it fucking guts me. But if I’m honest, I don’t really understand why she was devastated instead of worried about me. I had one missed text from her. That’s it.

“Why?”