“Funny story, huh? This doesn’t have to do with a certainprofessor, does it?” She giggles, bumping her hip into mine. She cranes her head to look at my face. “Are you okay? You’re kind of flushed. Wait! You’reblushing. Oh, this is going to besogood,” she practically sings, like my life is the most entertaining piece of new gossip to hit the streets of Hollowcrest.
“Maybe it is about him,” I say. “So what if it is?” I turn, holding my head high, moving to pour myself a glass of water. My mouth is suddenlysodry.
“Lo! You little …” She turns toward me, leaning against the kitchen island on her elbow. She props her head in her hand, smirking up at me like she knows all of my dark and dirty secrets.
“So, how was it?” How does she always manage to know things without me saying a single word?
“How was what?” I say, averting her gaze to take another sip of water.
“Oh, come on, babe. You were never a great liar,” she mocks, popping her hip out and placing a hand on it.
I grab my glass of water and walk over to the sofa, sitting. After quickly washing her hands, she follows behind me, giggling like she knows I’ll give in at any second and spill my secrets.
I sigh. “Okay. Yes,” I say.
“Yes?!” She hops to her knees, beaming at me like she already knows the answer but is going to make me say it, anyway. “Yes, what?” She bounces up and down like a child.
I blink and then blink again. I open my mouth to speak, but then close it. Finally, I manage to gain the courage.
“We had sex,” I say, throwing my hand over my mouth. Lydia starts cheering. Yes, full-oncheeringwith her fist pumping in the air, and an exclaimed, “Yeeeeeees!”
She drops back down and sits, crossing her legs over one another. She places her elbows on her knees and leans forward, resting her chin in her cupped hands.
“Do tell me more.” She’s smiling from ear to ear.
“It was really good, Lyd. Like,damngood,” I say, smiling like a fool and unable to hold out any longer.
“Wow.” She beams. “I want to be you when I grow up.” She leans back against the sofa.
“I guess you forgave him, then,” she asks.
I chuckle. “I guess you could say that. He came over and apologized,” I say.
“Mhmm. I’m sure heapologizedall right,” she says sarcastically.
“I made him work for it, of course,” I say, giving her the details she so desperately wants from me.
“Lo!” She gasps. “You dirty, dirty girl.” We both laugh.
“No, but really, I’m so happy for you, babe.” She places her hand over my knee. “Are you two likeofficialnow?”
“Well, he did say that I’mhis, and some other things about chasing me to the ends of the earth and incinerating my enemies, or something like that,” I say nonchalantly.
“Sloane!” She throws her hand over her mouth on another gasp. “What?!” She pauses. “That’s so …romantic.” Leave it to Lydia to be the only human on earth to think that a man threatening to kill for me isromantic.
“Yeah?” I ask, assessing her.
“Oh, totally, babe. It’s very ‘touch her and die.’ It’s giving Aries, and some of ourveryfavorite fictional men are Aries. I love that for you.” Leave it to her to guess his correct Zodiac sign.
I chuckle. “Well, when you say it likethat.”
She nods, knowing she’s right. A thought must suddenly occur to her, as most do, because she sucks in a breath and grabs my wrist. My eyes flick to her hands. I can feel the heat spread across my cheeks as I recall another set of hands restraining them above my head on top of my kitchen island.
“Where can I find one?” she questions, snatching me from the memory. “Does he have a brother by any chance?”
“I don’t know.” I laugh. “But I did find …” She releases my wrist, and my opposite hand mindlessly massages the area.
“Oh my God! You found Callum’s last name, didn’t you?” she exclaims, interrupting me.
