“Ah. Right. The curse. And who determined you were cursed?”
“It’s kinda obvious.” Violet sighed, her fingers teasing over his chest. “Nice guys run far and fast from us Anderson women. It’s my mother’s fault.”
“How so?”
“When she was younger, she dated this nice guy. They were serious. He was even gonna ask her to marry him. At least that’s how she tells it.”
“What happened?”
“Harold Anderson happened.”
“Your father?”
“Yup. He swooped in and charmed my mother’s panties right off. She kicked the nice guy to the curb and married my father. They had known each other for seven days. She claimed he was the love of her life. Still claims that even though he’s stomped all over her for the better part of forty years.”
“And you think she’s cursed because she chose your father over the nice guy?”
“We all are. If it hadn’t been for my father, my mother might’ve been happy, and her daughters wouldn’t’ve been drawn to the same type of man.”
Simon smiled. “If it hadn’t been for your father, you and your sisters wouldn’t be here.”
“True.”
“Why do you think it’s a curse?”
“Well, for starters, Amanda ended up married at eighteen to an asshole who cheated on her with her best friend. And Whitney, don’t even get me started on her long list of mistakes. She never married any of them, thank God, but not for lack oftrying on her part. Neither one has ever dated a nice guy because those guys won’t get within ten feet of them. And if they did, they wouldn’t stick around.”
“You sound certain about that?”
“I am. I’ve never dated a nice guy before. Not until you.”
“I’m stickin’ around,” he told her.
“Yep.” He felt her tense, although her words were slurring as she was drifting off. “Right up until you go back to Dallas in a week or two.”
Not sure what to say to that, Simon remained there, rubbing her back, listening to her soft, heavy breaths as she succumbed to exhaustion. At some point, he drifted off with her.
Simon woke up when he felt something move against him.
“If you’re tryin’ to sneak out…” he mumbled, eyes closed.
“I wouldn’t dare.” Violet’s soft voice sounded nearby. “Then again, if I do, will it earn me a spanking?”
“Absolutely.” He chuckled softly and held her tighter. “What time is it?”
“Seven.”
“Really?” They’d slept for the entire night.
“I hope you didn’t need to be somewhere.”
He nuzzled her neck. “Right here. This is where I need to be.”
“Well, I need the bathroom,” she said with a giggle. “And I should probably check on Harry and Hermione, or they might break through the door.”
“You didn’t sneak out.”
“Neither did you.”
