Page 21 of Just This Once

“Also true,” I agreed, smiling up at his girlfriend prettily. “I wouldn’t.”

Faith narrowed her eyes. “You’re very lucky I’m not the jealous type.”

I laughed. If only she knew how lucky I wasn’t.

Under me, I could feel Sleepy start to panic. “Faith…” he pleaded in disbelief.

She folded her arms over her chest. “You got yourself into this situation. You need to learn how to get yourself out.”

I nodded, impressed, deciding I liked Mrs. Sleepy too. “You really should, Hudson. Your girl speaks the truth.”

He huffed out his irritation, scowling at me before turning his attention to Bashful’s girlfriend. “Dimples?” he tried next, then glanced at Mrs. Happy. “Red?Anyone?”

A second later, Parker’s face appeared over the couch next to Faith’s as he scowled down at us.

“For fuck’s sake, Trouble,” he groused, grabbing my arm and tugging me off Hudson to pull me right over the couch and back onto the floor.

“Hey! Ouch,” I argued, even though he hadn’t hurt me at all.

And he knew it. Sending me a dry frown, he demanded, “Didn’t you get off enough on tormentingmethe whole car ride here from the airport? Why you gotta go after Ivey too?”

“Hmph,” I said flippantly as I tossed my hair over my shoulder and straightened my shirt. “You’re just jealous I didn’t climb on top ofyoulike that.”

He pulled back, startled by the flirty comeback. But he caught himself soon enough and snorted as if I were insane for suggesting such a thing, even as he glanced covertly at the others, only to find none of them paying either of us any attention.

Hudson had already popped off the couch, as if fearing I might crawl back on top of him again, and was telling his girlfriend, “Couldn’t you have at leastactedjealous and outraged? Even a little?”

“What were you expecting me todo?!” she cried, lifting her hands in confusion. “Pull her off you by the hair?”

“Yes.Anything,” Hudson started, only to pause and lift his nose, sniffing the air. “Is someone cooking?”

The three girlfriends glanced at each other with obvious guilt, but Faith came back to her boyfriend first to say, “No.”

He grinned. “Liar. What’re y’all cooking?”

“Nothing!” they insisted, looking suddenly panicked. They even tried to block his path into the kitchen when he started that way.

Chuckling over their antics, he pulled up short. “Oh, come on. Why can’t I see? What do you think I’m gonna do?”

“Make us cry by telling us everything we did wrong,” Mrs. Happy answered honestly.

Pressing a hand solemnly to his heart, Sleepy swore, “I would never. Just let me take a look. Maybe a quick taste.” Turning to his girlfriend beseechingly, he bounced his eyebrows at her and lowered his voice coaxingly. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

The poor girl melted immediately.

“Oh, alright,” Faith tried to grumble even as she gave in with a dreamy sigh.

The other two cringed at each other before they reluctantly stepped aside too.

Hudson ran his hand lovingly up Faith’s arm, then kissed her cheek as he passed, and all three women followed him into the kitchen.

A second later, I heard him explode, “What thefuck?”

“Hey, you said you wouldn’t make us cry,” he was warned.

I had to crack a smile. “Sounds like someone’s in deep shit.”

I started that way, curious, but Parker stepped into my path, scowling. “Be nice to the girlfriends, will you?”

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