Page 84 of Never Will I Ever

“We?”I find myself asking, a bit shell-shocked. “You mean youhelped them?”

He opens his mouth, realizing his slip up, before an impish grin appears. “I think this is a good time for me to plead the fifth.”

I blink at him slowly, absolutely dumb-founded, before dryly uttering, “Please tell me you’re joking.”

From the way his grin grows, it’s obvious he’s not. “It’s all in good fun, Kaleb. Lighten up.”

I doubt the poor garden snake felt the same, but I choose to ignore that fact.

“At least tell me you weren’t the instigator.”

Waving me off with a laugh, he mutters, “Oh, God no. I just unlocked the cabin for them.”

“I don’t know if that makes it better or worse,” I mumble under my breath with a shake of the head.

He hears it, though, because he immediately comes back with, “We’ve already established you’ve never done a rebellious thing in your life, so it’s a toss up at this point.”

Oh, hell no.

There’s no way I’m gonna take his insults lying down. He wants to see rebellious? Fine. I can play that game, and it’ll end with him panting and moaning for me to fuck him clear into next week.

With that thought alone, I abandon my mission with my laptop in favor of pinning him to the bed with my body.

“You really think I’m some Goody Two-shoes, huh?” I ask, trying to let my proximity do the work for me.

All I get is a shrug and a shit-eating smirk in response. Then he wraps an arm around my back and flips us; his go-to move when he’s looking to change the subject to something a lot more…naked.

This fucker.

“I’ve gotten detention before, back in high school,” I gripe, trying to keep my focus on the argument at hand. It’s proving fairly difficult, though, when his lips skate over the pulse point below my jaw. I swear all my brain cells melt into a puddle of cerebral fluid when his lips are against my skin. Add in the low, seductive tone he speaks with, and I’m surprised I have any brain function at all.

“You’re literally talking to someone who got expelled from college, there, LaMothe. You’re gonna have to try harder than that.”

There’s no animosity as he says it, only humor dancing in his sky-blues when he pulls back. The sight of them aimed my wayhas my throat constricting, the way it’s seemed to a lot lately whenever I catch him looking at me.

“Okay, well…sometimes I’ll smoke a joint after the kids are in bed and break into the dining hall to get some snacks. Gotta curb the munchies somehow.”

His brow arches, looking slightly impressed as he rests his forearms on either side of my head. “Didn’t take you for a stoner.”

“Stoneris the last word I’d use. It’s really if I can’t sleep,” I protest, playfully shoving his shoulder.

“Hey, I’m not judging. I’m more appalled that you didn’t think to share with me.”

“Because I didn’t bring any.”

“Of course not, Mr. Goody Two-Shoes,” he says with a laugh before pressing his lips to my jaw. “I’m just surprised you’ve brought drugs here before.”

I wasn’t the one who brought it. I’d actually confiscated the joints from one of the older campers after I’d caught him lighting up behind the bathhouse after lunch. And while I could choose to keep that little bit of information to myself, knowing it will only help prove his case rather than my own, I correct him anyway. Because I’m not gonna lie just to prove a point.

Damn my morals and shit.

“They were contraband, actually.”

Avery’s head drops to my shoulder, and his entire body vibrates against mine while he laughs. Not just a chuckle, but the real, genuine laughter that I’ve become highly addicted to in recent days.

“Why is that so funny?” I gripe with a smile.

His head lifts, amusement lingering on his features. “And Colin just let you keep it to enjoy yourself as a reward for snitching, did he?”