Page 92 of The Apple Tree

An undeniable attraction.

An unavoidable scandal.

By the time we finished, the windows were foggy from the cool evening temperature.

“I’m not even a little sorry,” he murmured in a winded whisper while he nuzzled his face in my neck, both hands still up my shirt, cupping my breasts.

I grinned, climbed off him, and pulled on my underwear and jeans. Then I leaned over to kiss him, leaving a breath between our lips. “One: Clifford is a hunting breed. I got him for you as well. Two: I’m gonna love ya, and if you don’t like it, that’s just too bad. I’m not even a little sorry.”

“AHH!”I jumped. “You scared the life out of me,” I snapped at Gabby, who was in my face the second I closed the front door.

“S. L. U. T,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

I couldn’t look at her. “What are you even doing home? Mom said you were supposed to be studying with friends.” I jogged up the stairs.

“I got home fifteen minutes ago. And I heard something out front. So I looked out the window, andguesswhat I saw?” She chased me.

“You saw nothing because it’s late, and there’s barely any sunlight left, so whatever you thought you saw, you did not.”

Before I could lock my bedroom door, she turned the handle and rammed her shoulder into it.

“Get out!” I yelled, putting my body weight into it in the opposite direction.

“Let me in, or I’m telling Mom and Dad.”

I didn’thateher, but I really,reallydidn’t like her. Without warning, I stopped pushing and stepped aside. The door flung open, hitting the door stop as Gabby tumbled onto my floor.

“His truck was moving!” she yelled, jumping to her feet and brushing her hair away from her face. “Like someone was shaking it. And you were on his lap, bouncing up and down.” She parked both fists on her hips. “Was he giving you a pony ride on his knee like Dad used to do to us?”

It was none of her business, and I was furious that she felt she had the right to scold me. But, oh my god, I couldn’t believe she said that. Both of my hands covered my mouth.

Her eyes were squinted; mine were bugged out. And the room was silent.

I broke first with a loud snort and then a fit of laughter that made my eyes water.

“Stop—” She clamped her jaw shut, but her lips still quivered. “Stop laughing,” she cried, falling apart into a fit of giggles.

We collapsed onto my bed, bodies curled into tiny balls of laughter.

After several failed attempts to gain our composure, we finally relaxed with hard sighs while we stared at the ceiling.

“I love him,” I said.

She didn’t respond right away.

“It’s too weird. You can’t love Dad’s best friend’s brother. You can’t love my Trig teacher. Do you know how hard it will be for me to sit in class tomorrow and not think of him giving you a pony ride?”

Again, we started giggling.

“Gabbs, you’ve ruined pony rides. They can never be innocent bounce play again.”

Her body shook with more laughter.

“And don’t youevertalk about my sex life and Dad in the same breath.”

She rolled toward me, propping her head onto her arm, and I did the same, facing her. “This is bad, Eve. Maybe not Sarah level of bad, but Dad will besomad. And what are you going to do if you get pregnant?”

“We’re using protection.”

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