Page 38 of Forever Cursed

Pickles charges in after Max and Ash and joins the fray. Max’s screams get louder as Ash runs away from that ball of chaos.

“Pickles, help me get Max!”

The three of them burst into the living room as Ash gets Max into a headlock and digs his fist on top of his head. “Gotcha, sucker!”

“This is cruel and unusual punishment.” Max struggles to get Ash off his back as Pickles starts to bat at his nose. “I’m suing for brother abuse.”

“You know you love me,” Ash says, planting a big kiss on Max’s cheek before letting him go.

Max rubs it off his face with faux disgust. “Yeah, yeah, but you owe me.”

Pickles crawls to Gwen’s side as she catches her breath.

“Look what you did to my girlfriend. She can’t breathe because of you.” Ash gestures to Gwen, and she starts laughing again.

“Stop! I can’t handle anymore.”

Chrissy rights her posture as the three of them go back and forth. She turns to face me, her dazzling eyes meeting mine, and color rushes to my cheeks. “Welcome to our crazy family, Carter.”

She ruffles my hair, and I allow my shoulders to relax.

“Did you have fun today?” she asks with hope tinging in her voice.

“Today has been a blast. Thank you again.”

She wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes me. Without thinking, I hug her back and rest my chin on her shoulder.

“Anytime, but you know what this means now, right?” Her breath is warm against my ear.

I take in a deep breath, soaking in her scent before responding. “Tell me.”

“You can never get rid of me. I’m going to bother you until the end of our days.”

The idea sets my heart into overdrive, and my stomach flips.

“You could never bother me. It would be a pleasure to have youbother meuntil we part,” I whisper in her ear.

Her back arches under my palms before she releases a puff of air.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, all-star.”

“Don’t say I never wanted it, Wildflower.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Rome

“Pick up the pace!” Coach orders from the sidelines.

Sweat drenches every inch of my body. The sun is relentless today, hammering down on us. Most of us are panting and on the verge of heat exhaustion.

“One last drill! Push it!”

I straighten and scan for the ball as it’s thrown. Once I spot it, I arch toward it and grunt as I catch it and pull it in against my chest.

“That’s it, Carter!” Coach Bradson shouts, his voice on the verge of giving out. “Do that if you want to get out of here! Carter and Faulkner, you’re dismissed!”

I take a moment and fall on my back, my chest rising and falling while the other guys continue their drills. Pushing myself on my feet, I strip my shirt off and walk past the cheerleaders pretending not to watch us.

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