Page 21 of Bloom

I shake my head and he retreats, but not before giving me another one of those almost-smiles. I wait until he reverts his attention to the eggs scrambling on the stove before pinching myself on the arm, genuinely shocked when I feel a sting of pain that confirms I’m not dreaming.

“Hunter.”

I recognize Lux’s tone. I don’t like it. Even more than I don’t like the sly, suspicious look on her face.

She asks, “Did you sleep here too?”

“Yes, ma’am. Oscar told me to take the spare room.”

Lux hums, gaze flitting my way. “And where did you sleep, exactly?”

“Sofa.”

Another hum.

Hunter doesn’t see Lux jerk her head towards the porch, but he must hear the screech of the screen door as I follow her outside, and I can only pray that’s all he hears.

With a vice-like grip on my arm, Lux drags me down the steps and what I hope is a safe distance away from the house before hissing, “Did you give him a blowjob or something?”

“Lux!” I cast a frantic look behind us—voices freaking carry out here.

Undeterred, she continues, “Hunter just made you coffee.”

I pretend I’m not just as freaking perplexed. “So?”

“Like, willingly.”

“I was there, Lux.” God, if I’d ever hoped Hunter’s dislike of me was all in my head, or at least a little exaggerated, the look on Lux’s face would’ve eradicated that notion. I repeat, “So?”

“SoI would’ve been less surprised if he’d thrown coffee in your face.” She cocks her head, narrowing her eyes. “It was a hand job, wasn’t it?”

My cheeks burn. “I didnotdo that.” There's only one person that I've donethatto and it happens to be the brother of the girl wiggling her eyebrows at me suggestively.

“I think he likesss youuuuu,” Lux sings playfully, swaying her hips in as vigorous a dance as the baby sucking his breakfast from her nipple will allow.

Ha. My drugging theory is more likely than that. “I think he just feels bad.”

An expectant look on her face, Lux gestures for me to elaborate.

“I kinda yelled at him the other day.”

Lux blinks. “You yelled?”

“A little.”

“I didn't know you were capable.”

“Oh, shut up.”

The corner of her mouth twitches upwards. “Did you call him a big meanie?”

“Lux.”

“A butthead?”

“Stop it!”

“Did he cry?”

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