Page 80 of The Beginning and End of Everything
She grabs my shoulder and turns me around, her gaze narrowing on my throbbing cheek. "Why Is your face red?"
"Fight," I say as a way of an explanation. I mean, shit, Idofight for a living.
Rolling her eyes, she opens the cabinet I just closed, takes the milk out, and then puts it in the fridge. "I don't know why you let Larry bully you into getting hit."
"I don't," I say defensively. The truth is, Ilikegetting hit, and although things are so much better with Poppy in my life, I willalwaysseek out that small punishment. I willalwayslike the pain, which makes me a prick since I know it upsets her. "He took my advice, got a better fighter." I shrug.
She glares at me, those grey eyes of hers stormy as hell. "No one is a better fighter than you. Try again."
I take a step toward her, smiling as I wrap my arms around her waist. "Your faith in me is cute, but there is alwayssomeonebetter."
"Okay, so, he hit you?Youlet some other guy get the upper hand?"
I lift my shirt, showcasing the blossoming purple bruise where Iletthe fucker nail me in the kidney.
"Doubled me over and went for the face. The kid’s got skills." I trail my fingers over her cheek, and her expression softens slightly. "You're sexy when you're mad." I smirk, leaning in to kiss her.
She covers my mouth with her hand. "You're lying to me, Brandon O’Kieffe."
"I'm not..." I mumble beneath her palm.
“You’re not a skilled liar.” She presses her hand harder over my mouth as she inches her face toward mine. "Your left eye is twitching. Italwaysdoes that when you lie."
I tug her hand from my mouth. "Oh, I'm skilled at a lot of useful things." I cock a brow and kiss her neck—she lets me for all of two seconds.
"That's up for debate." She turns away, and I pick up the dishcloth, twisting it around in the air and flicking it at her arse. She yelps and backs away before taking off across the living room and down the hall toward the bedroom.
When I catch her, I grab her waist and toss her onto the bed. I brace my weight over her small body, feeling the warm rush of her breath over my jaw. Her face is flushed, a wide smile on her lips as she stares up at me.
"You're an ass," she says slightly winded.
"Don't pretend you don't like a little spanking." I grip her thighs, pulling them apart and settling between them.
I press my mouth to hers the way I’ve wanted to all day. And there it is, the calm, that feeling of something being so right it soothes your very soul. I just need my daily hit of Poppy, and I’ll be okay. I kiss her until she's breathless, and then I sit up, pulling her with me until she's cradled in my lap. Her fingertips absentmindedly draw circles over my back, sweeping along the numb area where my scar starts.
"I have a surprise for you."
A smile inches over her lips. "I can only imagine."
"Sorry to say, it doesn't involve me naked."
I lean over, pushing her back as I reach for the bedside table. "Close your eyes. Open your hand."
She hesitates, arching one brow. "I swear to God, if it is a small animal or insect, I will have a heart attack and die."
"This is not primary school, and I'm not keeping a frog in the bedside table." I smirk. "Close your eyes."
She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and holds out her hand. I place the key in her palm. "Okay. Open your eyes."
She picks up the miniature stuffed-possum keychain, the key dangling. "Aww, a tiny stuffed rat to match your tattoo." She smiles. "What's the key for?”
"First, it's a possum. In both instances." I point at the keyring and then my chest.
Her eyes narrow with a glimmer of excitement hidden behind her lids. “Uh-huh.”
“And the key is for our new flat.”
The smile fades just a touch as her eyes fly back down to her palm. “New flat? “
