Page 104 of Next to Everything We Wanted
“You’ve had a nice run, Sienna,” Emma said, her voice mimicking a villain’s. “But it’s time for me to finish you.”
I held my fist in the air. “I refuse to lose!”
“I don’t even have a chance to revive my streak,” Gavin muttered, frowning as he searched through his deck. “Did you even shuffle right?”
“I did!” Emma held out her pinkie. “Cheaters get stitches.”
“I thought it was snitches get stitches.”
Adam’s brows furrowed. “I thought it was another word that rhymes with snitches.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s just finish this game.”
When it was Emma’s turn to pick a new card, her evil grin fell. “No!”
“Ha!” I shouted. “Count your days, Emma Rowan.”
After a few more rotations, Gavin and I were neck-to-neck. A smile filled my lips as I placed one of my two cards down. “Uno.”
Gavin sighed. “That word could kill.”
“It sure can.” All I had was this final green, and my winning streak would be maintained.
When Gavin said, “Uno,” in the next rotation, he placed a card down and reversed the circle back to Adam. Grinning, Adam put his card down and said, “Uno.” I was convinced this game would never end when Emma put down her reverse card and brought it back to Adam.
The world stopped as he placed his last card down. “I did it!” He pumped his fists in the air and beamed.
“No!” I fell onto the couch cushion behind me. “My twenty-four wins.Gone.”
“They’re notallgone. They’re just no longer relevant.”
When I sat up, I realized Emma and Gavin were trying to hide their grins as well. Shoot, even Bailey looked at me with humor in her eyes.
My jaw dropped. “You made me lose on purpose!”
Adam shook his head. “No, we’re just all happy that you got what you deserved for bragging all the time.”
I crossed my arms, frowning as they laughed at me. After a few moments, I joined them.
The next few games went by quickly. Adam crushed us on Chutes and Ladders, Emma won Candyland, and Gavin didn’t give us a chance in four-player Chess. I was completely off my game, and I danced around the living room when I finally won Monopoly. I tripped over one of Bailey’s chew toys, falling onto the couch.
Gavin helped me up. “Are you okay?”
I groaned, rubbing where I’d hurt my stomach. “That’s what I get for not cleaning up the toys.”
“Where does it hurt?” Gavin’s hand slid up the front of my shirt before he pulled it back. “Oh, crap, sorry?—”
My cheeks burned. “No, it’s fine.” I took his hand and slipped it underneath my shirt, just far enough to touch the tender skin on my lower stomach.
“Does that feel better?” he asked, his husky voice sending tingles through my body.
“Much better.” I removed his hand before my mouth met his in a short kiss.
Adam gagged from behind us. “I’m going to throw up.”
“Shut up,” Emma hissed.
I laughed before pulling away from Gavin. “Don’t worry, we’ll save the PDA for later.”
