Page 62 of Vicious Little Snakes
Caroline’s mother’s voice carries down the hall, and although I don’t understand her, I can tell what she’s saying isn’t cordial at all. Her heels come to a stop as she snaps her fingers, pulling my attention, an embarrassed look spreading over her sharp features. Because she’s not barking at me.
“Oh. I apologize, Liam. I was unaware anyone was here.”
Caroline’s standing next to her, in a pair of jeans and a white sweater that has little colorful polka dots all over it. Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen her so casual. Caroline’s always presentation ready.
Vivienne huffs in Caroline’s direction, making me frown. “Go change. This is exactly why I said what I said. We have a guest, and you look…” She searches for the word, so I cut in.
“You look perfect”—shit—too honest—“Perfect for where we’re going.”
I’m suddenly on my feet, walking toward Caroline’s wide eyes and her mother’s confused expression.
“She didn’t tell you?” I ask, running my hand over my newly shorn hair. “I asked Caroline to go with me to the park today. I have a boat that I’d like to sail on the pond.”
Vivienne takes in my casual appearance, much the same as Caroline’s, minus the polka-dot sweater, and nods.
“Oh. Well. Have fun then, I suppose.”
Caroline doesn’t look as her mother walks away, opting to keep her eyes on mine. I take her hand and grin. “Ready to go?”
She narrows her eyes. “You little liar. What about your plans with Grey?”
“He’ll live. But your mother may eat you alive. Come on.”
* * *
Caroline
“It’s going to crash Liam, go right.”
I’m hopping from foot to foot as he races against another boat. The tiny wooden sailboats zoom past each other in the glossy water, creating ripples.
“Shut your pretty little trap,” Liam yells back. “I’m going to take him. I’m not losing.”
The excitement I’m feeling over this race is ridiculous, but I want us to win so badly. Being here today with Liam has felt perfect, even if it’s a fake date. And now I want the icing on the cake.
“Liam,” I shout, pointing to the rock peeking up from the water. The one he’s sailing directly into.
“I got it” precedes “aw, fuck!” as the boat crashes, upending into the water, and Liam tosses the remote to the ground.
He’s such a sore loser that it’s hilarious, but I like it because I’m the only person that ever gets to see Liam this way—imperfect.
“Well...” I say, somberly looking out at the other boat as it crosses the finish line. “You can’t win them all?”
Liam drapes an arm over my shoulder and exhales a hard breath. I follow his gaze, and we stand together, watching our boat slowly sink underwater.
“Carebear. This is a dark day, but we’ll come back.”
I stare up at his profile, pleasantly occupied by our dramatics, pushing my shoulder into his ribs. “Well, I won’t say it. But I told you so. You were warned.”
His face turns down to mine. “I thought you weren’t going to say it?”
“Oh no, you being a pathetic loser is what I’m refraining from saying.”
Liam twists around, grabbing my waist with his other hand, and begins tickling me mercilessly. I scream and try to squirm to get away, but he holds me close to him as I laugh.
“Stop, Liam,” I protest. “You’re going to make me pee my pants!”
He wags his brows, his fingers moving across my stomach. I bend forward when he reaches an especially sensitive spot by my hip, causing his hand to move higher and duck under my sweatshirt, accidentally brushing the underside of my breast.
