Page 97 of One Little Lie
“But you said, in the ocean. On Block Island, you said—”
“I don’t have social media, but Hatty’s Heart does.” My voice cracks with shame.
A loud sigh escapes her, and her brow creases in concentration. That damn lip is between her teeth. I’m fucking this all up. Again.
“It isn’t like I checked it all the time. Only when I was weak. The times late at night when I would miss you so much, I couldn’t breathe. Then, and only then, would I allow myself a glimpse into your life. Well, at least until the car thing,” I admit. “I was a fucking wreck worried you would get kidnapped, or worse, taking those godforsaken buses through the worst parts of London. I was a goddamn maniac checking every twenty minutes, praying you’d give some mundane update so at least I’d know you were alive.”
I tilt my head toward the ceiling. I hadn’t intended on spilling all that.
“We haven’t really … I mean, I don’t know what you—”
We’re interrupted by something that sounds like a cross between a bullhorn and a fisher cat, and we both sit up quickly. The sheet falls to her lap, and I’m momentarily distracted by the pebbling of her perfectly pink nipples.
“Do they have tornado warnings here?” she asks, while scrambling to her feet.
“Shit.” Do they? I have no idea. “That is what it sounded like ri—”
“This is your warning call.” Colton’s distorted voice rings loudly through the door. “I’m coming in. I don’t want to see any nips, bits, wrappers, or any other freaky thing you’ve got going on in there.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I growl.
“Hurry up and get dressed. You know what he’s like. He isn’t kidding. He’s coming in …”
“Countdown begins now. Twenty. Nineteen …”
“He’s insane.”
“He’s taking advantage of the fact that there are no paying guests at the lodge right now.”
I’m slipping a shirt over my head when Rylan starts bouncing into her denim shorts to pull them over her perfectly round ass. Commando.
“Fucking hell, sweetheart. There are maybe two inches from your pussy to the bottom of those shorts. I’m going to be trying to get my fingers in there all day if you don’t put on some panties.”
“Five. Four …”
“There’s no time,” she screeches. Diving into the bathroom, she slams the door just as Colton starts banging on the outside one.
I’ve only managed a T-shirt and boxer briefs. He’ll have to deal.
Yanking the door open, I cross my arms over my chest. Then my scowl deepens when Colt, East, Preston, Seth, and Dillon all brush past me as they walk through the door.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” I try to control my temper, really, I do, but being interrupted by my brothers when a girl … no, not just a girl,thegirl is naked on top of me, pisses me off.
The bathroom door swings open, and Rylan squeaks as she takes in the overcrowded room.
“Ryguy!” Colton quips happily.
I can’t contain the growl low in my throat when he wraps her in a hug that lifts her off her feet.
“Easy there, killer. She is his BFF, remember?” East whispers beside me.
Shaking my head at the ground, I rake a hand through my hair until I can tug at the bunched muscles in my neck.
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask again. This time with more self control.
“We needed to talk to you,” Preston discloses.
I narrow my eyes as I glance around. “You all look guilty.”
