Page 38 of Cursed Love
Peter rolled his eyes. “I’m a werewolf, babycakes. We communicate telepathically, so I’m aware of all the signs.”
Ryan looked from her to Peter. “I’m sorry for trying to squeeze your junk to oblivion. I don’t want you naked around Brandy.” He turned to her next. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry for assuming things and getting jealous.”
Peter huffed again. “What? No ‘I don’t want you naked around Peter’?”
“Shut up!” Ryan and Brandy echoed.
She snuffed out the fire with a flick of her finger. “Thanks, Peter. Can I have a moment with him?”
Peter sighed with relief. “Thanks for not burning down my cabin.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be right outside if you need me, babycakes.”
“Babycakes?” Ryan asked once Peter left the room.
She shrugged. She was not sure where Peter had come up with it, but now she was used to it after nearly two weeks of hanging out with him.
After stepping into the room, Ryan attempted to close the door. “What happened here?”
“I wouldn’t let him in, and he was worried, so he brute-forced his way in.” Brandy sat on the edge of the bed, nervous and relieved to have Ryan back.
He sat next to her and linked their fingers. “I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”
“I refuse to be with someone who flies off the handle when I’m around another man. The only reason Peter was even naked was because he had just come out of his wolf form, something I think you realize deep down inside.”
“I do. I really do trust you two. I wouldn’t have left you to work on your powers with Peter protecting you if I didn’t. Something inside me… I can’t explain it. Then after we came together, it was stronger.”
“So you’re telling me I’m going to lose my fucking mind when a woman approaches you?” she asked with real curiosity.
“Maybe? I don’t know... What I do know is I promise to drop it with Peter.”
“Good, because he’d never do that to you. Also, you can’t keep pulling a disappearing act anytime you’re pissed at me!” she snapped and pushed to her feet. “Then you couldn’t even answer me when I needed to know you were okay.”
Ryan ran a hand through his hair. “I was a dick—”
“An asshole,” she said, clarifying his own insult. “It was childish, and I think if I left and didn’t tell you I was okay at the very least, you’d have lost your damn mind.”
He stood and stopped her from pacing. His fingers gently curled around her upper arms. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I was selfish and, yeah, a little childish.”
“A little?”
“A lot?” He smirked, and a shard of ice fell from her heart.
“We can’t expect whatever we are to work if we don’t communicate,” she said.
He nodded. “You’re right, one hundred percent, and I won’t pull that shit anymore.”
“Where the hell were you anyway?”
His thumbs caressed her skin. “I needed to cool down, so I went for a walk. I made a mess of things and didn’t want to make it worse. Eventually, I ended up at some nearby woods and slept there. Came back but didn’t know what to say, so I kept an eye on the cabin and some strangers who neared the enchantments.”
“Did they leave?”
“Eventually.” He shrugged and tipped her face toward his. “You’ve been crying.”
She knew her face was a mess. There was no reason to reply.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. Iama moron…” Ryan lowered his mouth to hers, brushing a featherlight kiss onto her lips. “I’ll try harder. This is new to me, but I hate how much I’ve hurt you… hurt us.”
Brandy nodded. She was unable to give him more and was still sore from the wound he’d inflicted. Her life had changed so much in the last couple of months, leaving her breathless as she tried to catch up.
