Page 116 of The Photograph

What’s so fucking funny? You left me, too.

“Vanessa, you’re telling me you had Gabe when he was young and wanted you to be his forever.” There’re a few seconds of silence before Aelin continues. “You had him, and you left him?”

High heels hit the wooden floor. Aelin resumes, her voice is clearer, closer, so she must have been the one whose steps we heard. When she speaks again, her tone is low.

“You miss his kisses, don’t you? Those deep drugging kisses that make you forget your own name and would drive you to do just about anything to get more of him, right?”

When Cal snaps his mocking smile at me, heat crawls up my face and I shuffle on my feet.Damn, baby.

Vanessa snorts. “Don’t be naive. Trust me, it takes more than sex to make a relationship work. And I can tell you now, he’ll never marry you.”

“What makes you think I want to marry him?.”

Why the fuck not?I grit my teeth while Cal’s chest shakes with laughter.

Aelin laughs again and the silk of her dress rustles as if she’s getting closer to Vanessa.

“Vanessa, he wanted you, and you left and married someone else.Youleft him and I’m the stupid one?”

The door slams.

“Told you she could take her,” Cal says.

A few seconds later, Emma’s voice raises. “Ael, are you okay?”

The heavy sigh that sifts through makes me clench my fists.

“I’m fine, sweetie. Dear God, this woman’s nasty.”

Emma grunts in agreement. “Your Gabe has shit taste in women. I mean except for you.”

Aelin chuckles again, but there’s sadness in her voice. “He was never mine, Em. I was just the woman who needed to pay for hurting his brother. And I agree, he has shit taste in women. Apparently, he likes them mean.”

Is this what you think you are to me?

I settle on the armchair next to Cal as Emma giggles.

“‘His kisses are so deep you forget your own name?’ You might have pushed that one a bit far, babe, but I wish I was there to see the bitch’s face. Love it!”

Wincing at the grinding of a chairs being dragged across the floor, I grab a beer bottle while the women are settling down.

Aelin’s friend gasps loudly. “Oh, my God, your face! You were serious? Does he really kiss you like that?”

She doesn’t say a word, butI knowshe’s biting her bottom lip. The vision makes me hard. Harder.

“Holy shit, Ael,” Emma whisper-shouts. “I remember you breaking up with a lot of dates just because they kissed you wrong.”

The women laugh while Cal and I gawk at each other.

“I have one question,” Emma says, and Aelin groans. “No, no need for the scowl, I’m not asking for details. I know you’re private and blah blah. But you have to tell me, on a scale of one to ten, how good was he in the smooching department?”

Another groan cuts through the warm night. Aelin.

Emma giggles. “Ael, come on. All you said was ‘the way I feel when he touches me is like flying higher and higher’ which by the way I never felt. Seriously, it’s just a freaking number.”

Shit.I fucking love sex with you, too, baby.I hang my head low while my cock hardens to the point of pain.

When Cal makes a noise, I whip my eyes to my friend who slants sideways and mouths,“Do you need a moment alone?”

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