Page 15 of Point Proven
Huffing, he slackened against me. “Okay, touché,but… Oh, I don’t know! It’s hot during sex, but now I’m stuck to a sweaty meat rag that’s holding me hostage.”
I flattened one hand on his ass before shrugging him off my shoulder. He collided with the couch before he could even draw a full breath, and I placed my hand on its back, glaring down at him.
“I’m offended you would refer to me as asweaty meat rag.”
Smiling, he tilted his head up to plant a kiss on my jaw. “You let me go.”
“Oh, I’ll let you go.” I pushed myself upright and stepped away from the couch, turning my back to him. “I’ll keep that insult in mind next time you want something from me.”
“Hey… Hey, wait! Come back, baby.”
“Nope. Thissweaty meat ragis going to take a shower. You know, need to prepare myself to meet my drama queen of a fiancé’s expectations.”
“Okay,again, touché, but… this drama queen was joking.”
Walking toward the hall, I lifted my hand and jokingly uttered something I knew would piss him off. “Shouldn’t you be in the kitchen? Doing your job?”
I didn’t have to see him to know he was angry, his face probably boiling red as he shouted, “Oh, kitchen jokes? Okay,fine, but if there’s shit in your food, don’t blame the cook!”
Chuckling, I headed up the stairs before slipping into our room, scratching behind Mercy’s ears as I made my way to the bathroom. “He’s such a priss. Don’t you agree?”
She lifted her head, that wide smile growing on her lips as her tongue flopped out between them—a yes.
With one more eager rub, I pulled away and continued with the task I’d promised.
I stabbedmy fork into the last piece of chicken on my plate, glancing between Simon and Liam. “Now that we’ve eaten, do we get to discuss?”
They’d both been adamant about not interrupting the meal, stating that the discussion could wait until we’d all finished up with the main course. It was a comment that suggested they knew Oren far too well; it was never just a one-course meal with him.
Carrying a tray of some type of intricate apple pastry I’d heard him scream over for the past hour, he set it on thetable with a satisfied hum. “Salted-butter apple galette with maple butter whipped cream, of course,” he added, as ifanyoneexpected that for dessert.
Liam perked up slightly. “Wow, that looks divine, Oren.”
“Please,” I muttered, draining the rest of my whiskey. “Do not feed his ego.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he rolled his eyes. “At least someone appreciates myjobin the kitchen.”
My gaze snapped toward him, the attitude that’d remained since before my shower drawing up the sudden temptation to snag a cigarette and step outside. “Glad Liam can suck your cock for you, Oren. Maybe he could do so with some of that maple butter.”
His lips twitched, and he frowned before sitting in the empty seat next to me. “It’s maple butter whipped cream,” he muttered under his breath.
“It looks great,” Simon added, cutting into it with haste. “I’m sure it’ll taste equally amazing, right?”
Liam nodded, diving into the dish as well, and everyone at the table seemed to ignore my question regarding our discussion.
Flattening my hands against the dark oak, I shoved my chair back. “I’m going to step outside. Whenever you guys elect to have this conversation you so deeply desired to come over for, come snag me.”
Pivoting on my heel, I didn’t give any of them time to speak as I made my way down the hall and up the stairs. Swiping the box of cigarettes and lighter from my nightstand drawer, I opened the sliding glass door, stepping out onto the balcony and shutting it behind me.
Was I relying on my flawed crutches to keep me from spiraling over the incessant thoughts roaring through mymind? Yes. Had what Oren said really affected me that much? Apparently fucking yes.
I pulled a cigarette from its home, inserting it between my lips as I loosened a breath. Flicking the metal once, a flame roared to life, and I brought it to the stick waiting to be ignited with sin. With one connection, I inhaled deeply, allowing the nicotine to flood my senses before I pocketed the lighter.
Taking multiple drags, I leaned forward, resting my forearms against the railing. Satisfied by the roaring burn in my lungs, I held each mouthful of smoke longer than the last, basking in the numbness that slowly began to flood my body.
The door glided to the side, and I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. “Thorne? You’re… smoking.”
“Yeah, I needed a minute.”
