“Give it to me,” I growl, but he ignores me.
“Fate can be wicked cruel,” Parrish continues, snickering in response. “You really went to the school library, found this gem, and attempted to read it? First, I didn’t know they allowed porno books at Whitehall let alone encouraged students to read them. Second, I warned you over and over again not to fall in love with me. Look what happened.”
He releases me, and I fall into his lap just before he slaps me on the ass with the book.
“Give it back—now,” I repeat, turning over and holding out my hands. “Please? Question mark?” I say it aloud, and I don’t even care.
“No, I’m reading it. I want to see how many pages in before she fucks her stepbrother.” He flips through it and frowns. “There’s a guy named in Max in this, too?”
“That’s … a coincidence.” I sigh and give up, cuddling against Parrish and figuring if he really wants to read it, he can go right ahead. Maybe it’ll turn him on the way it did me? He puts his hand on my head and begins to stroke my hair.
“I’m gonna guess there isn’t a Korean-Irish dude name Kwang-seon McKenna whose grandma taught him to make kimchi and who is—undoubtedly—the hottest guy in the book?”
Parrish barks a laugh.
“At best, you get a spin-off series that nobody reads because everybody likes the main character better.”
“Oh, ouch,” Chas purrs, tapping at his chest with his palm. “If that’s true, then you’re the guy who wins at the end of a love triangle, but that all of the readers hated from the get-go. Nobody is Team Parrish.”
“Everybody is Team Parrish,” he replies, tossing the book on his nightstand and then scooting down so that he can tuck me close against him. Maxx flicks off the light for us, and I know without a doubt that I’ll be asleep in minutes. This playful camaraderie is just too soothing of a nightlight.
“What about Team Maxim? The guy who appears further on in the story, but, when it’s later adapted to film, gets his own theme song upon entrance? Plus, there are t-shirts, dolls, and collectible bottles of his fragrance.” X suggests his own character, and they all chuckle.
“What about the clumsy, dorky main character who likes video games and has a weird obsession with K-dramas, is a simp for Ashnikko, and has a smart mouth?” I mumble, already starting to drift off.
“She wins in every story,” Parrish promises me, and that’s that.
I fall asleep with a smile.
Parrish must be alert enough to remember to adjust our positions before Tess shows up because I’m not angrily awoken by a screaming mother in the middle of the night. When I wake up, he’s gone, and my heart palpates strangely until I remember about the doctor’s visit.
I roll over and go back to sleep, appreciating the sounds of Maxx and Chasm breathing on either side of me.
Eventually, Delphine wakes us all up and we head downstairs so Chasm and I can study while Maxx cooks.
“Life should be more glamorous after you rescue your best friend from a wine cellar after following some tricky ass clues,” Chasm mumbles, his primary focus still on a study sheet for his math class. We both pause at the sound of the garage door opening and exchange glances.
I try not to jump up in excitement when Parrish walks in, maintaining my focus on my work until he manages to sneak a kiss in while Tess is in the kitchen.
“Are you cleared to go back to school?” I ask, trying not to be too hopeful. It probably would be better if he stayed home, but I want him there, and he knows it.
He smirks at me.
“Maybe? Want to ask me nicely?” Parrish pauses and then shifts his mood quickly when he hears Tess coming back in this direction. “Yeah, I’m clear. I’m perfectly fine to start back on Monday.”
“Should I be congratulating you or apologizing?” Chasm asks, scribbling with his stylus and then pausing to point at me with it. “Naekkeo, do your work or you have zero chance of getting all A’s.”
“What’s naekkeo mean?” Tess asks as she appears with several plates in hand, one for her and one for Parrish. Maxx is right behind her, serving me and Chas before leaving and returning with his own plate.
“It means ‘mine’,” Parrish explains apathetically, as if he doesn’t care. “Or like, ‘my sweetheart’. It’s something only gross, young, obsessive couples say to each other. Aegyo vibes.”
Chasm flicks a grape at him and, as these asshole types always do, Parrish catches it.
“Mine?” Tess repeats with a grimace. “Oh, I don’t know how I feel about that.”
“It isn’t like, an alpha male sort of deal,” Chasm explains, still writing math problems and eating, all at the same time. Guess that explains how he’s able to wear so many hats. The boy is mad intelligent. “Just us being cutesy.” He makes a voice that has me rolling my eyes.
