Page 130 of Shade
“Did you fuck her?”
I groan, my head hitting the table. “No.”
I could have. Scarlet was certainly drunk enough and asleep on the couch next to Tiller. I’m jealous he’s cuddling with her, and I’m not, but to be fair, she was sleeping on me earlier. It was like one giant slumber party in the living room, and sadly, no sex happened. At least not for me.
Roan laughs, cracking eggs into a bowl. “Who is that guy?”
I peek one eye open and look at where he’s pointing to the table. It’s like the third time this month that guy has been naked on our table. “No clue. But he needs to fuck his own table.”
Roan frowns. “We’re burning that table today.”
Roan finishes making scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, you name it and he’s cooking it. Kinda pays to have a brother who enjoys cooking. Growing up, he and Ricky bonded over their love for it, and it’s kind of always been their thing, aside from dirt bikes.
It’s another half an hour before Tiller and Scarlet are awake. Probably because Auden’s awake which means he’s turned on the television. He’s one of those people who has to have the television on.
Tucking a cigarette behind his ear and patting his pockets for his lighter, Auden gasps as he checks out Tiller’s back. “Christ man, that’s gnarly.”
“What happened?” Scarlet asks, stretching next to him.
“You,” Tiller snaps, shoving her off the couch and onto the floor.
Scarlet stands up, rolling her eyes. “What did I do?”
I crane my neck forward, a mouthful of eggs. “You hit him with a lawn chair,” I mumble around the food.
“What happened last night?” she dares to ask, sitting next to me. Before I know it, she’s drinking my coffee and picking at my toast.
I grin. “You poured 151 in your eye. Ran face first into a cactus. Threw a lawn chair at Tiller and then passed out on the couch. Oh, and pissed yourself. You fit right in with these fuckers.”
She looks down midbite of my toast, noticing she’s wearing a pair of my underwear. “Wow, that’s embarrassing. Whose underwear are these?”
I wink, taking my toast back. “Mine.”
Scarlet laughs. “Jesus. Tequila is a sneaky ninja bitch that doesn’t kick in until you least expect it. Then BAM! You’re peeing in unconventional places.”
AUDEN TAKES A slow drag of his cigarette, then holds it in. “You seem to be doing better. New assistant caught your interest?”
We’re sitting outside, me on my second cup of coffee since Scarlet stole my first one, him smoking as usual.
“No.” Lie. I don’t usually lie to Auden or anyone for that matter, but I don’t know how I feel about Scarlet in general, let alone if I want to tell anyone about it.
“Yeah, right.” He laughs, blowing smoke out through his nose. “I sawthatlook before.”
I lean in and dip my head forward so he knows I mean business. I getwhyhe gave me that letter from Rhya, but I still don’tappreciatehim making me read it. I could have been just fine not knowing I had anything to do with her killing herself. “You mention Rhya and I’ll slam your fucking head into this table.”
“Jesus, calm down.” He puts out his cigarette and stands from the table, reaching for his keys. “I’m only saying I haven’t seen you like this sincebeforeher.”
He has a point and I know it. Do I acknowledge it?
No, not really.
After Auden leaves, I stay sitting outside in the lounge chairs, thinking about going out on the track for a little while.
Just as I’m getting up, Scarlet comes outside, dressed in her own clothes now and looking like she’s showered. Her hair catches my attention again. She’s straightened it from what I can tell.
“What’d you do to your hair?” I ask, watching her walk toward me in a pair of skin-tight dark jeans and a loose-fitting black shirt. I don’t like the shirt. It’s loose fitting and I can’t stare at those nipple rings all day like I want to.
Do you see the way she looks at me? Do you feel the way my chest tugs at the look?
