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"I don’t think that’s what I was feeling that night--I orried, not jealous"

"Don’t lie, you were a little jealous"

Yeah, fine--I was a little bit jealous of her friends

"So you became friends first?" Myroot "Friends to lovers Frenemies I like it"

No, not lovers--not yet

But soon

"To entertain ourselves, we sat outside and played ga each other’s sentences now? Barf

"What kind of gaain, eyes covered with his cap

"Never Have I Ever" I clear ? Where did I go wrong with you?"

"We were sober every night, Mom, relax There was no alcohol involved"

"Well, except for that one tiht I went to her house, had her ass cheeks filling the palue down her throat, and her back against the wall

That was a great fucking night

It wasn’t the night I realized I loved her, but it’s when I knew I could

"It was good for us, I think," Scarlett finally says "We learned a lot about each other"

And ourselves

"Did you know Sterling was once slapped by a guy?"

Mom looks at me, brows raised "No, I did not" Her tone is clipped

Scarlett laughs, reaching to brush my hair back Takes a drink of piña colada "You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed"

"I’m not embarrassed"

"Did he tell you he used to wet the bed until he was eight?" My dad’s voice is half dazed, half asleep

"Jeez Dad! Go to sleep!"

"Oh that’s right!" Mykid, too, so it was a lot of pee"

"Okay, yeah--now I’er, laughing and talking beneath the pale chair so she’s in a position to rest her back against my chest

"It’s so nice out here, I could stay in the sun all day The weather is so gross back home"

She closes her eyes, and I drape the towel over her lower half to blanket her Stroke her hair Kiss her shoulder whenmy mouth there

Eventually I lean my head back and close my eyes, too

Rowdy

Ironically, it was my parents who skipped dinner

Scarlett and I went the ship’s for room and e arrived at the empty table, I immediately craved room service--specifically fresh sushi I could eat off Scarlett’s naked body--but she was hungry and didn’t have the patience for the forty-five-minute wait

So, we stayed Had the entire table to ourselves and ordered practically one of everything off thebut going back to our stateroos spread, watching as Scarlett reers expertly unclasping each buckle

Suddenly, she’s four inches shorter

"We have one ests "Or we could bum around town?"

"I could do another beach day" I’ll do whatever she wants, all daet up early and hit the gym for a few hours? I’ll be back before you wake up"

"Of course I don’ton the

She re theled all during dinner like a tiny chorus of bells

"I’ to take my makeup off real quick"