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It was actually funny at thispoint that she was still putting on this show for him. He clearlydidn’t want her attention in that way. He glanced up from hislaptop while she smoothly removed her scarf. She completely ignoredme as she all but begged for his attention.
“I missed you today,” she poutedand I fought to not roll my eyes. “I was hoping to get to know youa little better before we left Colorado.”
Ian looked at his computer withsuch intensity it was as if the answer to the problem that wasMelonie could be found there. “Shame,” was all he said.
She shrugged as she eyed the seatbetween us. I swore that if she sat down there I would kick her inher perfect ass. “Maybe there’s still time,” she said smoothly asshe stepped forward. I looked up from my book then and eyed hercautiously. The jealousy churning in my gut was a new feeling Ihated.
“I’ve been thinking…” she trailedoff as she gracefully sank onto the couch, leaving no space betweenher and Ian. My fingers clenched around my book at the thought ofher touching him. Even if Ian visibly leaned away from her, itdidn’t stop the red rimming around my vision. “I’ve always beeninterested in the medical field, maybe I could pick your brainlater tonight?” She lifted her hand and trailed it lightly againsthis thigh. She was being oddly bold tonight, even for her. “Maybehelpme figure out if it’s for me,” she asked, her wordsdripped with innuendo. She was laying it on so thick I nearlygagged in disgust.
Before I could think any better, Islammed my book closed. “You have got to be fucking joking?” Iasked harshly. I knew my face was contorted with annoyance but Ididn’t care anymore. I was so fed up with Melonie and all herbullshit. It was bad enough that she constantly led Ben on but nowshe needed all the male attention in this house? It was far pastthe time I spoke my mind.
“Because it sounds like a joke.The thought that you could even make it into medical school is thefunniest thing I’ve heard all year.” I huffed a humorless laugh asshe scowled at me.
“How about you mind your ownbusiness,Lindsey?” She hissed my name like a curseword.
“How about you stay in yourfucking lane?” I bit right back. “The only reason you’re passingmost of your classes now is because you’re fucking the TAs.” Ismiled viciously when she gasped as if what I said wasn’t thetruth.
“You’re just jealous!” She stoodabruptly and scowled down at me.
I calmly picked my book back upand opened it before replying. “What exactly am I supposed to bejealous of? Everything about you is fake,Melonie.Andyou’re so desperate for any kind of male attention that you’ll fuckalmost anyone with a pulse. On top of that, you’re a damn idiot. Gotake your bullshit somewhere else because I’ve had enough,” Istated as a matter of fact. I didn’t grace her with my attentionany longer as I turned my full attention back to my book. My heartwas racing a mile a minute but I didn’t care. It was far past timeI stood up to my bully.
I could practically feel Melonievibrate with rage as she stared down at me. “You’re just a fatasswho’s jealous that you’ll never measure up to someone like me,” shespat.
I heard Ian make a sound ofdisdain and bluster at her comment about my weight. I simply lookedup from the page I’d thumbed to before replying calmly, “And thankGod for that.”
Melanie’s face went beet redbefore she growled in frustration and stomped away toward her room.Bitch.
I was still shaking withadrenaline when I glanced over at Ian who was staring at me. Icaught his gaze and immediately felt my anger melt into somethingdeeper. He was looking at me like he was about to pounce on me. Thedark look in his eyes heated my core and I squeezed my thighstogether to ward off the ache. Residual bravado thrummed through myblood, causing me to smirk at him. His eyes flared like he woulddrag me off to his bed at any moment. He was turned on fromwatching me tell Melonie off. He liked it when I stood up formyself.I did too.
Before I could think of all theways I wanted him to touch me, Anna rounded the corner. I lookedaway from Ian quickly and acted like I was still reading my book.The words on the pages blurred together as Anna huffed loudly.
I looked over my shoulder in timeto see her enter with an annoyed glaze to her face. She’d kickedoff her boots at the front door but had left the rest of her dampsnow gear on. I smiled at her and shook my book as if to show herI’d been enjoying the story between the pages. Only Ian and I knewthat was a complete lie.
I thought briefly about tellingAnna here and now about us. Something about losing my virginityonly hours ago made me bolder in what I wanted. And what I wantedwas Ian. The only thing holding us back at this point was my needto tell my friend what was happening.
I didn’t want to sneak around andpull apart every time we saw Anna. If we were going to give thisthing a real shot between us I didn’t want to treat him like somedirty little secret.
I watched Anna trudge into theroom before she plopped down on the couch between Ian and me,sitting on top of my blanket-covered feet. I could smell the meltedsnow soaking into her thick winter gear. She looked irritated asshe stared at the fire in front of us. I wiggled my toes againsther bottom to get her attention.
“Rough night?” I asked.
She scoffed before pulling herstocking from her head with a huff. “Why the fuck did I let Meloniecome with us?” she asked.
I snorted as I stole a glance atIan, who wore a similar smirk on his lips. He stared at the glowingscreen of his computer again but I knew he was listening toeverything we were saying.
“Because she invited herself andyou’re too nice of a friend to tell her to fuck off,” I answeredbefore closing my book and sitting up against the arm of the couch.I slid my feet out from under her and crossed my legs in front ofme. I placed my book on the end table before facing her again.“What happened?”
Anna rolled her eyes and openedher mouth to speak as the front door clicked shut behind me. Ilooked over my shoulder again in time to see Ben saunter past theliving room. He paused when he saw me, making brief eye contactbefore looking past me. His eyes darkened and flickered with somekind of emotion I couldn’t recognize before he stalked past us onhis way to his room. When I moved my gaze in the direction he hadstared, I found Ian scowling toward the way he’d disappeared. Theanger radiating from him was almost palpable before he glanced atme. His eyes immediately softened before returning to hiscomputer.
“Why did I invite Ben to comealong?” I muttered under my breath.
It was Anna’s turn to snort thattime. I noticed Ian’s lips twitch behind her as if he found myrevelation about Ben funny. “Because you’re a good friend andalways tend to ignore other people’s quarks, even if they are superfucking creepy,” she answered as she unzipped her coat.
She pulled her arms out of the wetgarment before tossing it at me. I yelped as I caught it. It wascold and wet and I wanted nothing to do with it as I threw it tothe floor.
“So what happened?” Ian’s deepvoice interjected. He closed his laptop and set it on the end tablebefore facing Anna. He genuinely looked interested as he observedher, further reminding me that he was indeed a good dad who wasinterested in his daughter’s life.
Anna shrugged and blew out a huffof annoyance. “Mel and Ben were just a pair to deal with tonight. Ithink I’ve come to the conclusion that they did fuck earliertoday,” she admitted and I winced. I hated that Melonie used Benlike that.
