Free In the Bad Boy's Bed by Sophia Ryan

shoulders to prevent her from getting too excited.
    Rhonda was always off and on some kind of mood altering substance, either to calm her down or rev her up.
    "Sean, you and Angela should work out this little squabble of yours on your own, without help from us." He tossed him the keys to his car. "Get out of here. Go for a drive.
    Kiss and make up."
    Everyone laughed at the Kiss and Make Up part. Everyone but me.
    "And don't come back until you do," Rhonda added and grabbed her husband's drink from his hand and downed the two fingers of amber liquor cooling at the bottom of the highball.
    "I'd rather have my toenails pulled out. Excuse me." I turned away, with the intent to dash up the stairs to my room, but my dad caught my arm at the elbow, the frown on his face so hard it could cut cement.
    "Excuse me , young lady, but you will not be rude to these people who are like family to you. You will apologize, and you will go with Sean to work things out between you."
    They still didn't believe Sean had hit me. The only way out of this one was to tell the truth about Nick and me. I looked at my parents, anger and embarrassment weighing on their faces and bodies.
    I turned toward Rhonda and Rey. Rhonda's eyes were soft and kind, her mouth curved in to a small smile as she met my eyes. She had bought me my first bra when my mother couldn't face the reality that those really were breasts filling out my Power Puff Girl T-shirts.
    When my dad was out of town on business, it had been Rey who had taught me to waltz in preparation for my first cotillion. He looked at me now with patience and humor in his eyes.
    The Carringtons had been a part of our every family holiday celebration, large and small, since the day I was born. They loved me like their own. That knowledge softened my heart and tempered my anger.
    "I apologize for my rudeness."
    My bare feet didn't make a sound on the thick carpet as I walked to them, hugged them. They hugged me back like all was immediately forgotten and forgiven.
    "Sean, take Angela for some ice cream, on me." My dad pulled a twenty from his wallet and handed to Sean. "And bring something chocolate back for the rest of us."
    I didn't want to go, but I also didn't want to create another scene. The adults stared at Sean and me, pushing us with their eyes out the door. Right before I climbed into Rey's car, I saw the four of them head outside to the patio. Dad wanted to show off his new grill.

    Sean tried to hold my hand, but I pulled it away. A cold sweat popped out on my forehead at the memory of the last time I was in the car with him. If I tried to eat ice cream now, it wouldn't stay down.
    "I meant it when I said we're through. We might be able to find a way to be civil to each other because of our parents, but we will never be together again. Got it?"
    "You used to be a lot more fun." Sean gripped the wheel tighter as he took a corner going 60. "Now you're just a bitch."
    The name stung, but I was actually glad he felt that way. Maybe he wouldn't want to bother with me . . . or Nick. I stared out the window, seeing Nick's face in the passing landscape.
    Ah, Nick. I can smell you, taste you, feel your rough hands on my soft parts. All I want to do right now is get lost in you while you whisper all your painful secrets onto my skin. I need to see you. Now. I'm crawling out of my skin from wanting to get to you. Can you hear my voice in your head? Come to me. Tonight. Please. Please.
    "Please?"
    Hearing my silent word said aloud pulled me from my vaporous thoughts. I turned dazed eyes toward Sean. His hands were at his sides. His eyes were on me, not on the road ahead of him. The car wasn't moving anymore. I looked out the window again.
    The ice cream shop stood in front of us, a colorful neon sign announcing the number of flavors they offered.
    "Did you say something?" I asked.
    "I said, please, let's try to get along."
    "Sure. Let's try." My enthusiasm as dry as dirt, I climbed out of the car before he