The sword crossing scene.
The scene that was so filthy,Ihad to put the book down to process.It was glorious.Until it wasn’t.
The scene that, apparently,brokeJoel’s brain for a good thirty seconds before it rebooted.
I feel myself overheating just thinking about it.Clearly he hadn’t Googled it.I don’t know if I should pity him or be thankful for that fact.
“Okay, what’s going on with you?”Vivian’s voice cuts through my spiral, dragging me back to the present like a snapped rubber band.
I blink at her, then at the rest of the Dirty B’s, all of whom are now staring at me like I’m a new species of human.Aweirdspecies.One that doesn’t usually malfunction in the presence of romance novels.
“What do you mean?”I ask, summoning every ounce of casual detachment I possess.I reach for a hint of boredom, but it doesn’t sound right, even to me.
Lily narrows her eyes.“You haven’t said a single thing about the book.Or rolled your eyes at Vivian’s dramatics tonight.”
“Or looked at her phone once,” Carlie interjects, sipping her wine.
I blink at her, cringing slightly.Shit.
Tasia quirks an eyebrow and nods sagely.“Yeah, come to think of it, that’s super odd.”
“Are you kidding?It’s not just odd.It’s downright out of character,” Quinn quips, giving me a once over.
“What are you talking about?I’m notalwayson my phone,” I fire back, rolling my eyes.
The entire collective gasps.
Okay, so that’s probably fair.
Quinn crosses his legs and peers at me skeptically..“Oh, shetotallyhas something going on.”
I freeze, hoping that if I don’t make any sudden movements, they’ll all move on.
“I have to agree with Quinn.What’s up, Anna?”Lily asks, always the first to try to help out when none is necessary.
Shit.
“Nothing,” I say too quickly, reaching for my wine and taking a big gulp.Then I remember what I almost did last night and set it back down, shoving it away.
Vivian and Lily exchange a look.The kind of look that sayswe’re not letting this go.
“Anna,” Lily says, tilting her head.“Did something happen?Do you need to talk about it?”
I shake my head.“Nope.Right as rain over here.”
“You’re sure?”Vivian presses, smiling like a shark.“Because your whole energy is off.And that’s saying something.”
That’s because it is.
I swallow hard, refusing to look at any of them.Everything is fucking off.My world is no longer tilting at the same axis.
Tasia leans in, eyes sparking with the kind of curiosity that could rival my mother’s.“Is it work?Or—” She pauses, her eyes flashing with mischief.“Is it because of Joel?”
Oh god.Why did she have to say his name?
Carlie sits up straighter, suddenly invested.“Oh yeah.I forgot about all that.How has it been living with Joel?”
I feel the blood drain from my body and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.