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.He held his arm out to me and I shook my head, backingaway again.No way in hell was I getting in bed with them and being all lovey-dovey while the poorthing was bawling her eyes out.I heard a small sniffle and then Chloe s head lifted.I saw surprise flash across her face before she dschooled her expression again, giving me a guarded and slightly guilty look. Hey, I said softly. Sorry& I just& I heard you and just wanted to see if you needed anything, or ifthere was something I could do?She shook her head at me and gave me a watery smile.I could see her eyes filling back up again andBrandon wrapped her in his arms again.She buried her face against his chest and cuddled closer.Afeeling that I swore I d never feel in my life settled darkly in my chest, squeezing around my heart.Jealousy doesn t sit well with me, especially when there is absolutely no reason for it&.right?Swallowing the nasty feeling down, I gave Brandon a small smile in response to the rueful one heshot me and turned and left the room.I made my way back into my bedroom and sank down on the bedbeside Jackson.He stirred and turned over, reaching for me blindly in the darkness.I allowed him topull me into his body, letting the comforting warmth of him soothe me. What s wrong, baby? he asked, his deep voice sleep-roughened and soft.I shook my head, not caring that he couldn t see it.No way in hell was I telling him what was reallywrong. Where s Brandon? he asked suddenly, sounding more awake. Chloe had a nightmare and he heard her, I replied.I felt him lean down and then his lips were onmine, kissing me sweetly before he sat up and swung his legs off the bed. I ll be right back.I just want to check on her, okay? Without waiting for my answer, he fumbled inthe dark for his shorts, pulled them on, and left the room.I heard faint voices down the hall and flopped myself over onto my back, my breath leaving me on anexasperated huff.I laid there in the darkness, lost in my own thoughts until sleep pulled me underagain.My alarm woke me in the morning and I reached over and thumped it off.My eyelids felt like theyweighed twenty pounds and were lined with sandpaper as I blinked and rubbed at them, trying towake up.The alarm started going off again and I leaned over Brandon to shut it off but the damn thingkept going.I pounded on it once more and it bounced off the nightstand, crashing to the floor, whichmade Brandon jerk straight up in bed, sending me tumbling in a heap off the end of the bed.I sworeloudly as I laid there on the floor, realizing it was my cell phone ringing and not the alarm.I heard the bed rustle above me and looked up to see Brandon and Jackson peering down at me,Brandon with an almost crazed, scared look, and Jackson mildly amused and curious. What are you doing down there, baby? Jackson asked, his voice laced with barely suppressedlaughter.I rolled my eyes and stretched, trying to look nonchalant but failing miserably. Ahh& you know.Justhanging out.Brandon reached down and grabbed my hand, pulling on it until I sat up. Sorry& I smiled at him and shrugged before getting to my feet.He grabbed for my hand again and pulled meonto the bed across his body, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing.His lips found mine and hekissed me softly before apologizing again for dumping me off the bed.I smiled again and foundmyself lifted away from him and wrapped in Jackson s arms with his lips on mine.I sighedcontentedly and then groaned as my phone rang again.Brandon reached over and snagged it, holding itout to me.I glanced at the display as I answered, surprised to see that Emma was calling this early. Hey,what s up? I asked. It s me, a deep voice said in my ear. Emma wanted me to call you.I shot up in bed, not even wincing when I elbowed Jackson in the stomach in my scramble to sit up. Luke? What s going on? What s wrong? Where s Emma?  My questions came fast, not even givinghim enough time to answer. Nothing s wrong and she s right here.We were just talking about something and wanted to run it byyou, he said, laughing at my tone. Really? At&  I craned my neck looking for the alarm clock to check the time before I rememberedthat it was on the floor where I d dropped it. Whatever time it is? I asked him grouchily. Whydidn t Emma call, then? Jesus, Allie, just listen to him! I head Emma yell in the background, laughter ringing out in herwords. Okay, okay& get to it! I growled, still irritated by them laughing at me when he just about scared thepiss out of me by calling this early from Emma s phone. We re going to move up the wedding. He said it firmly and then fell silent, I guess waiting for myresponse. Okay? That s it? That s what you were calling for at the crack of dawn, trying to scare the life out ofme? Ugh& tell Emma I m going to kill her.I love her, congrats, I m all for it, but I m hanging up now.I ll be there tonight to kill her.Text me the date. I huffed out a breath and tapped the end key on thescreen of my phone before dropping it and flopping back on the bed between Brandon and Jacksonwho were both looking at me expectantly. That was Luke.They re moving up the wedding date, I said.Then a thought occurred to me and Ifumbled around on my mattress, sitting up again as I hit Emma s contact info on the screen.It rangthree times before she answered, still laughing. Yes, Allie? Are you pregnant? I blurted out. Oh my God! Seriously, Allie? she cried, laughing even harder. No, damnit, I m not pregnant! I justdon t want to wait any longer to have the wedding.Why should we wait until next spring when I mahead of schedule on planning everything? I m just ready to do it but I can t elope because my parentswould kill me! Oh.Well, I just& you sprung it on me and that was the first thing that popped in my head, I saiddefensively. So how much sooner are we talking? I asked. Well, you d better get to writing your speech and planning your little party.You ve got about twomonths, she said with satisfaction. Two months? I shrieked. Seriously, you re pregnant, aren t you?! No, Allie! I m not pregnant! Geez woman& I swear.We were just talking and we ve got everythingunder control and I don t want to wait anymore.I m living with him, and it s just time.I don t want towait until next spring [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]