Tagged & Ashed (The Sterling Shore Series #2) by C.M. Owens Read Free Book Online Page B

intruder starts to speak. 
    “Sorry, have you seen Ash?  Mom wants us to head out for shopping and stuff before the festivities tonight.  You coming?”
    Wren.  Damn it, it’s Wren.
    “I don’t feel like shopping.  What makes you think I’ve seen Ash?”
    There’s silence, and I can hear, rather than see, Wren’s smile.
    “Oh come on.  Everyone saw the way you two couldn’t keep your eyes off of each other, and the only two people not in attendance for the fireworks were you two.  So give it up.  Did you fuck her or what?”
    My cheeks fume with their red shade, and I hear Tag nervously clearing his throat.
    “No.  We watched the fireworks last night from the balcony, but she-”
    “Don’t say she went back to her room, because the bed is still made, proving she never went there last night.  Since when are you shy about sharing details?  I’m getting married, so I have to live vicariously through you.”
    Details?  Definitely not good.
    “She slept here - all we did was sleep, though.  She left a little bit ago to go change so no one thought she was taking a walk of shame.  Anything else?”
    “Bullshit.  You don’t just sleep with girls, and you know it.  She’s still in here, isn’t she?  That’s why you’re being so evasive.”
    Oh shit.
    I scammer around to jerk my skirt into place, and then I roll under the bed just as Wren’s feet stop in the spot where I was lying.
    “Dude, get serious.  She’s not in here.  We really didn’t fuck.  She was drunk, and you know my policy on that.”
    “Oh.  I didn’t know she was drunk.  Still though, you don’t just sleep with girls.”
    “We were both incredibly drunk, and we fell asleep without meaning to.  Christ.  Get the hell over it.”
    Wren laughs, and then I watch his feet head toward the door.
    “Just meet us downstairs in twenty if you change your mind.  Mom sent me to retrieve Ash since Bity has apparently disappeared with Rene.  He’s so fucking stupid.  There’s no way I’d leave a girl as hot as Ash to be with Rene. ”
    Tag snickers from above, and I roll my eyes.  He told me Wren was Ashed .  Gross.
    “I’m not changing my mind, but since Bity is out with Rene, how about you tell Melanie Ash didn’t want to go?  I could use the day to Tag her.”
    Ass.
    Wren laughs loudly, and I just puff from under the bed.
    “Well, I suppose there’s no harm in that since Bity is loving Rene again.  I still think he’s a dumbass for that endeavor.”
    “I’m just glad she’s leaving me alone.  I’d have gotten Bity a girl a long time ago if I had known it would make Rene hang on him.”
    I have to get out of here before I throw up in my mouth.
    Wren laughs again, and then I hear the click from the door shutting just before Tag’s head suddenly descends and peers into the opening where I’m shamefully hiding.
    This is more humiliating than his fountain accident.
    “You can come out now,” he teases, his boyish grin almost making me smile against my loathsome desire not to.
    “Cute.  Real cute,” I grumble while rolling out from under the bed.
    I shuffle to my feet and smooth out what wrinkles I can as I fidget with the skirt that loves climbing up my legs.
    “So, we have the house to ourselves now,” he says while bouncing his eyebrows up and down.  Then he grabs me at my waist and pulls me back down on the bed before his lips graze mine.  “So where were we?”
    I was about to make a big mistake. 
    I can’t fuck my best friend’s mortal enemy.  Not to mention, Tag is obviously the type to kiss and give details.  No thanks.
    “I was about to go grab a shower, eat breakfast, and then wait on the others to get back - which won’t be long after I do all that,” I mutter while pulling away.
     
    ***
    Tag
     
    What the hell did I miss?
    Once second she’s on top of me, seconds away from letting me have her, and the next she’s like ice.  What happened to flip the switch?  Women should come with