Page 37 of Too Hostile

“So how do you two know each other?” Ronan asks Josh casually, and I just want to scream. Surely, if Josh doesn’t talk, he can stuff his face sooner and I can get him out of here.

I should feel guilty about that, but damn it, all I have is the summer with Ronan. I want every single second.

“Oh, we went to high school together,” Josh says with a mouth full of food. “And his brother is attached at the hip to my best friend.”

“Ah, I see,” Ronan says politely.

“And you know, we used to bang. But I’m guessing that’s over.”

I chose the wrong moment to take a bite and nearly choke on my food. And I swear I hear that low, deadly growl again. “It is.”

I look at Ronan, surprised by him staking his claim, but Josh seems totally unaffected, still stuffing his mouth with food.

“I need to use the restroom,” Ronan announces and stands up from his seat. He turns to me. “Show me?”

“Oh, right.” I stand up too before looking at Josh. “I’ll be right back.”

He waves me off, grabbing a breadstick, and I chuckle. Goofy bastard. I actually do consider him a friend, I realize as I lead Ronan back to my room where my bathroom is. I could have shown him to the small bathroom off the kitchen, but I wanted to explain myself a little first.

But when we get to my room, I don’t get a word in before my body is slammed against the wall, and his large, warm body is blanketing my, his firm lips fusing to mine as he devours my mouth.

Okay. We don’t need to talk.

I wrap my arms around him and kiss him back, my mouth accepting his plundering tongue as his hands go into my hair and lay claim, his fingers gripping my strands. “Okay, I thought you were mad at me,” I breathe heavily against his lips, kissing him again after getting those few words out.

His kiss grows softer, and soon he stops it all together, resting his forehead against mine. “Friends?”

“We had a couple of hookups, but it was nothing. I haven’t been with him since Christmas, and I have no idea what he’s doing here.”

“Okay,” he says so simply I want to scream.

“Okay?”

He sighs and then pushes away from me, stepping back. “I’m not used to this, Fletcher.”

“Used to what?” I ask, genuinely confused.

He huffs, throwing his hands up in frustration before pushing one of them through his hair. “Being jealous. Or possessive. That’s not...” He drops his hand and shakes his head. “I don’t get that way, but as soon as I heard him say that he was here to fuck you, I couldn’t control myself. Growling like a fucking dog.”

So that wasn’t my imagination. I walk closer to him. “It was hot.” I shrug it off with a grin.

He pins me with an annoyed look. “No. It wasn’t. I’m an adult. I know how to use words.”

“So why did you invite him in?” I have to ask because he has to know I’d have been on board sending poor Josh on his way.

“I was trying to be an adult,” he says as he starts to pace, and God help me, he’s really cute like this. All discombobulated and truly annoyed with himself, it seems. “But then he started talking about fucking you, and again, I wanted to mark my damn territory.”

“Well, thanks for not pissing on my leg,” I try to joke.

He looks distressed though. “Fletcher...” His eyes meet mine, and I move to him, my hands going to his hips.

“It’s okay. I wouldn’t like anyone talking about being with you either.”

“But—” he starts to say, but I can’t hear it again right now. I can’t hear that it ends with summer. I press my lips to his in a soft, devastating kiss.

“But nothing.” I pull back enough to look into his eyes. “Let’s go finish dinner and kick Josh out.” I grin, and he laughs.

“You’re a terrible friend.”