Page 52 of Dirty Liars
“I know,” I say. “It was awful. But hear me out,” I glance at Wills, and then Blair. “I just want to know if you three have been, um, calling out some kind of strike on her.”
The way they refuse to look at one another tells me everything I need to know.
“Well, it needs to end now,” I say. “Let her wallow … but don’t torture her. Evenshedoesn’t deserve that.”
“I’m not sure I agree,” Blair says, sitting down beside me. He sprawls his long legs out in a tangle with mine. “But if that’s what you want Bunny …”
He looks to Astor. We all do.
He shifts his weight on the pile of sails beside me, but he keeps his eyes trained forward at some invisible point on the wall in front of him. His jaw works, that little muscle bulging in his cheek as he considers what I’ve asked.
It’s only now that I realize I’ve never asked Astor for anything before. Any of them.
I shrug Blair’s arm from my shoulder and move to straddle Astor across the thighs. At first he tenses at my touch, but then his arms reach up to grasp me at my waist and we melt into one another.
“Come on,” I say, my voice dropping low and honey-sweet. “I never ask for anything. Give me this, at least.”
His lips soften from a hard line as his eyes drop momentarily to mine. He’s not generous with his kisses like Wills and Blair, but when he does, it’s hard and intense—like a surge of power.
“It’s a big ask, Sadie,” he says, quietly.
“Is it though?” I brush back a stray lock of hair from his forehead. His hair has grown out some since his last cut. It softens him a bit, or maybe I just know him better now. I lean in closer, my eyes locking onto his. “Just let her be. She’s already lost enough, don’t you think?”
“She almost cost you your life,” he snaps. “She can never lose enough.”
I lean away from him, and I feel his grip tighten on my waist as if he’s afraid to let me go. I take advantage of this.
“Then do it for me,” I say. “I know you don’t like it … but it’s what I want.”
Wills whistles low. “She drives a hard bargain, eh Astor?”
Blair’s eyes trace my body in a long, explicit way. “I couldn’t resist anything you say, Bunny, if you were straddling me like that.”
Heat rises in my cheeks, but I don’t budge from where I sit. I feel Astor’s body stiffen beneath me, and I mean that in more than one way.
“Fine,” he says, at last. “But I don’t like her. I never have.”
“Perfect,” I purr. I lean in for a kiss, but hold off at the last second, and then draw away. “Now if you boys will excuse me …”
I hop up, quickly pulling my skirt down a bit so I don’t flash them entirely and grab one of the hot sandwiches the boys brought along with them on a tray.
“I have to get going, Dana’s family is picking us up any minute now.”
Both Blair and Astor get hurriedly to their feet. Astor shifts his weight uncomfortably, and it takes all my resolve not to draw any attention to the unmistakable bulge in his pants.
“That’s early,” Wills says with a frown. “I didn’t think you were leaving until tomorrow.”
“Me either,” I say, “But they decided to come down today instead … something about reservations that got moved up.” I glance over at Astor. “I’m sure there won’t be any trouble with me missing a couple classes, will there?”
A sly smile creases the corner of his mouth. “I don’t believe there will,” he says.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay with me instead?” Blair asks for the millionth time.
I just shake my head.
“I need this time with Dana. I haven’t had any time for her in weeks. You boys take a lot of work, you know,” I say. I plant a quick kiss on each of them—though Blair turns it into a dramatic, sweeping snog—and run up and back up to the dorms before one of them actually does manage to convince me to change my plans.
Thank god Dana invited me to stay with her over Thanksgiving. I still have to work something out for Christmas break, but I’m just taking things one at a time right now. Though the way the boys have been acting lately, I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll be able to stay with one of them if I play my cards right.
