Page 45 of Brutal Reign
I chuckle to myself as he takes off down the aisle, like he can’t get out of here fast enough. The makeup section of the pharmacy is definitelynothis scene.
Just as he reaches the end of the aisle, he suddenly stops short as someone turns the corner, running right into him. And not justanysomeone…
Well shit, here we go.
It seems that no matter where we are lately, our past keeps finding us. We’ve successfully avoided any interaction with River this week during training, but go figure that the one time we leave the complex to run an errand, she just so happens to pop up.
Fate’s playing a cruel game here.
River’s hazel eyes widen as she stumbles back in surprise, and Seb reflexively grabs onto her biceps, steadying her so she doesn’t trip over her own damn feet. I make my way closer as River finds her balance, blinking up at Seb, but it’s like he’s frozen, his brain short-circuiting in response to her proximity.
Riv suddenly realizes he’s still holding onto her, her gaze flickering down to the point of contact before she brushes his hands away angrily and retreats a step. “Are you following me now or something?” she snaps, those kissable-as-fuck lips twisting in a scowl.
Damnit, stop thinking about kissing her.
Seb finally snaps out of whatever daze he was in as I come up alongside him and bump my shoulder against his. He glances over at me, then back to River, his jaw clenching. “We were here first,” he scoffs, immediately back on his cocky shit. “If anyone’s the stalker here, it’s you, Jacobsen.”
River folds her arms over her chest, arching a dubious brow. “Then why are you two lurking in the makeup aisle, Walker?” she questions, her suspicious glaze sliding over to collide with mine.
I lift the package of tweezers up. “Beau asked for these.”
She opens her mouth to respond at the same time her eyes land on the tweezers in my grasp, promptly snapping it shut. Shecan’t really argue with that– she knows how Beau primps, so I guess she’s now at a loss for a snarky comeback.Imagine that.
“Why areyouin the makeup aisle?” Seb growls, narrowing his eyes on her. “You don’t wear it.”
River’s eyes ping back to him, her chin lifting in defiance. “Don’t act like you know what I do,” she huffs. “And you know what? It’s your fault I’m even here. Gotta replace my chapstick after your girlfriend put her filthy mouth on mine.”
“I have a girlfriend?” he snorts, brows shooting up as he slides me a side-eyed glance. “Well shit, that’s news to me.”
“Girlfriend, fuck buddy, whatever,” River grumbles, averting her gaze as she waves a hand like she doesn’t care.
Shedoes, though.I can tell.
Seb squints at her in confusion. “Who?”
“Chandler Stetson.”
I snort a laugh.And here I thought River was the smart one of us.
“She wishes,” Seb chuckles. And while he could leave it at that, he evidently has to shoot himself in the foot by adding, “she can warm my bed, but I don’t tie myself down.”
Well fuck. Guess he’s content in letting River believe whatever she needs to so she can go on hating him.
River’s expression shutters, but Seb acts like he’s unfazed, glancing over at the chapsticks on the shelf beside him. His eyes skim over the flavors before he reaches out to pluck up a tube of strawberry, thrusting it in her direction. “Here.”
Her eyes flicker down to the chapstick. “That’s not the right kind,” she frowns, shaking her head.
“You sure?” Seb scoffs disbelievingly. “Cause you sure as shit tasted like strawberry to me.”
River jerks her head up to cut him a murderous glare, her cheeks reddening. Seb meets it with a cocky grin, ever the glutton for punishment. In an attempt to diffuse the tension, Ireach between them to snag the correct flavor of chapstick off the shelf.
“Nah, she tastes like strawberryice,” I say smoothly, presenting the tube to her with a smirk.
River’s jaw goes slack as her head jerks my way, and meeting those wide, hazel eyes is a mistake.Damnit, I’ve missed that look. It’s not only rare that she gets all bashful and shy, but it’s also cute as fuck. When she gets that look on her face, it’s hard to remember why I’m supposed to be keeping my distance.
“There’s a difference?” Seb grunts, the sound of his voice knocking me back into reality.
She snaps her attention back to him, all traces of softness instantly gone from her expression. She might be a housecat for me, but she’s a hellcat with Seb. “Yes, there’s a difference,” she bites out, carding her fingers through her long dark hair.