Read Online Finally by Scarlett Metal - Free Book Online Page A

a stool at the bar. “I care about her too,” I said. “I’ve been thinking all day about what I was going to do. I want to see where this goes. I don’t want it to be just a fling either.”
    “Have you told her that?” Amanda asked me as she wiped down the bar. “Cuz if not, you need to.”
    I shook my head. “No, I didn’t want to ruin the weekend. But now that I know she feels the same, I will. Tonight,” I said.
    “You have to,” she said again as she leaned forward on the bar towards me. “If you hurt her, Marcus, you’ll have to answer to me. She’s my best friend, my family, and I won’t let anyone hurt her again.”
    There was a small part of me that was just a little bit scared of Amanda right now. She certainly looked bad-ass with her tattoos and piercings and I could tell she meant business.
    I was saved when Lauren came up next to me, breathless and laughing from dancing. Her eyes were twinkling and she had a huge smile on her face. “Whew! I haven’t done that in forever,” she said, looking from Marcus to Amanda. “You guys look too serious. Mandy, you were being nice to Marcus, weren’t you?” she asked as she gave her an accusing look, putting her hands on her hip.
    “Yes, we were just chatting about Denver,” I said, brushing a piece of hair away from Lauren’s eyes.
    Amanda gave me a brief smile of thanks. “Yep, Marcus was just telling me all about skiing in Denver,” she said, playing with her earring.
    Lauren narrowed her eyes at both of us. I don’t think she believed us but I wasn’t going to tell her about our conversation. “I don’t think so, but, whatever,” she said with a wave of her hand. She placed a hand on my thigh and leaned into me. “Are you ready to go?”
    I recognized that look of desire in her eyes even after just a few days together and felt a stirring between my legs. “Sure, if you are,” I said. I didn’t want to be the one to take her from her friends.
    She nodded and licked her lips, her hand traveling dangerously high up my thigh. I reached over and took her face in my hands, kissing her lips firmly. My earlier conversation with Amanda was forgotten; all I could think about now was getting her naked.
    Our kiss ended and we got up from the bar. We said our goodbyes to her friends. When I got to Amanda, she gave me a hug. “Tell her,” she whispered.
    I nodded as I pulled away. “I will,” I said softly so Lauren didn’t hear.
    She took my hand and led me out of the bar. Neither of us said anything as we walked back to her apartment. I couldn’t believe this was our last night together. My flight back to Denver was due to leave around ten the next morning, so we didn’t have much longer. It was already almost midnight. I had to tell Lauren how I felt before it was too late.

 
    Chapter Thirteen – Lauren
    We arrived at my apartment and neither of us had said a word the whole walk home. We continued up to my apartment in silence. I wanted to tell him I wanted to take this further than just a few days.
    We entered the apartment and I walked to my tiny kitchen to get some water. Marcus sat at the counter, watching me. Before I turned around to face him, I took a deep breath. I was just going to have to say it and tell him what I wanted from him – from us.
    My relationship with Kyle went on too long and got too ugly because I didn’t speak my mind and tell him what I wanted. I kept waiting for it to get better, for things to change. We’d both suffered in silence for too long, resulting in him cheating on me. I’d vowed that in any relationship I had going forward, communication would be most important.
    “Marcus,” I said softly, turning around to face him across the counter.
    He leaned back in the stool, his eyes intense as he looked at me. “Yes, Lauren?” he asked.
    I took a quick sip of my water. I wasn’t drunk, but I was grateful for the liquid courage I’d consumed earlier at the bar. Tonight I was going to need every bit