Less Than Nothing

Chapter 35

Chapter 34

The harsh wind whips through my hair, and across the blank pieces of my skin that are uncovered by my coat. My hand grips the rough leather handle of my tote so hard that I feel it etch lines in my skin.

"This is a bad idea, isn't it?"

Ryan stands beside me, equally hesitant, equally reluctant.

"The worst." He swallows.

It's Friday afternoon, and we've been standing in front of Ryan's family cabin for a while, preparing for what awaits us inside.

The week couldn't have gone by any faster. Magnolia's cabin weekend came sooner than expected.

"Before we go inside, I feel like I should say this," Ryan's body faces mine.

"I am not looking forward to watching you and Alexander act like the couple. It's my personal hell. Well, my second personal hell. The first is having to keep my hands off you."

I hadn't even considered that part. The biggest qualm in the center of my brain dealt with how I was going to make my fake relationship with Alexander believable. I failed to consider that I'd have to be separate from Ryan in the process. No mid-sentence kisses. No ass slaps. No PDA. Nothing.

"Same." I mutter, lulling myself with the idea that sneaking around is sort of hot anyway.

"Please don't threaten anybody while we're here," the request slips thoughtlessly. "No spilling wine. No broken jaws. No arson. None of it. Promise me?"

Ryan looks disappointed, as though his whole itinerary has crumbled.

"Can't promise that." He says curtly. "But I promise that I'll try."

"Good enough."

The cabin is about fifty feet away from where we stand. And it's just like I remember it. Huge and elegant, only not so private anymore. The previously empty driveway was now lined with vehicles I don't recognize. The sight makes me queasy.

"We should probably go in now." I say, though I feel the opposite. Ryan sighs.

"Guess so."

Begrudgingly, I lift one foot off the ground and drop it in front of the other.

"Wait," Ryan interrupts. His hand latches onto my waist, the skin underneath my jacket now scalded by his touch. He turns my body towards him, and doesn't even take a breath before he kisses me.

"I already miss you," he says between the pauses we take to breathe.

So do I.

I'd tell him verbally, but I'd rather continue kissing

instead.

When we finally walk into the cabin, we find everyone in the living area, bags by the door, as though they've just arrived as well.

Waves of nostalgia engulf me as I walk through the door. All I can think about is the first time I came here. When it was just Ryan and I.

We had a lot of fun that weekend. It was the first time in a long time that I genuinely felt at peace.

Plus, we had a lot of sex. Everywhere.

And when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere.

I bet everyone would be mortified if they knew of the ways Ryan had me spread out on the furniture they're currently sitting on.

The first person that sticks out to me is Maggie. Of course, she's in the center of the room, regulating the traffic of people.

I recognize everyone from the engagement party, a solid mixture of men and women. There's no more than ten of us.