world and ours.”
“No shit,” I tell him, walking around to his side of the massive couch and scooping up his forgotten plate. “Though, I figured the fact that I have to pick up after you slobs was already proof enough of that.”
Charlie shrugs his shoulder. “I guess,” he says. “But I kinda forget about all of that. You’re just part of the furniture now. I see you as one of us. I forget that things aren’t so easy for you.”
“Trust me, I certainly haven’t.”
Spencer gets up and takes his own plate back to the kitchen to be washed and calls over his shoulder. “Why are you applying for loans anyway? You realize that you’re dating Colton Fucking Carrington right? He could blink toward the school and have your tuition paid. Why are you putting yourself through all of that?”
I groan and can’t help but notice the cocky smirk lifting on Colton's lips. “Did you really have to go there?”
Colton laughs, looking over at Spencer in the kitchen. “Say it a little louder for the people in the back,” he says, his eyes sparkling with attitude. “Better yet, just say it again for Ocean until she decides to stop being a stubborn princess and lets me take care of it.”
“We’ve talked about this,” I grumble, cutting past the back of the couch and gently knocking the back of his head with my elbow. “And the answer is still no.”
“Babe,” he groans, putting his hand to his head and falling back on the couch as though my rejection physically wounds him.
I hold back a laugh as I walk up into the kitchen and dump all their crap on the counter before turning on my heel and stalking right back. “I told you, I want my independence. It’s important to me that I earn everything that I have. I don't accept handouts, especially from my boyfriend. It’ll make me feel cheap.”
I stride past Colton and his arms shoot out, locking around my waist before he pulls me down on the couch. “I’m not letting you go until you agree.”
I lean into him, hovering my lips just above his and teasing him with the promise of what they can do. I roll my tongue over my bottom lip and let out the softest groan, one that only he could hear. His eyes trail my tongue's movement, heating with an intense need. “Then I’m not sucking your cock until you agree.”
His lips pull into a wicked grin and the low groan that tears out of him is the most rewarding sound I’ll ever hear. “Baby, that one is going to hurt you just as much as it’ll hurt me.”
“You mean like how allowing you to pay for my schooling is going to hurt me just as much as my fist is going to hurt you.”
“Fuck, I love it when you speak like a lady.”
I pull back and look down into his eyes. “I mean it,” I tell him. “I want to pay for it myself, even if it takes me years.”
His fingers tighten on my waist, holding me to him. “Do you have any idea how hard that’s going to be for me to watch?”
I nod, knowing damn well but I also know that he’s more than strong enough to bear it. “You’ll be fine,” I whisper, dropping back down and pressing a soft kiss upon his warm lips. “I trust that you’ll respect what I want.”
He lets out a huff. “Fine, but just so you know, I’m probably going to bring this up about a million more times.”
“I know, you have some serious self-control issues to work on.”
He rolls his eyes before looking at me thoughtfully. “I mean, if you really want to pay for college, I’m sure I could come up with a few things to help you earn a few extra dollars.”
I groan and pull myself up off his wide chest. “I’m not your personal hooker, Carrington.”
“Who’s not a personal hooker?” Milo says, walking into the living area as I make myself comfortable beside Colton. Milo strides over to the couch and drops down beside Spencer then leans into him, and presses the smallest kiss to his lips, not ready to flaunt their new relationship.
A soft chuckle escapes Charlie’s lips. “Ocean was just saying that she wants to be a hooker to earn some extra cash.”
I launch a cushion across the room and it smacks Charlie right in his unsuspecting face. “Take that back,” I demand.
“Why?” Milo questions, a sparkle hitting his