Summer Breeze Kisses - Addison Moore Page 0,114

range in Bel Terra. That was back before our world fell to crap.

“You’re welcome. I may be pretty sick, but you’re just flat-out rude.”

I fire my shot and hit the bullseye near the top.

She moans as if I’ve mortally wounded her. “Okay, you’ve proven your point”—she pulls another arrow from her sheath and repositions herself for her next shot—“you’re good.” She fires and lands her arrow in the target, dead on. “But I’m better.” She steps over, the sweet scent of her floral perfume dusts by in her wake. “Don’t you ever forget that.” Her eyes shine bright, a clear turquoise, and for a solid minute, I lose myself just taking in their glory.

“So, what gives?” She takes the bow from my hand and lands it back where it came from in the shade of the pine. “You come up here so I can kick your ass?”

“I came up here to let you know this.” I show her the frantic text my mother shot off this morning, and Scarlett lets out a dark laugh.

“Well, well, my future brother, my very false Romeo, it looks like it’s time we take the next step in our non-existent relationship.”

“What’s that?”

“We’re going on our first, and hopefully, last double date. Once they see us pawing all over one another, they’ll want to vomit in their salad. Any fantasy about becoming husband and wife will long have dissipated before they ever bring out dessert. There’s no way my father is going to want me falling madly in love with my new stepbrother.” A smile twitches on her lips. “And, trust me, a socialite like your mother? She’d rather hang herself than see us mopping up each other’s faces with our tongues.”

“Tongues, huh?” Now it’s me twitching a smile.

Scarlett takes a step in, that look of discontent that can slit my throat open is right back, and this time I do smile. After all, this cutthroat version is the one I know and love.

“Calm down, Agent Orange. No use in getting yourself all worked up right now. You’ll get plenty worked up after I kiss you.” My lids hood a moment. “And, believe me, I do know how to use my tongue.”

“Ugh! You can wipe that smirk off your face, Toberman. This isn’t the football field, and I’m not some entranced cheerleader ready and willing to squat over your lap on command. This is my turf, and once this little game our parents are playing disbands, I don’t want to ever see your face again.”

She gathers her things in a huff and takes off, leaving me in a plume of dust in her wake.

I’m pretty sure it’s not me she’s pissed at, but I get it. She’s transferring the pain to the closest person she can, and right now, that person is me. Scarlett may not want to see my face when this is through, but I’m not sure I feel the same. I’m hoping when the time is right she won’t either.

Agent Orange and Other Unnatural Disasters

Scarlett

I’m not terribly big on the dating scene, thus my honorable yet virginal status. And dating Rex Toberman? Pfft… I’d rather shoot arrows into my feet all day long than subject myself to that brand of torment, but seeing that my father is about to make the biggest mistake of his life, I’m willing to take one for the entire Kent team. Speaking of team, I’m sure once I’m through with “Sexy Rexy” for the evening, he’ll come home to find an entire harem of ponytailed cheerleaders queued up at the foot of his bed. I can hear them now, Give me a D. Give me an I. Give me a C and K! What does it spell? Rex Toberman!

“Look at you!” Daisy steps back to admire me in our tiny two-man dorm that can hardly afford to house us. Even with our twin beds jammed against the walls, two small desks, and a television, there’s hardly room to walk past each other on the way to the restroom. I’ve managed to squeeze a hotplate and a microwave in the corner, although I’ve exhausted all of my enthusiasm for those two appliances. The dorms are far more accommodating on every other floor, which would explain the fact that once finals were through, most every room on this level quickly vacated. In a few short weeks, ironically at the same time my father is fated to legally bind himself to Lynette Toberman until death do they part—not that I’m buying