Saint Sloan (Saint Sloan #1)(50)

Sloan lifted her head and sighed. “Maybe whoever it is got tired. No flowers today. Nothing. Maybe I got too close to figuring it out, and he or she stopped.”

She could hope so anyway.





MACKENZIE DIDN’T STAY LONG after that. She needed to get home to do homework. While Sloan’s mom cleaned up the kitchen, Ray and Sloan sat on the porch, chatting.

One piece of the puzzle didn’t make sense, and Sloan had waited all night to ask it. She was nervous, though, to ask. How did she bring it up without either being obvious or hurting Ray’s feelings?

“Boyd looked bad, didn’t he? In his chair?” There. As subtle as she could ask.

“Yeah. He looked pretty bad,” Ray said simply. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t act like he was lying. Of the two of them, Boyd or Ray, which one had the most cause to lie?

“What’s wrong?” he asked when she didn’t say anything. “Upset over your fight with Aaron? Because I fight with him all the time. He gets over it quickly.”

Good to know, but it wasn’t what was bothering her.

“Tell me,” he said gently when she didn’t answer. He placed his hand on hers and squeezed comfortingly. “It can’t be that bad. Unless…” His face fell. “Unless you don’t want to go to prom with me now.”

“What?” She hadn’t been expecting that. “Yes, of course I want to go with you.”

“You know,” he said, while rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in calming circles. “I understand if you don’t want to go. I mean, some psycho is trying to scare you, and the countdown to the Fall is on prom day. I don’t blame you.”

“The countdown might not even be a countdown.” She smiled, trying to make him feel better… and truthfully, trying to get herself to feel better. “I haven’t gotten any flowers today. Maybe Darcy or Boyd or whoever got tired of it or knew we were on to them.”

“Maybe.” He didn’t sound convinced. “What’s the other reason to go with me?”

Oh boy. The way he looked at her — eyes dilated, seductive grin on his perfect lips — made her swoon a little. “It’s prom. And I want to go.”

He laughed and shook his head. “Stop. All the flattery will go to my head.”

“I’m sorry.” And she was. She was sorry about all of it. “It’s just…”

“It’s just you like my brother more than me.” He didn’t say it mean. In fact, it sounded like a fact like the sky was blue and snails were yucky.

She didn’t know what to say to that. Aaron Hunter had gotten on her nerves so bad today. A tiny part of her never wanted to see him again. The bigger part, a huge part, couldn’t imagine that happening.

“It’s okay,” Ray said when she didn’t speak. “I understand.” He grinned. “The girls always love the bad boys.”

Sloan smiled and laid her head on Ray’s shoulder. “I don’t want to pick,” she admitted finally. “I want you both.”

Ray laughed. “That would make the sleeping arrangements something I’d rather not think about. Plus, do you really think Aaron would share you?”

No, she didn’t.

“Do you think I would?” His voice sounded hoarse. It seemed like it was killing him to let her go to his brother. And it was killing Sloan to hear it.

“It’s not fair. I know it’s not. To lead you both on. I just… I need you both.”

Ray kissed her on the forehead. “You have us both, in a way. But…” He didn’t finish. Instead, he sat her up and gently brushed his lips against hers. It was nice, but not like kissing Aaron. When Ray kissed her, it was like… comforting. When Aaron kissed her, it was like every nerve in her body exploded. One brother gave her stability. The other passion. She loved them both, but Ray was right. She had to choose. It wasn’t fair.

“You’ll still go to prom with me, right?” she asked, worried he wouldn’t.

“Yup.” He chuckled and pulled her into his arms. “Aaron will be so jealous.”

“As good of a reason as any.” She laughed and settled in his arms. So, she’d finally picked a brother. Aaron. Passion over comfort. Wow, she wasn’t expecting that.

She picked one brother and was being held by the other. Such was her life.

She forgot all about asking Ray about not going to Boyd’s house, but she already had her answer. Ray wouldn’t hurt her, and he wouldn’t lie to her. Boyd was the liar. She knew it.





RAY LEFT AT AROUND eight. Sloan kissed her mother and went upstairs to finally take her blessed headache medicine and shower before bed. She took the pills with some water and smiled. Finally.

She gathered up her pajamas and change of underwear before heading into the bathroom to wash her hair.

The warm water felt wonderful sliding over her body, washing the day away. It had been a rollercoaster day. Fighting with Aaron. Kissing Aaron. Choosing Aaron.

Seeing Boyd for the first time in months. Trying to figure out the puzzle of who had stalked her.

The shower provided her with a place to just relax. To let her mind wander and not have to think. It felt so good to not think.

She sang mindlessly, not really paying attention to the lyrics. It felt good to just drift away into her own little world for a few minutes. To just be calm.