Thrive (Addicted, #4)(61)

Rose hisses at me, “Lower your voice.”

Okay, so we’re technically not alone. Production wanted another group segment, so we’ve gathered everyone together for an evening of bowling. When Rose went to pick her bowling ball, I followed her to the rack.

The others congregate behind our lane in the plastic swivel chairs, out of earshot. But Savannah hovers beside the rack, pointing her camera right at us. Even so, Scott has refused to air anything about Rose and Connor sleeping together. At first I thought he didn’t want to come across like the loser on television, but Rose said that they just want to perpetuate her “virgin” label for marketing.

“Do you not want to talk to me about it?” I ask.

“It’s not that.” Her lips purse while she scans the colorful bowling balls. “I just hate that Scott is taking advantage of a throwaway comment I made in an interview about being repulsed by bowling.”

Germs. Rose grew out of the obsessive compulsive trait when we were little, but the intensity of the cameras and lack of privacy has reignited some of her old habits. She has a strict policy on hygiene, and sticking her fingers in three holes that were once occupied by sweaty, unidentified hands kind of breaks it.

“Daisy will probably roll the ball granny-style,” I say.

“Just copy her technique.”

She ponders this for a second, and her expression softens a fraction. “Connor and I have had sex again.”

I grin, and I swear she tries so hard not to. “Was it everything you thought it would be?” I ask.

“Better…different, but better.” She stares faraway, a smile playing at her lips. I try to imprint the image. My sister—swooning. Her glow flashes away all at once, replaced by ice. “Since when do you want to talk about sex?”

True. I’m usually tight-lipped and rosy red about the subject. “I’m trying to be better about it,” I admit, “and shockingly, it’s easier talking about someone else’s sex life.”

“Not shocking,” she refutes and squats like a lady to grab the bowling ball on the middle rack. Her blouse shifts, and I notice a red bite mark on her shoulder.

“Ohmygod,” I slur.

“What?” She straightens up quickly in alarm. “What is it?”

“He bites you,” I whisper, my surprise filling my face. She immediately presses her hand to my mouth, silencing me. I never pegged Connor to be rough. I thought he was the sweet, gentle type. Like a friendly giant.

“Don’t be so overdramatic.” As though she’s never dramatic?

She pauses and then blurts out in curiosity, “Has Lo never bitten you?”

I frown and recall the times we’ve had sex. Uhh, there are too many to remember the exact details of each one, that’s for sure. He’s probably nipped my neck before.

She drops her hand so I can speak.

“It’s not the biting that I’m surprised by,” I whisper.

“It’s the Connor biting that weirds me out.”

“Then don’t think about it,” she snaps. Good point. “In fact, while I love this newfound confidence in talking about sex, I’m not sure you should be thinking about it so much.”

She’s right. I need to relax.

“I’m just excited for you,” I tell her. “It’s like a milestone in your relationship.” The orbiting nerd stars have finally collided.

Out of my peripheral, I spot Daisy slipping on her bowling shoes while simultaneously sprinting across the carpet towards our lane.

“Babe, what the hell?” That comes from the guy behind her.

Twenty-three. Dark hair. Tanned skin. A model. And also her boyfriend. “Be cool.”

She spins around and walks backwards with a lopsided smile.

“I’m totally cool.” The moment she steps onto the slick bowling surface, her feet slide beneath her and she falls straight on her butt.

Ryke, slouched in a chair, turns his head to assess the situation and then glances back at the lane. “How’s that ground, Calloway?”

“Hard,” she banters with a mischievous smile. “It’ll probably leave a mark.”

“That’s usually what happens when your ass meets something hard, sweetheart.”

Okay, this is sexual. I know for a fact because Julian looks ticked, glowering at the back of Ryke’s head. Daisy picks herself off the ground, and Julian suddenly kisses her out of nowhere, one roaming hand gripping her butt.

Uh. This is why I don’t like him.

Ryke and my boyfriend see their spontaneous make out session, and they both end up glowering, mildly disgusted and definitely infuriated.

Everyone met Julian in the Alps, and things did not pan out so nicely. Lo doesn’t like him. Ryke doesn’t like him. Even Connor, who can find a morsel of decency in anyone, claimed that Julian was nothing short of an ape.

“You gave a speech to the guys, right?” I ask Rose. She places a teal ball back on the rack and heaves a bright pink one into her hands, cringing at having to touch it.

“Yes,” she says, “I told them if they’re rude to Daisy’s boyfriend that we’d have serious problems.” She lets out a harsh breath. “And then Connor had the audacity to tell me that the same rule applies to me.”

I don’t mention that I agree with him.