Perfectly Toxic (Sterling Shore 9)

But Ethan Noles will care. After all, he’s Sterling Shore royalty, and I just royally rocked his world with that little show.

Chapter 12

ETHAN

“So, I heard you want a threesome?” Leo, Tria’s business partner and friend asks me, sitting down

beside me in the café.

Tria Noles and Kode Sterling snicker before joining me. I swear I can’t go anywhere in Sterling Shore without running into someone I know.

“Har. Funny,” I say dryly, watching as he waggles his eyebrows.

“I’m game, you know. That is, if my boyfriend doesn’t mind,” he goes on.

I flip him off, and he chuckles harder as Tria laughs and sits in Kode’s lap like there aren’t four other chairs available.

“I wasn’t aware you and Bella even knew each other,” Kode says with a shrug.

“Guess the cat’s out of the bag now,” I quip. “What are you assholes up to?”

“Leo and I had a few more papers to sign at Pretty Posh, and now we stopped in here to grab a bite before we stop in at Rain’s place to pop the cork on some celebratory champagne. Want to come?” Tria asks.

I start to agree, when I see the one thing that will stop me… And she’s walking by the café and heading into the milkshake shop right beside us.

“Raincheck,” I tell them as I stand up and toss a few bills onto the table.

“There won’t be another celebratory champagne night for this,” Tria calls out, but I’m already walking out of the café and into the milkshake store, taking my place behind Bella.

She definitely lightened her hair, but I was wrong about the blonde. Why did she lighten it? I liked it dark. And it looks like she cut it shorter too.

“Triple chocolate,” she tells the woman behind the counter, and I can’t help but smile.

She has no idea I’m even behind her. Because I really am a fucking stalker.

It takes them no time to hand her the drink, and she doesn’t bother looking back before going over to a back booth. I order the same, and I head over to take a seat with her.

The second I slide into the booth, her head pops up, but she doesn’t even look surprised. Have I gotten that bad?

“So you kiss me, run out like Cinderella, and leave me to mop up the mess you left last night?” I ask her, watching as a proud smile spreads over her lips.

“Wouldn’t want my chariot to turn into a pumpkin before I got away, now would I?” she asks mockingly. “At least you had my name and not a measly glass slipper to track me with.”

“That’s all you have to say for yourself?” My eyes narrow.

“Sorry, Ethan Noles, but you had that coming.”

“My last name seems to be an issue for you.”

“You are an issue for me. We’re part of the same group of friends, so you need to stop with the head games now.”

“You realize you’re the one who kissed me, right?” I ask, studying her.

“I just tugged on the back of your neck. Technically, you kissed me,” she points out, smirking now.

Why do I feel like all the power has been transferred to her somehow?

“Regardless of who kissed whom, you can’t deny it was pretty intense,” I tell her, watching as that smile of hers slips.