“Daisy,” I say, urging her again to answer the question. My arm slides around Lily’s shoulders beside me, and she surprisingly keeps her hands to herself. Normally she’d have me unzipped by now. Yes, even at a restaurant. Her restraint is admirable, but I can’t deny that a horrible （mostly horny） part of me wishes for it.
Daisy blinks a couple times. “Right. And no, my mom doesn’t mind. She was really happy that I could have a whole week to bond with my sisters. I just have to abide by my normal rules.” She shrugs at the last bit and claps her hands. “Should we start karaoke early?” She begins to rise from her chair, but both Lily and Rose put their hands on the frame to stop her. Rose pushes her back in.
“What are we talking about? What rules?” Melissa asks. She reaches into the basket of chips.
Lily cringes beside me, and I can see Rose’s icy demeanor turn even frostier at the topic.
Daisy eyes the chips longingly before putting on another smile. “It’s nothing.”
Ryke is slouched, leaning back on only two legs of his chair. He looks like an asshole. “You brought it up,” he reminds her. “So clearly you want to talk about it.”
Melissa rubs his thigh, smirking now that he took her side for a change. I should feel good about it too, but for some reason, I just feel really fucking awful.
“I did bring it up,” she nods to herself. And then she shrugs. “I guess the rules are simple. You know, no getting fat. No ruining your hair. No getting too tan. And no tattoos.” Her lips twitch. “So good news is—I’m free to contract an STD.”
“Jesus Christ,” Ryke says under his breath, only loud enough for me and Melissa to hear.
“That’s not funny,” Rose tells her, “and our mother may not kill you, but I would.”
“Only joking,” Daisy says, sporting a goofy face before she turns to Lily. “How’s school?”
Bringing Lily into any conversation usually deflects attention, and it’s like watching a little perceptive mastermind at work. Daisy’s good, and I wonder who else has caught onto her tricks. Which is why I look to Connor.
He watches quietly, observing everything like some analyst ready to type the social dynamic into a spreadsheet. He probably knows more than he lets on. I wonder if he’s predicted the outcome of everything, if our lives are neatly mapped out in his head with probabilities and statistics. Then again, he didn’t figure out that Lily was a sex addict.
Regardless, I think being inside Connor Cobalt’s head would be both terrifying and strange, and yet the most expensive amusement ride there is.
Lily begins to spout off some story about a professor with a bowtie and lisp, trying to avoid any topic about Stats and her exam grades.
“…so he was old.”
“That’s not a story,” Rose tells her pointedly.
“It is. Just not a good one.”
“How are you doing in classes, grade-wise?” Connor stirs up the topic. “Sebastian is still tutoring you.” He doesn’t ask it more as confirms what everyone already knows.
Lily’s eyes dart to a man carrying a huge bottle of liquor. “Tequila!” she exclaims.
He turns to the table.
“You don’t drink,” Ryke reminds her, almost growling, even though the alcohol was, obviously, a distraction. I don’t think she wants it, but I’m feeling a little defensive today.
I shoot him a look. “She can have some if she wants.” I don’t want her to think she has to be sober because of me. I wouldn’t ask her to do that.
“No,” she says, wide-eyed. The waiter comes over and she physically pushes him away.
I grab her arms. “Keep your hands to yourself,” I tell her easily, not wanting her to get in trouble.
“You’re on Antabuse, right?” Melissa asks me. “My step-mother took that for a while. She couldn’t even kiss my dad when he had a glass of wine. It made her so sick.” She motions to Lily. “Is that why you don’t drink?”
“What? No,” Lily says roughly, offended. “I never liked drinking, really. But if I did, I wouldn’t care if I couldn’t kiss him.” She cringes. “I mean, kissing doesn’t matter to me. In general. Not just with Lo. So…yeah. I could give up kissing.”
“I think she gets it,” I tell her with a smile. She turns bright red and takes my hand in hers. I lean over and whisper, “I’m glad I can kiss you.” I put another soft one on her temple. Ever since her involuntary climax in public, she’s been allowing me to touch her without desiring more. We’ve even slept in bed without a pillow wedged between my cock and her ass. She doesn’t grind on me or ask for more. It’s just sleep. In a way, something amazing came out of something terrible.