To Love Read Free Page B

redhead tapped her arm.
    "I heard it's your turn now." She gave Kelsey a tight smile.
    Kelsey blinked and raised an eyebrow. "My turn? I don't understand.”
    The other three women burst out laughing again, but the redhead didn't. Something in her brown eyes sent a chill down Kelsey's spine.
    "You don't understand? Well, let me explain." Her upper lip curled. "I mean...I heard it's your turn to ride the Greek god." She laughed at her own words. "You know, Shaun, your neighbor? I heard you two have something going."
    Kelsey hugged the empty tray to her body. They had tried to be so discreet. Apart, of course, from their public kiss at the farmer's market. But that was a while ago. "I don't know what you're talking about."
    "She doesn't know what you're talking about, Branna," the woman sitting next to her scoffed and giggled. She looked drunk. "I say you better explain."
    Heat rose up Kelsey's neck. If these women thought they were going to amuse themselves at her expense, they had another thing coming. "Branna," she said in a clipped voice. "I don't know who you are, or what you want from me. If you've said all you need to say, I'll return to my job now." Kelsey took a step back and turned to walk away.
    "Enjoy it while it lasts," Branna called to Kelsey's retreating back. "He'll soon get bored and move on to some other stupid girl who thinks she's a lucky bitch. Oh, do tell him Branna says hi. He knows who I am."
    Kelsey swung open the door to the kitchen, pretending she hadn’t heard. Before their “friends with benefits” arrangement, Shaun had slept with a few women in town. Kelsey knew that. She had often wondered when she would bump into one of his one-night stands.
    "Ignore her." Lucy patted Kelsey on the back. "There are people who try to make others feel insecure in order to feel better about themselves." Lucy gave her a small smile and walked out of the kitchen, balancing three plates on each of her arms.
    Kelsey wondered if Lucy suspected there was something between her and Shaun, if she wasn't fooled by their friendship either. If she knew, she never said a word.
    As Kelsey refilled her tray with salads, her heart deflated. Branna's words had left a mark. She was nothing more than a warm body to Shaun. And if he wanted to, he could switch her out for another. Other than hot sex, nothing fundamental held them together. Sooner or later he would want to move on.
    ***
    Back at her cottage, Kelsey found Shaun standing at her doorstep, leaning against the front door. Branna's words popped back into her mind and a knot formed in her stomach. Those words had caused something to break inside of her. She had been okay—if unsatisfied—with their arrangement, until today. Watching him, she asked herself how long they could do this. Once again, she felt used and humiliated.
    "Hi." He pushed away from the door, and she unlocked it.
    "Want to come in?" she asked, the words she used every time he showed up unannounced.
    Shaun gave her the look that never failed to melt her, the one that undressed her before his hands did. "If I'm invited in."
    Kelsey sighed and averted her gaze. She entered the cottage. "Sure." She removed her coat and dropped her purse on the dining room table, where she stood facing away from him. Then his body was behind her, his arms around her, his breath on the side of her neck.
    "You okay?" he whispered into her ear.
    Kelsey thought of saying yes, but it would be a lie. She turned around and faced him. He didn't step back. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her neck and lowered his lips to hers. Kelsey turned at the last second and his kiss landed on her cheek instead, scorching it.
    Shaun cupped her cheek with his warm hand and turned her to face him. "Kelsey, what's going on? Are you upset about something?"
    Kelsey swallowed the lump inside her throat and looked him square in the eyes. "I don't know. I have no reason to be, right?" She shook her head. "But I am upset."
    Shaun's forehead wrinkled.