The Bet | Ethma

19

Emma was sweating.

Stupid Ethan and his stupid ideas about cheering her up, and his damn smile with his ridiculous dimples. She sighed. His tight ass and ridiculous jokes about Grayson didn't help matters.

So many words screamed through her head, most of them curse words. They brought out the worst in her, those boys.

Whatever was going on between her and Ethan, she had to fight it. First of all, his parents still blissfully thought that she and Grayson were engaged.

Grandma had other plans, though Emma was still waiting to hear why Grandma was trying to pull one over on the family.

And Ethan, well, Ethan thought it was all a hoax and was still worried that his Grandma would keel over at any minute.

As if she didn't have enough stress in her life, when they arrived home Grayson pulled up and hopped out of his car, looking far too pleased to be coming away from such a boring brunch.

"Hey, baby." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her across the mouth.

Immediately she slapped him. "You kiss your whores with that mouth!"

Seriously, she hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Ethan gave a low whistle behind her.

"What the hell, Emma? Is that the kind of greeting you want to give your fiancé?" He gave her an innocent smile.

"You bastard!" She raised her hand again, but Ethan pulled her away before she could do any damage to his face.

"What the hell kind of lines has e been feeding you?" Grayson lunged towards Ethan, but Emma stood between them.

"Nothing, he said nothing. You, however, have said everything that needs to be said without opening your sorry mouth."

"I'm confused." Grayson held up his hands in defeat.

"You reek of skank. Geez, you promised, Grayson. You said this was for Grandma, that you could do anything for a weekend. Really? What are your parents going to say when you march into that house smelling like cheap Dolce and Gabana knockoff? Hmm?"

"It was D&G. I would know," he corrected, pulling off his jacket and swinging it over his shoulder. Emma lunged again.

Ethan grabbed her. She turned around and gave him a glare that said Just let me kill him!

Grayson stopped in his tracks. "I don't see what the big deal is anyway. I have my fun, you two have your fun. Everyone wins. My parents think we're getting married, Grandma finally has you home, though it's ridiculous that you'd be that important. I mean it's been years and now she wants to see you? Look, all that matters is that by all appearances, I'm grown up, you're reunited, and we'll be engaged in marital bliss soon." He shrugged and walked off.

"Selfish bastard," Ethan mumbled under his breath.

"I want to scratch his eyes out." Emma felt herself flush with anger.

"Yeah, you and every girl he's ever slept with."

Emma felt herself tense and then blush, the heat spreading across her face and down her neck until finally she couldn't take it anymore. Her lip trembled just slightly, and she began walking purposefully toward the house, but Ethan pulled her arm back and pushed her through the doorway nearest the garage.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm fine." Emma's legs suddenly felt weak.

"You're not fine, Em.  You're shaking. What aren't you telling me?"