This Love

Chapter 65

SCARLETT PARKER

Five Years Ago

"So how are things going with you and Harry anyway?" Emma passed me the small-ish bottle of flavored vodka we decided to bring to the party.

I shook my head in disbelief, inhaling my cigarette and holding the smoke in my lungs for a moment. "He's so hot."

Drunkenly so, Emma laughed harder than she would have if she were sober. "I asked how you two are doing, not if you're attracted to him."

"I know what you asked," I laughed back. "He's hot, so I'm happy about that."

As if she needed to look at him to decide for herself, we both watched him toss a ping-pong ball across the table in the center of the yard. His hair was unkempt and long to his shoulders, and I swear he was taller than he was when we met. His T-shirts were starting to fit him tighter in the arms, and his tattoos looked darker on his tan skin.

"Okay, you're right," she muttered in defeat. "But how are things going for you two?"

I smiled involuntarily as he spilled his beer from laughing at something Niall said to him. "We're doing okay, yeah."

"It's been how long now? Two years since you guys have been dating?"

"Mm," I frowned with a quick head shake. "We're not dating. We're just having sex and hanging out."

"Oh, right, right," she spoke with great sarcasm. "And you're happy calling it that?"

I looked over just in time to see him lifting the hem of his shirt to wipe his mouth, flashing his toned chest and abs in the process. "I'm really happy."

"Do you think you'll marry him?"

The smoke came flying out of my mouth as I choked and gripped the arm on the pool chair I was laying on. "How could you possibly think I'd want to marry him when I just said we're not even dating?"

"It was just a question, why are you freaking out?" She giggled, pointing at my face until I slapped her hand away.

"I'm not freaking out, but it's a stupid question," I relaxed back into my seat and took a swig from the vodka as I turned my attention back to Harry.

Did I want to marry him? No, but not because I didn't want to marry him, specifically. I just didn't want to get married in general because what's even the point? It's just a piece of paper and it's just a way for a man to make a woman their property. It was a stupid sentiment and one I didn't need or want.

"You're so sensitive," Emma still laughed to herself as she stole the vodka back. "Harry! I need to tell you something!"

"Shut up," I sat forward and tried to slap her again, but the damage was already done as Harry came leisurely jogging over to see what Emma's stupid question was.

"What's up?"

"Scarlett was just telling me that she wants–"

"To be your partner in the next game," I cut her off before she could plant an idea in his mind that no one needed him to have, though I had a feeling she wouldn't have actually said that anyway.

"Oh," Harry laughed his stupid cute laugh with his stupid cute dimples. "Yeah, that's fine."

I felt my heart beat faster as he held onto both arms of my chair and leaned in until I could smell his cologne and the alcohol he had been drinking all night. When he kissed me, I had to breathe out through my nose and resist the urge to reach out and undo his jeans right there in front of the whole party.