The Badboys' Good Lips

12

c h a p t e r    t w e l v e

Ryder and I spent one hour in his dressing room.

One long, slow, silent hour.

I let out a small sigh from my seat on the couch—the seat I hadn't moved from since we got in here—and turned my head toward the kitchen area. Ryder had sat on one of the barstools at the island, one of the farthest seats away from me where he could still keep me in his line of sight. He had been on his phone the entire time whilst I remained seated, honestly just twiddling my thumbs and dozing off. I had slipped off my heels for comfort and had tucked my legs under me while letting my thoughts stray to the school work I had due this coming week.

He hadn't deigned me with a response to my Lily question. In fact, that had been what inspired his streak of silence. He hadn't even looked up at me or moved from his own seat, as if not trusting that I'd also remain put.

It was a boring hour, to say the least, which is why I nearly jumped out of my skin when a series of quick knocks sounded at the door, a small sound of surprise leaving my lips before I could school my reaction.

My head turned from the door to Ryder, seeing him glance up from his phone and over my head towards the door, waiting a second.

My head looked back to the door when three slow knocks sounded, followed by a few short seconds before automatic locks were turning and the door suddenly opened.

My heartbeat slowed when Dylan entered the room, shutting the door behind him with a smile. "Hey, angel! How you doing in here?"

My skin warmed and I returned the smile, standing from the couch and discreetly tugging down the hem of my shorts. "I'm doing alright. Thank you for—"

"I told you I'd be out in twenty minutes," Ryder cut me off, slipping off the bar stool and taking a few steps over. "Couldn't wait that long?"

Dylan let out a chuckle. "No one saw me come in here. Relax," he drawled. "I came to check on you guys since you left me out there to mingle with my fans."

"Socializing is your thing. And I told you that we're fine in here."

"I was just making sure," Dylan repeated. He ran a single hand through his hair, displacing a few strands but he still looked put together. When he turned to look at me, I tried not to look away at the fact I had been blatantly staring, but he seemed preoccupied with darting his eyes to my neck, collarbones, and exposed shoulders. He frowned before looking back at Ryder. "I told you to give her hickies."

My brows shot up. "Excuse me?"

Ryder rolled his eyes. "I told you I'd handle it."

"You have twenty minutes before you need to be out there." Dylan shook his head. "I told you to do it fourty-five minutes ago."

"How long do you think it takes to leave hickies?" Ryder snipped.

"Longer than twenty minutes because–" he stopped himself, eyes glancing at me before he could finish his sentence. Dylan shot me a grin before looking back to Ryder. "Because for two people who fucked, you and Mae, here, seem to share an aversion to touching each other."

"I never agreed to hickies," I pipped in, looking between the two of them. "That wasn't a part of our rules."

Dylan sucked in a breath, shaking his head. "Hate to break it to you, angel, but everyone out there has been under the impression that you're fucking like bunnies in here."

My jaw dropped, lips forming an 'O' shape as I sucked in two quick breaths. "W-What?!"

"Why the fuck do they think that?" Ryder stepped closer, frustration in his tone.