A/N ~ Hello wonderful readers! I can't believe this story has hit 3 million reads!! You guys are incredible. Every time I log on and see new votes and comments on this story, it honestly brings me so much happiness. When I first started uploading chapters for this story in 2020, I never thought I would reach a milestone anywhere near this one. 3 million reads is insane. Thank you so much to every single person that's taken the time to read my writing. It means the world to me. I love you the most.
To celebrate, here's a little bonus scene I whipped up a while ago. It's been up on my Patreon for a bit - completely free. If you want more little bonus scenes like this one and some behind the scenes of my next book(s), go check it out!!
<3<3<3
Layla's POV
"So what do you think?"
"I think that I'd rather have Liam deck me, to be completely honest."
"Reece!"
"What? You wanted the truth, Sunshine."
With a dramatic sigh, I turn to face him in the passenger seat of his car. "Well that's too damn bad. I've already ordered the costumes."
My boyfriend groans, hanging his head for a moment before returning his attention to the road. "I don't even look like him. Literally, polar opposites."
"Yeah, but I look like her so... We're doing it. It's our first halloween as a couple, Reecey."
"I would argue that last Halloween, and the two months following, we were pretty much already together. We just hadn't kissed yet."
I scoff, "Sure."
"You quite literally cuddled with me every chance you could get."
"Yeah, well, you weren't exactly complaining."
"Well, obviously fucking not. I was in love with you even then."
"Aww!" I reach over the car to hold the back of his neck, giving it a little squeeze. "You're such a romantic, Reece Carter. You can't hide that."
"Only for you, Sunshine."
It's quiet for a moment before I pose the question one more time, giving him my best puppy-dog eyes. "So we can be Barbie and Ken?"
"For fuck's sake," He rolls his eyes, "Yeah, whatever. I'll fucking be Ken. I'm not going blonde. And no wigs."
"Okay! You can be like... Ken if he always wore black and had lots of tattoos."
"So, what? You just dress up as Barbie and I dress as myself?"
"Well, yeah." I shrug, "That's kind of the whole thing. I'm Barbie and you're just Ken."
Reece nods slowly, thinking this over. "I can get behind that. What Barbie are you going to be? One from the movie, or...?"
"I'm going to be cowgirl Barbie from the movie, yeah," I look up at him wide-eyed, "Please dress up as cow-boy Ken for me! Pretty please."
"Whatever," He grumbles, "As long as I'm not blonde."
"Yes!" I do a happy dance in my seat. "We're going to look so cute!"
"I'm not cute, Sunshine."
"Ugh," I roll my eyes, "Not this argument again."
"We've been together how long now? Like nine or ten months. We have this argument at least three times a week. I. Am not. Cute. Use literally any other adjective."
"But baby," I pout at him, batting my eyelashes dramatically, "You're adorable!"
"Fuck off," He mutters, but I see the smile creeping onto his face. He glances at me, turquoise eyes shining, "You're lucky I love you, Sunshine."
I drop my hand to hold one of his, resting on his lap. "I love you too."
We're quiet for all of three seconds before he asks, "You think we have time to pull over and makeout?"
"Reece!"
"What?" He laughs, "I'm dead serious. We've been driving for hours!"
It's a few weeks before Halloween, and Reece and I are just coming back from a weekend away to see Amanda and Mark, who are both studying at a university a few hours out of state. It's a four-hour drive, but Reece likes to act like it's taking all day.
"Reece, we stopped for lunch half an hour ago."
He huffs, grumbling, "Okay, but we've still got two hours left. Am I supposed to wait until then? Fucking ridiculous."
He was like this on the drive down too. Complaining about having to keep his eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, instead of on me. I never realised he was quite so clingy until this trip. We've been apart for days at a time before, but he clearly doesn't like having me so close but not being able to properly look at me.
"Alright, we'll pull over at the next rest stop." I roll my eyes, but I'm smiling so much my cheeks hurt, "You really love me, huh?"
"Yeah, Sunshine," He shakes his head, "I really do."
Ten minutes later, he pulls over to the rest stop on the side of the road and we both get out of the car to stretch our legs a bit. He walks over to my side after a minute and darts his hand out, gently pulling me into him by my waist. I lift my arms up over his shoulders, holding him to me while he leans over and nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.
"Feeling better?" I ask after we've been standing like this for a few minutes, my fingers running through his hair.
"Mmhm," He hums, "You smell good."
Chuckling, I pull him in a bit closer, "My perfume hasn't changed, Reecey."
"I know. You always smell so good." He lifts his head and moves one hand up to hold my chin as he lowers his head to kiss me. He keeps me still and in place as his mouth opens against mine, tasting me slowly and thoroughly. After a moment, he trails his kisses across my jaw, murmuring, "Now I'm just fucking hard."
"You did this to yourself," I note helpfully.
"Fuck off."
"Okay," I start pulling away from him, but he quickly holds me tighter, backing me up against the door of the car.
"I was kidding, obviously," He rolls his eyes, smiling down at me, "See, sitting next to you for four hours in the car and not getting to do this is absolute torture. You won't even let me hold your hand!"
"Because we're driving pretty fast on these roads and I want us to be safe!"
"You don't trust my driving?" He teases.
It's my turn to roll my eyes, "I trust you with my life, Reece, obviously."
"Good," He leans in to kiss me again, soft and brief, "You think we should get going again?"
With a soft sigh, I snuggle into him further, pressing my face to his chest, "Maybe just a couple more minutes."
He chuckles and I know he's shaking his head at me. "Now who's the clingy one, Sunshine?"
~ Pink Flamingo <3