Little Red (12 page)

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By the time we finish every scrap of food on the table, it’s then that I realize how
hungry we all were.

Red dabs at her mouth with a napkin before having another drink of water.

Aaron shovels the last of his mashed potatoes into his mouth, and Ian gulps the last
of his pop

Red lets out a satisfied sigh.

“Thank you.

I was really hungry.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” I tell her

“We should really get the shopping done,” Aaron says.

“It’s nearly six, and we need hotel rooms.”

I give a reluctant nod, finding that I’m most comfortable and satisfied next to Red
doing nothing.

I push my chair from the table and extend a hand to Red

“I’ll be really quick,” she says.

“You can wander around the mall while I go grab some clothes.”

I shake my head.

“I don’t mind going.”

“I’m just going to the Gap and Victoria’s Secret,” she says, her cheeks immediately
turning bright pink

I can’t help myself to take a moment of ungentlemanly like thoughts before clearing
my throat.

“It’s okay.

I just…”

Aaron stops me.

“He’s just worried; it’s just best to agree and let us tag along.”

Ian nods.

“Besides, I like Victoria’s Secret.”

Aaron and Ian lead the way into the mall as Red leans over to me.

“Please, don’t let them follow me in Victoria’s Secret.”

I laugh.

“They are older than me, and how am I supposed to stop them?”

“You’re bigger,” she says, letting out a slight laugh, though I can feel that she’s
embarrassed

“I’ll keep close watch on them,” I say, softly giving her a wink to relax her

She laughs again as Aaron and Ian both pause in front of a store

“What’s wrong?” I ask

They point to the store for maternity clothing.

“Isn’t she going in here?” Ian asks

I feel a little rage float from Red.

I laugh it off, “I don’t think she’s to that point yet.”

“I’m going to the Gap,” she mutters as she brushes past them

I shake my head at both of them, reminding them to pay mind to what they say as I
start after her.

When I find her, she’s inside the Gap with an armful of jeans and long sleeved tops
at the register

“I’m sorry,” I tell her.

“They’ve just…” I pause.

“None of us have ever really been around...”

“Someone who’s pregnant,” she says

I give her a slow nod

Her lips begin to curl up in a tight little smile.

“I’m sorry.

It’s okay, really.

I’m just…” She pauses.

“Hormonal, I guess.

I shouldn’t be upset with any of you.”

“I think after a while, we’ll all adjust.”

She gives me a nod as she reaches into her pocket.

I immediately shake my head and yank out my wallet to shove a credit card toward the
cashier

“I can’t let you do that,” she says, now trying to give the cashier a handful of twenties

I shake my head and nod toward the credit card.

“You won’t win this.”

She sighs and slides her money into her pocket as I sign the small slip of paper.

I take her bags and Red thanks them

“You don’t have to do that, you know,” she says as we trail back into the mall to
find Aaron and Ian both sitting on the benches outside the store

“I want to,” I tell her.

“Besides, we’re the ones who asked you to get new clothes.”

She gives me a little nod as we head down the hallway to Victoria’s Secret.

It’s difficult being in such a store with her.

It’s filled with women, their partners, and more than enough teenage girls that are
loud and giggling by the body sprays and make-up.

The vibes are enough to make Aaron, Ian, and me jittery.

Red’s cheeks flush as she grabs a few things which include some PINK yoga pants and
tank tops.

I can’t keep my eyes from flitting over a few things in the store, and I have to make
myself look away

She passes Ian on her way to the checkout lines and quickly snatches a light pink
thong from him.

Something tells me this will be half traumatizing for us all.

“Get anything for Ethan?” he asks

Her head drops as her cheeks turn a fiery pink.

I make an attempt to laugh it off, but the man and wolf in me feel as though I could
go mad any second.

My brain finds the memory of our night together.

Following her from the cabin and pushing her against the tree.

I nearly have to force myself to slide my credit card on the machine and sign my name.

I allow Red to take the bag as I breathe a sigh of relief coming out of the store

I feel Aaron’s hand on my shoulder.

“You need to breathe, man.”

Red’s eyes glance at me for a moment and then quickly away again.

Aaron laughs softly.

“Not easy, is it?”

I fight the urge to hit him as we make our way to my Jeep.

At least the cool air is enough to calm me, though I can’t help but to take a better
look at her and remember that night in the woods

When Ian finally gets Trent on the phone, it’s a relief to hear that they’ve already
gotten us all hotel rooms.

I hear Aaron and Red both sigh.

Ian mutters that we’ll meet them there, ends the call, and tells me directions

The hotel is surprisingly, and luckily, close to the mall and the hospital.

It’s kind of a relief to see the building, knowing that we can all sleep in beds as
soon as we get inside.

A nice change of pace from what James and I had been sleeping on for the past month

Trent, Colt, and Eli are all in the lobby waiting for us.

Trent conceals a laugh as his eyes shift to the bright pink and red Victoria’s Secret
bag, and he no doubt picks up on my uneasiness.

“We have the rooms,” he chokes.

“Three of us in one, two in another, and we got you and Red a room together.” He clears
his throat

Eli extends a card key to me, and I snatch it away immediately.

“You guys don’t have to be assholes.

I get it!” I yell

“We’re all on the top floor,” Colt tells us

I give him a nod as I begin walking to the elevator.

I feel Red just behind me and with my brothers trailing her I finally let my guard
down.

As we all step in, I have to fight the urge not to kick some of my brothers.

They may be in their thirties, but that certainly doesn’t keep them from making fun
of me

I hear Trent laugh softly as Aaron elbows him.

“Think you can make it to the room, Ethan?” Trent asks

“You couldn’t make it back to the cabin,” Aaron adds

I bite my tongue and sigh.

I feel Red’s mortification as she shifts uneasily

“You know,” I say, “you guys could really be more like gentleman.”

“We’re not the ones who couldn’t wait.” Aaron laughs

“Look!” I hear Red’s voice boom.

“It happened, okay? I admit it! I had sex with your brother in the woods!” Her cheeks
are bright red, and it’s almost as though her eyes are watery as we all stand there,
mouths gaping open.

She’s angry and certainly not afraid to show it.

The quick change in her has done more than shock us.

I’m at a complete loss for words and the only thing I can manage is to stare

“You forgot the tree,” Ian adds with a chuckle

“Against a tree,” she yells.

“But, you don’t have to spend every single waking moment making him feel like shit
about it.

Or me for that matter.”

My brothers all hang their heads in shame.

“Sorry,” I hear them all mutter

She turns away from them and crosses her arms firmly in front of her body.

She looks at me for a moment.

“I’m sorry; it’s true.

We can’t hide what we did.”

“Yeah,” I say, using her rant to cover my own ass

I hear them all repeat that they’re sorry as Red turns away from them to face me.

She looks at me shyly, then a look of horror washes over her face as she turns redder
than Colt’s tee shirt before crossing her arms in front of her body.

She lets out a deep breath that it seemed she was holding in and catches my gaze again.

This time I see her relax as she drops her arms and looks down briefly

It’s a relief for all of us to feel the elevator stop at the top floor.

Red follows behind my brothers but avoids eye contact.

I stop in front of our room door and slide the key in

I notice Trent, Eli, and Colt standing behind me and looking ashamed as I push open
the door.

I shake my head at all three.

There’s no mistaking the honeymoon suite with the bowl of fresh fruit, large open
whirlpool tub, and enormous bed

Their eyes stay planted toward the ground as they all three mutter their apologies
again and quickly head down the hall.

I can hear Aaron’s maniacal laughter.

“You three are in trouble.”

I glance at Red.

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s just a room,” she says.

“They’re your brothers.

It’s what brothers do.

I’m sorry for the elevator; I just feel nuts right now.”

I smile at her understanding

“Besides a warm bath wouldn’t be too bad, or a hot shower at the very least.”

I allow her to step inside, and I lock the door behind us.

She glances around and laughs.

“Fresh fruit.

They went all out, huh?” She finally lets out a long, hard laugh, and then plops on
the bed.

“The honeymoon suite and everyone knows what we’ve done.” She drops her head, laughing.

“Against a tree.”

“How many people actually have - ” I stop, now feeling as embarrassed as before.

“I shouldn’t have done that to you.

I should have taken you back inside.

Stopped myself, done something, anything different,” I say.

“You deserve candles and flower petals on the bed.

Not some hard tree in the middle of nowhere.”

She looks at me, completely surprised with the softest expression I’ve ever seen on
her face.

She smiles, gets up, and walks to me.

I feel her hand on my face as she pulls me in for a soft kiss.

It’s brief, but enough to make my knees knock as she pulls away.

I smile, unable to speak

“That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she breathes

“I only said it because it’s true.”

She smiles and leans in to kiss my cheek.

“I think I’m going to shower,” she says, reaching for one of the bags

I look toward the rather large whirlpool tub.

“The tub looks pretty amazing.

I could run a bath for you, and then I could go to Trent’s room,” I tell her

“I can’t kick you out of our room,” she says.

“Besides they might torment you.” She laughs

“I can sit on the balcony,” I suggest

“I’m not going to let you freeze,” she says.

“That’s just mean.”

“How about I just sit on the floor and watch TV,” I say.

“I just think the bath would feel better.

We all need to relax.”

She finally smiles and nods.

“Okay, but only because I’ve never been in a tub that big before in my life and I
have to try it.”

I head over and begin running the water until it reaches a relaxing warm temperature.

I add a few squeezes of bubble bath from the bottle next to the tub.

I turn to her, smiling.

“It’s all yours.” I grab the remote and plop in front of the TV.

I lean my back against the foot of the bed and make myself comfortable by kicking
off my shoes.

I hear the sound of sloshing water finally, as I can only assume that she’s slid into
the tub

“Have you really never been with anyone?” I hear her ask

I look down briefly before I flip the TV on.

“I’ve tried but it never works out.

Moon rage is hard to fight.”

“How did you do so well around me?”

“I’m not sure I did so well,” I say.

“You do remember what happened.”

I hear her laugh.

“I’m pretty sure I couldn’t forget that.”

“I don’t think I will either.”

“I have to say, I am really impressed with you,” she mumbles softly.

“Not only are you really not looking, but you’ve been really…” she pauses.

“You’re really sweet to me, given the circumstances.”

“How else would I be?” I ask, fighting the urge to turn and look at her

“I’ve just,” she takes a breath.

“I’ve seen things like this happen and not end up so nicely.

I mean, how many people get some fairytale ending?”

“I’d say you deserve one,” I tell her

“You too,” I hear back.

“Do you regret it?” She asks suddenly

“What we did?” I ask

“More like the outcome.”

I shake my head.

“I could never regret it.”

“It just seems as though your family is frightened of women and children.”

“It’s the curse they’re afraid of.

They don’t want to harm their wife in the middle of a moon rage, and they certainly
don’t want to pass it to their children,” I explain

“But you can break it?”

I think, and then nod.

“I can’t have any blood on my hands.

An innocent life.”

“But you already have that,” she says

“I have to hold my first born child,” I stammer finally.

“That breaks the curse.”

“So, if you remain normal until this child is born, you break the curse for your entire
family?”

I think it over and nod.

“If it’s true to stories I’ve heard, then yes.

My brothers, as murderers, have blood on their hands.

That’s why the moon damned us.

They will pass the curse on to their children.

Their punishment for what they did is to live with this and pass it on for as long
as we Parkers are around.

I’m the only innocent one.