63

Kassie

Operation

There was literally no way in the deepest pits of hell that Ryan was serious.

He couldn't be - right? We'd gotten into so much shit in the last few days and if I was tired, he had to be exhausted. No. I knew he was exhausted. Ryan could push through it better than I could but that didn't mean he didn't deserve sleep.

In the bathroom, I stared into the mirror, tapping my fingers against the side of the sink.

How do I get him to go to sleep?

"We have a double-date with June and King!" he called from the bedroom.

I rolled my eyes. "That's the important kind of stuff we're sacrificing sleep over."

"What?"

"Nothing!" I assured him. "Just—uh—thinking about what to wear!"

It was a bullshit answer but my mind whirled away with the possibilities to the tired boyfriend problem. If Ryan just laid down for a little bit, I knew he'd fall asleep. But how the hell could I get him to lay down? Fucking him clearly wasn't the answer. That man was an energizer bunny.

My eyes flickered back up to the mirror and I gazed at myself for a moment.

How do you get Mr. Intense to fall asleep?

He'd kissed away some of the makeup on my neck. Hickeys faintly showed through but that wasn't good enough. That wouldn't get Ryan's attention.

I dropped down to my knees and rifled under the sink. There was a box of makeup wipes, half-full, and I yanked a few out. Quickly, I cleaned up the last of my makeup from my breasts and my neck, revealing everything.

What else?

I put my hairbrush to my hair and brushed the last of the tangles until my dark hair cascaded down my back. A little lipgloss—a little mascara—more lotion—and for the pièce de résistance, I touched my nipples under my shirt until they poked through the fabric of my shirt.

Okay.

Operation, get Ryan to go the fuck to sleep .