Ethan stood there, frozen, after the storm of scolding his mother had just unleashed on him. Her voice still echoed in his ears.
Across the room, Rhea, Jasmine, and Natalie were clutching their stomachs, laughing uncontrollably.
"Pfft—Ethan, your mom really cooked you alive just now!" Jasmine said, trying to catch her breath.
"I feel secondhand embarrassment!" Natalie giggled, wiping a tear from her eye.
Rhea smirked. "You looked like a guilty schoolboy being grilled by the principal!"
Ethan slowly turned his head to them.
His eyes narrowed. A dangerous smirk spread across his face.
The laughter froze.
He jumped,literally,from the bed across the room. Before the girls could react, he had already reached Jasmine, the main culprit behind their teasing.
"You started it, Jasmine," he said, grabbing her gently but firmly by the waist. "Now, take responsibility."
His hand slid up her back in a smooth, teasing motion, his index finger brushing along her spine ever so softly.
