He smirked and his reply was dripping with sarcasm "Really?"

"Of course."

Stone shook his head while chuckling "What drugs did this place put in your ice cream?"

"I can compliment you." I argued before giving an example "Lurch, you have an excellent taste in companionship to take to an Edgar Allan Poe film showing."

An hour passed with several backhanded compliments between us. He definitely had a few good insults but not enough to win the round.

Brennan pitched into our conversation by smirking at Stone and asking me "Ella, is Stone your type?"

"No," I joined teams with Brennan to tease Stone "I usually go for more well-built and larger guys."

It was a complete and utter lie. There was nobody bigger than Valentine Stone.

The giant sat back in his chair and silently challenged me like he did not believe me for one second.

His question came out as a small growl "Like who?"

I shrugged "Brennan is pretty buff."

"Yeah. I am." Brennan added, kissing his arm muscles.

Another growl from Stone and then the two males decided to go against each other in an arm-wrestling match.

Poor Brennan had to get his dislocated shoulder put back into the socket after.

We all got up and left the ice cream parlour. By the time we were outside, none of the rides nor stalls were open. The pier was only lit up by the lights on the railings.

I slowed my pace so Lana and Brennan could get a few yards in front, so they had the opportunity to speak.

Stone hung back with me, and it was not long before he started the teasing again.

He eventually asked, "So what are we going to do about them then?"

"What do you mean?" I questioned, wondering if he had picked up on the tension between the two.

"We told them we bumped into each other." He mentioned before adding "I am your ride home"

"We could just make a run for it and ditch them here." I joked then gave him a real answer "I can just walk home."

"Not happening." Stone dismissed the idea in his commanding voice "I am not letting you walk home, and I am not missing out on watching you pretend to hate inviting me inside your apartment."

I nudged him "Who says I am letting you inside?"

He shot me a cocky grin and I glowered at him.

"Especially after that stunt you pulled last night with the heating." I added, pretending to be angry about it.

I was going to let him in, but I would make him wait outside my door for a good ten minutes to appear that I was not eager for his presence.

I changed it to five minutes when he saw me shiver from the night air and he placed his leather jacket over my shoulders.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four