The Freshman (College Years 1)

“Get a new phone then? With a new number?” That would get rid of the problem, at least for me.

Though I’d have to tell Palmer she can’t talk to me for a while.

“We can check if your phone is being monitored. Let’s do that first, and see if Lauri is spying on you,” Tony suggests.

My heart sinks as I settle on the bed beside him, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry this happened. It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not.”

“But it’s happening because of me. Because of Lauri.”

“And Helena. For whatever reason, those two are working together,” Tony says as he slips his arm around my shoulders and holds me close. “It’s okay. We’ll figure this out.”

I glance up at him to find he’s already watching me. “I never thought something like this would happen between us. Spies and espionage.”

He chuckles. Leans in and kisses me, his lips moving against mine sweetly at first, until it turns heated. “You’re exaggerating,” he murmurs.

“Maybe. Maybe not,” I say, circling my arms around his neck. “Let’s have sex before you unhack my phone.”

“I guess unhacking the phone can wait,” he says.

Right before he kisses me.

Twenty-Three

Tony

Sex with Hayden is a complete distraction, but I want it. Need it. Feels like I always need it with Hayden. I crave her touch. Her taste. The way she moves and stretches beneath me. How her breath catches when I suck her nipples deep into my mouth. Or how she goes extra wild when I go down on her, my fingers inside her pussy, my lips latched around her clit.

I make her come like that every single time, and when she shudders and shakes beneath me, losing complete control, I feel like a superstar. Like I just caught a game winning touchdown.

Other emotions are swirling within me. The complete relief that Hayden isn’t spilling our secrets to her dad’s girlfriend is downright overwhelming. Not that I ever really thought she was saying anything to Lauri, but there was that tiny, niggling chance she might’ve. I’ve known from the start she’s not a huge fan of Lauri’s, so it never made sense Hayden would tell her anything about us. Palmer could’ve, but I believe her little sister too. Her loyalty lies with Hayden, not Lauri.

I guess my worry over Hayden is a result of witnessing my parents’ messed up marriage, and how distrusting they became of each other, especially near the end. They were always accusing each other of something. Cheating. Lying. Of course, I’d grow up skeptical. But I need to realize I’m not my parents.

I’m just me. And Hayden is just Hayden. I can’t lump her in with everyone else who’s done me wrong.

The spyware thing on her phone is mind-blowing. Haven’t confirmed it yet, but it’s the only theory that makes sense. I’ve never given that stuff much thought before. Guess my dad could keep tabs on me like that if he wanted to, but I don’t think he cares enough.

On any other night, that would bother me. Sit with me and remind me that, yet again, the important people in my life abandon me, and it sucks.

But not tonight. Not when I have a willing, gorgeous woman in my arms, kissing me as if her life depended on it. Hayden cares. She never brings up the ‘friends with benefits’ thing anymore. We haven’t come out and defined it, but we’re together. We’re a couple. She’s my girlfriend, just like Helena told my father. If she got anything right in this giant mess she’s created, it’s that.

I push all thoughts of our families out of my mind and refocus on Hayden. Kissing her. Touching her. Savoring her. I slip my hand beneath her shirt, my fingers seeking the lacy edge of her bra. I cup her breast, her nipple pebbling beneath my palm and I tug at the hem of her shirt with my other hand, yanking it up.

Breaking the kiss, I shift lower, running my mouth across her cleavage. Shoving the bra up, freeing her breasts. I lick and suck her nipples, and she squirms beneath me, her hands in my hair as she holds me to her chest.

We shed our clothes quickly, eager to get naked. Hands everywhere, hers curve around the base of my cock, mine diving into the sticky hot wetness between her thighs. We touch and stroke, working each other into a frenzy.

I feel more eager than usual to plunge inside her tonight. Maybe it was all the stress from my dad and Helena. My worry about Hayden. Hell, even witnessing the dramatic blow-up between Caleb and Gracie threw me a little. A little theatrical, but it was a day of reckoning, and I’m so fucking grateful that my night is ending with this girl in my arms.

We roll over so she’s on top of me, and she grinds her pussy against my cock, making me groan. She’s nothing but wet, welcoming heat and I’m desperate to be inside her.

Desperate.

A shift of my hips and I slide inside with ease. She goes still and I open my eyes to find her staring at me.

“You didn’t put on a condom,” she whispers.