Brooke watches me for a moment with determination in her eyes, making it clear she doesn’t want to say anything, but with a sigh, that determination fades away. “I slept with him over the summer.”
“What?” I grunt before splattering about as I choke on my own spit. “Please tell me you’re joking?”
“I wish I was,” she says with a cringe. “It’s just, you guys are all partnered up and I had nobody. All summer long, I turned up to parties by myself and watched everybody fornicating on the dance floor, so don’t judge me. I was lonely and drunk, and well… it just kind of happened.”
“Brooke,” I groan, not sure how to feel about this, but then, I guess I don’t get an opinion. It’s her body and heart to do whatever she pleases with. “I hope it was worth it.”
A grin splits her face in half. “Come on,” she laughs. “Max and I weren’t compatible when it came to love, but sex? We never had an issue with sex.”
“Oh, geez,” I laugh. “No wonder he couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”
“I know. It was a mistake and I’ve told him as much. It won’t be happening again, especially now that I’m with Lukas. You know he drives a Harley as well as his truck?”
I roll my eyes. She’s told me all this at least a hundred times now and while it’s getting really old, hearing about how defined Lukas’s body is, but it doesn’t get old for her. So, trying my best to keep that in mind, I smile and nod, letting her rave on about this guy that we honestly know nothing about.
Brooke finishes gushing about Lukas before getting up off the floor. “I better go get some studying done. I have an exam tomorrow and I want to kill it.”
“Yeah, alright,” I say, pushing myself up off the ground. “I better get some studying done too.”
Brooke walks down the hallway as I detour to the front door to scoop my bag up off the floor before walking down to my room. I open my bag and let my books spill out over the bed before finding my laptop under the mess. I open up to the few notes I had managed to get down while also hating on Josh and then open my English textbook, hoping I can somehow make sense of what I’ve written down.
My phone buzzes on the bed beside me and I look down to find mom’s name scrawled across the screen. “Shit,” I groan, remembering that I had promised to call at a certain time every day, and naturally, I’ve already broken that promise.
“Hey, mom,” I say, answering the call.
Her amused voice comes through the line. “It’s only been a day and you’ve already forgotten to call.”
“Sorry,” I cringe. “I’ve been studying and lost track of time.”
“Hmmm, well I guess I can’t complain about that.”
A smile takes over me, realizing I’ve gotten away with murder. “No, you can’t.”
I talk to mom for the next half hour and she tells me all about her flight while I let her know how awesome it is living in my own space with Brooke. I talk to dad for about three seconds before he promptly finishes the call, demanding I get back to my studies. I have to laugh. Some things never change.
I do just as I’ve been ordered and put the phone back down beside me before truly getting stuck into my work.
It’s after seven when my window scrapes open, jolting me out of my studying with a surprised gasp. I was so consumed with my work I hadn’t even noticed him sneaking up. Hell, I was so consumed, I didn’t even stop for dinner.
“What the hell are you doing?” I shriek as Nate climbs through the window.
He grins at me, only halfway through before one sexy as hell wink comes my way. “Old habits die hard.” I roll my eyes as he lands inside my room and takes in the books on my bed. His features fall just a bit. “I’m assuming you didn’t take a break to eat?”
“Are you going to be mad if I say no?”
Nate sighs and reaches for my hand before pulling me up to my feet. “Come on,” he murmurs, weaving his fingers through mine. “I’ll make you dinner.” He pulls me down the hallway before looking back over his shoulder. “I guess this means Brooke hasn’t eaten either.”
I shake my head and he rolls his eyes. “Ok.”
A beaming smile cuts across my face and I tug on his hand, pulling him back to me. A smile pulls on his lips as he comes crashing into me and his arms securely wrap around me before those delicious lips come down on mine.
“Thank you,” I whisper, moving my lips against his. “I love you.”