Beast Brothers 2

Megan arches an eyebrow and looks at me with suspicion.

“I mean it. Not even Eric, okay?” I say.

“Why would I tell Eric?”

Now it’s my turn to raise a brow, my expression making it clear that I’m not continuing my story without a promise.

“Jeez. Okay. I won’t tell anyone, not even Eric. Cross my heart. Pinky promise.” She rolls her eyes and waggles her little finger at me, and I’d laugh if the butterflies fluttering up into my chest would let me. “Now what’s the big secret?”

“So remember right before the band started, when I came in from the patio?”

“You were out there gettin’ some? You go!” She laughs and I start to look forward to shocking her, which I know I’ll be doing soon.

“All we did was kiss,” I say. “But today, it turns out he’s my chemistry tutor.”

“That is so cool,” Megan says. She has a bit of a bless-your-heart tone to her voice, like isn’t it cute that I found a boyfriend. “But I don’t get it. Why all the secrecy?”

“Well, the guy…” I fidget a little and look around, both excited and extremely nervous to drop my bombshell. Finally I lean in and lower my voice. “It’s Aidan Holt. From Throwback.”

Megan’s jaw literally drops. Along with her fork, which thuds into her salad. Then her eyes sweep over me before peering into mine, as if she’s trying to figure out if I’m joking.

“Say something,” I prompt.

“If anyone else were to tell me this, I’d think they were lying.” She lowers her voice to an excited whisper. “You seriously hooked up with Aidan Holt?

“We haven’t hooked up.”

“But you kissed him Saturday?”

I nod. “We kissed today too, and um…” I let my voice trail off. There is no way I can tell her what else went on.

“Get out!” Megan says. “You’ve been making out with Aidan Holt? And he’s your chemistry tutor?”

I laugh at Megan’s outburst, and at the improbability of the situation. It feels good to release the bubble of tension that had built up in my chest.

“I have so many questions!” Megan says. She finally digs into her salad and I can see the wheels of her mind spinning on hyperspeed. I brace myself for interrogation. “How is he?” she asks after she swallows her first bite.

I feel myself blush. “As good as you would imagine.”

“Mmmmm,” Megan says, not referring to her food.

“He’s a good teacher, too. I think he’s really going to be able to help me with my chemistry, but I’m just afraid of what else might happen.”

“What do you mean?” She cocks her head as she eats, and I feel relief come over me now that we’re finally getting to the heart of what’s bothering me.

“Well, like you told me, he has a reputation …”

“Yeah.”

“And I’ve never …”

Megan squints at me, trying to puzzle out my unsaid words.

“I’ve never … you know…”

“Oh.” Her mouth rounds into a little “o” before she nods in understanding. “And you’re thinking he might be the one?”

I stir my yogurt and realize my stomach is not going to let me eat any of it right now. “I’m thinking he shouldn’t be the one. I know this is gonna sound stupid but I want it to mean something. I don’t want my first time to be with someone who’s got women throwing themselves at him every night.”

Saying it out loud brings me back to the same thought that’s been bothering me all along. Why is Aidan coming on to me? If the girls at the bar were any indication, I’m nothing like the women he’s typically with. Surely he sees that. Maybe he’s a sex addict, or he’s going for some kind of record number of conquests.

Megan says, “My first time is now listed as the main entry under ‘awkward’ in the dictionary. There was fumbling, there was a condom fail — thank god he at least had a backup — and there was a frustratingly quick conclusion, if you know what I mean. If I were you, I’d jump at the chance to get started with a guy who really knows what he’s doing.” She gets a faraway look on her face. “All that onstage sexiness has to translate into some real-life skill.”

I don’t say anything, but I wonder if, when I decided to confide in Megan, I already knew exactly what kind of advice she would give me.

Chapter 11

Aidan

“Hey, Dad.”

“Hi, Aidan.” My dad’s where I usually find him at night, in his chair, on his laptop. “Did you eat?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I had pizza with the guys.”

“Great.” He turns back to his work and I head to my room. It’s been a typically long day. Work, classes, practice with the band — Josh and Nick were both late today — and now studying.

Thanks to my session with Amber this morning, it’s also been a frustrating day. She’s been all I could think about.

In the afternoon, as I rushed across campus, a head of long, golden-brown hair caught my eye and I turned to stare, but then I realized it wasn’t her. Why has she taken over my thoughts so completely? That never happens. Maybe it’s because I haven’t slept with her yet.