Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

if he knew.

Guilt crashed down on her in merciless waves. Each time she tried to catch her breath, another swept over her,

dragging her under. She

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doubled over, gasping for air, fighting the bile that surged from her stomach to the back of her throat. Tears

stung her eyes.

"Ariana, what's wrong?" Thomas reached out and rested his hand on her back.

She jerked away. "Don't touch me!"

"Sorry." A surprised look passed over Thomas's face, and he held his hands up in surrender.

"I have to go. I have to shower."

She felt so dirty. So awful she could hardly stand to be in her own skin.

"Okay. Okay, fine. I'll come with you and show you where the-"

"No!" Ariana whirled on him. What did he think they were going to do, shower together? She couldn't

believe he was still coming on to her. Couldn't this guy take a hint? "I'm not showering with you. I have to

get out of here. I have to get away from you."

Ariana sat and yanked her boots on, angry tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Okay. What the hell just happened here?" Thomas demanded.

Ariana looked up at him. He was still shirtless. Standing there in his boxers. Disgusted, Ariana looked away

and shoved her hair behind her shoulders.

"What just happened is, I woke up. I realized what I'm doing, how wrong this is," she spat. "I'm going to

Vermont. I'm going to be with Daniel. This was a mistake."

Thomas's face was saturated with confusion. Ariana felt a new wave of guilt, but she couldn't let him get to

her. He was not important. Not anymore. She had to focus.

Daniel... Daniel is the one I need.

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"Fine." In an instant, Thomas's face hardened and he took a step back toward the bed. "Good luck getting out

of here in this weather. And try not to get caught. If I'm gonna get a third strike, it's not gonna be for you."

"What?" Ariana blurted. She stood and snatched up her coat and bag.

"You're not the only one who has something to lose here," Thomas yelled, yanking a long-sleeved T-shirt on

over his head. "I'm not gonna get expelled just because Easton's resident prude wanted to use me for the