Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
My thighs clenched as my pulse spiked. “I have to admit, I like the sound of that. Does that make me greedy?”
“I don’t know. Does it make me greedy that I want you even though my two friends do, too?”
“Maybe,” I said, and he laughed. But then I took a deep breath. “So my answer is yes. I would like to go a bit further with the three of you.”
“Tonight?”
His question took my breath away. Tonight as in ten hours from now? “But what about our date?”
“We can have our date here, with some friends.”
“But—”
“If you don’t want that, that’s perfectly fine, Tori. But don’t turn it down because of me. You live here now. You’re paying rent and everything. We’ll have plenty of time to do things one-on-one and also… more on one.”
That made me smile. “Nicely phrased.”
“That means a lot coming from a future English teacher. So, are we on for tonight?”
After a deep breath, I let myself answer the way I wanted to, not the way I probably should have. “Yes. I’d like that.”
“Good. Then I’ve been deputized to pass along a request.”
“You were?” The idea that the three of them might have talked about this made me squirm, and only partly in embarrassment.
“Yes. The Council of Roommates has requested that you wear that dress that you bought at that thrift store in Atlanta.”
And just like that, all the good feelings inside me vanished. “I would, but… I think it would remind me too much of the wedding.” I’d only talked to my mom once since then, and things had been tense.
“Not that dress. The other one.”
Oh. He meant the one I wore on the date with Kyle. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“How is it that Kyle and Lucas have seen you in it, but not me?” he asked. “Again. That’s what happened with that green dress you wore to the movie night, too.”
“How about the next time I have something new and sexy to wear, I show you first?” I slid my leg over his. “In a private showing.”
“I like the sound of that.” He reached over to the nightstand and picked up his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Ordering you some new and sexy lingerie.”
I laughed, pleased with his answer, and happy to be in his arms.
And incredibly excited about tonight.
41
LUCAS
Jayden and Kyle were sitting on the front porch when I pulled up on Saturday afternoon. That would make things easier, since they both would be interested in what I had to say. Tori would be too, but I didn’t see her, and for once, that felt like a good thing.
Ever since Kyle revealed that he hadn’t slept with Natalie, things between us had been better but also awkward. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around how he’d taken the blame for Natalie, even though he’d had nothing to do with it. And he let me rage at him for all this time.
But he’d been no angel—I was under no illusions about that. Still, I wished I hadn’t given him so much grief for the one actually selfless thing he’d done.
It was a weird dynamic. But at least I’d be able to give him some news today that he needed.
“There’s more beer in the fridge,” Jayden said by way of greeting. Maybe that was why I had so few male friends. My first thought was always on schoolwork. So many of my peers were obsessed with drinking, partying, and women.
Kyle sure was—though maybe things were changing now.
He and Jayden were in the only two chairs that fit out here on the porch, so I sat on the front step. “I found out something.”
Kyle straightened up in his chair. “About the recording?”
“Yes,” I said. Kyle had already been cleared of cheating, but I didn’t blame him for wanting to know who’d targeted him like this.
“What’d you find out?” Jayden asked.
“A buddy met me in the computer lab today and we did some analysis. And we also were able to see who else used the equipment there.”
“Who was it?” There was murder in Kyle’s voice.
“It could be one of few people.” I rattled off a few names, none of which seemed to mean anything to Kyle. But knowing what I did about his lifestyle, I was fairly certain the next one would. “Then there’s a young woman who’s minoring in Blockchain Development, and in the past couple of weeks, she’s—”
“Fuck. Is it Jasmine?” Kyle interrupted.
“Yes. She’s on the short list.”
He slumped back in his chair. “It’s her.”
“A vindictive ex?” Jayden asked. Apparently, he had no more trouble believing that possibility than I did.
“Something like that. We were hooking up before I got interested in my hot new writing tutor.” He sighed heavily. “I knew Jasmine was jealous, and she’s been blowing up my phone, but I never thought she’d do that.”