Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
AUSTIN
Dex has always been my best friend, so it’s no surprise that we attend Franklin U together. We’re complete opposites. Dex is charismatic and outgoing. Me? Let’s just say I wish I could infuse some of his confidence into my veins. Making friends is hard enough, but trying to meet guys, even with Dex’s help? I’m useless. Maybe it’s because Dex is all about hooking up, but I want my first time to be straight out of the pages of the romance novels I read.
DEX
After a string of mishaps, I swore off helping Austin land guys. But when he asks me to show him the ropes with practice sessions, I get the feeling he’s desperate. Our dates are pretend, so why am I getting so into them? I want to make Austin happy, but the line between friendship and something more is getting really damned blurry. The fluttery feeling, that electric energy every time we touch…it’s addicting. I’m getting overprotective, not only of my time with Austin, but with douchebags who might break his heart.
Eventually, the pretending has to end so Austin can strike out on his own. But how do I tell him I’m not ready to let him go, when every attempt at confessing leaves me tongue-tied?
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
DEX
I lift my last box and head to the door. “Don’t miss me too much.”
Austin scrunches his nose. “Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“Liar.”
Austin and I have been best friends since grade school. We roomed together in the Franklin U dorms as freshmen and for half of our sophomore year. The plan was always for us to get out of the dorms, though I’ve been in more of a hurry than Austin. I’ve been on a waiting list for the political science house, known as Poli House, and didn’t think a spot would open until next year.
When I got word that a bed would be available at the beginning of the second semester, Austin encouraged me to take it. But I feel guilty, like I’m abandoning him.
“Look at all the space I’ll have.” Austin motions to the empty bed on what used to be my side of the room. He’s been gloating about scoring a single since I made my decision over winter break. That also makes me nervous because Austin has hermit tendencies. Not that I’m his keeper, but I am practically the organizer of his social calendar. Without me, he will never leave this room except for work and class.
That means I have to step up my plan to get him out more.
“You sure you don’t want me to wait?” I ask, knowing full well he won’t change his mind. He knows what a good experience it’ll be for me, especially as I try for local internships. The other residents are as community-minded as I am, and I’ll have a home base to work on any number of campaigns. The dorm room is too tiny for all that.
It was the same for me in high school. I was on student council and loved being active in the community. Austin is an introvert who always has something to read on his device—even in the middle of parties.
He’s painfully shy and awkward around men he finds attractive, so even though he loves the idea of romance, he has always been too timid to follow that dream. But somehow, I can always get him to accompany me to any number of events. He admits it’s because I’m one of the only people he likes being around, but if he wasn’t so picky, he’d have more friends. He’s smart and sweet and amusing too.
“Hell no.” He frowns. “This is important to you.”
“I’ll just have to bug you to help with community-service stuff from Poli House.”
He pumps his eyebrows. “Oh, you’ll be doing plenty of community service at the Molly House. I mean Poli.”
I huff out a laugh. I’m not any sort of hookup master, but I like to have a good time. I’ve never had an actual boyfriend because I suck at the long-term thing. Austin has tried to give me pointers from what he’s read in his romance books, but I think all that stuff is ridiculous. Plus, I’ve never had serious feelings for anyone, and I’ve kept myself too busy to care. After seeing how many boyfriends my mom has been through since she divorced my dad, I know it’s more important to make myself happy. And okay, Austin too because he’s a significant part of my life.
“Think you got everything?” he asks, and I nod as I give the room a once-over. “Good. Now get out so I can jerk off without you hearing me.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Don’t you mean hear it?” he calls after me as I go out the door.
I grin as I descend the stairs and head across campus. It’s a running joke between us that I’m the hornier one. Either he’s really fucking quiet, or he hardly jerks off. Mind-boggling.
Poli House, a sprawling, brick, Tudor-style building, seems out of place with the rest of campus, but I think it’s charming. Once I arrive, I’m greeted by a couple of housemates sitting with their laptops open at a long table in the dining area.
Ian grins. “Good to have you.” I already know him since he’s the FU student council president, and I’m serving as part of the student senate this year. Still, I was required to meet with him to make sure I would be a good fit with the other Poli House residents. Ian’s cool—upbeat and friendly every time we’ve interacted. How he maintains that temperament is a mystery, but I suppose some people have brighter outlooks than others.
I like that Poli House does plenty of fundraising and generally frowns upon heavy partying. The no-hazing rule sold me too. I enjoy having a good time, but not to the point of passing out, especially not after hearing an old classmate died from alcohol poisoning on another campus. Plus, the other residents have similar political goals, as well as community connections. Milo, whom I know from my American Foreign Policy class, is the one who convinced me to put my name on the waiting list. And now Milo is my roommate.