Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
He strode over to the bed and in one fell swoop, he wrapped the comforter around me like I was a burrito and then picked me up, holding me close against his body and then spinning around. He lowered me closer to his lips and then kissed me before placing me back on the bed, all in graceful, fluid motions.
“Not fair,” I said.
“And you love it.”
“God, I do.”
“But I still can’t find my damn phone,” he said, throwing his arms up in the air.
I pulled in a breath, slinking out from under the covers and walking out into the chilly air. I went over to the little rumple of clothes he’d tossed away last night, and I felt for a phone in his pants. When it wasn’t there, I checked the floor beside the bag where his Christmas tree had been, and I saw the little black phone.
“Here it is,” I said, handing it over.
His eyes went wide. “You found it in two seconds,” he said. “Genius, I tell you.”
“You just have to go to the most obvious places,” I said. “There was no way you would have left it in your condom drawer.”
Brody laughed. “I keep more in there than just condoms.”
“Okay, condom and lube drawer.”
He was smiling as he looked down at his phone, but as his eyes scanned the screen, his smile slowly disappeared. His expression turned stony, and it was like I was witnessing a storm cloud pass over him in real time.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
He shook his head, his lips pressed together in a tight line. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“Did someone say shit about you again?” I asked.
He sighed, giving me a curt nod. “Yep. And it’s bullshit, and I’m going to take care of it.”
“What did they say?”
“I mean it, Logan. Don’t worry about it. I don’t want you to have to think about the drama.”
I had no idea how Brody could live with the constant knowledge that people were saying awful shit about him online. It already made me sick, and I’d only known him for a couple of months at this point.
Brody acted like the drama didn’t affect him that much anymore, but right now, I was watching it change his mood in real time. He tugged on a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt, and a hoodie, his face downcast the whole time. He had been cheeky and happy-go-lucky all morning until he’d seen whatever the drama of the day was, and now he seemed like a different person.
It felt like my heart was tugging at my sternum. I already missed him. I already missed the moments we’d shared this morning and last night.
“I’m sorry, Logan,” he said softly, coming back over to the bed to squeeze my hand. “I’ve got to go talk to a couple of people, and then I’m supposed to meet my brother for lunch, and then I have to go beg my Finance professor to let me schedule a make-up exam for the one I bombed.”
“It’s okay,” I said, tossing away the covers. I felt exposed as my feet hit the cold hardwood floor. I put on my pants from last night but it felt wrong, now, putting on the jersey he’d lent me.
All I had to do was walk over to my own room, anyway. It wasn’t like I had to do a walk of shame throughout the whole neighborhood. But leaving Brody’s room felt like leaving an entire world behind.
Brody reached over to the little Christmas tree and shut off the lights. “Maybe if I get home early enough, we can order pizza?” he offered.
I swallowed. “Don’t worry about it. I should grab dinner with Dani, anyway.”
As I reached for the doorknob to leave his room, he put a finger into one of my belt loops and tugged me back. I turned to see him, his face still a little sad-looking, for reasons I didn’t understand.
“Thank you for an amazing night, Logan,” he said. He leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips.
“I should be the one thanking you,” I said.
Don’t fall for him.
It was a hookup, and it’s over now. That should be fine.
Just let him go about his day.
“See you later, Professor,” he said with one more little kiss to the side of my head. I headed out and back to my room, and within another minute, I heard the sound of the front door opening and closing as Brody left.
Now it was just like any other Sunday. Brody had a whole world full of responsibilities and friends and things going on, and I had…
Well, I had a lot of books. A lot of classes. And, I suppose, I always had Dani, but she was spending more and more of her time with Henry these days, and I really couldn’t blame her. My world suddenly felt small and empty, and I fucking hated it.