Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 48146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 241(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 241(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
“What the fuck?” Bones said to his friends. “You’re acting like dumbasses.”
Bones nearly crushed me before positioning his hands on either side of my shoulders in an almost protective mode. A fire blazed in my stomach, and I had trouble inhaling a decent breath.
“Look who’s suddenly the adult in the room,” Flash lobbed back.
Bones’s chest was practically grazing mine, and I felt his hot breath on my ear. It made my head fuzzy and warm.
Not good. At all. I ducked under his arm and did a spin move away.
Time for Grindr. I found an empty spot against the wall and pulled up the app. And just my luck, there was someone interested on campus.
Want to meet? he messaged.
Sure.
I smiled at my phone just as Bones glanced back at me. “What are you doing? Cheating?”
I flipped my screen toward him. “How is it cheating if it’s someone from campus?”
“How do you know—oh, the app tells you how close they are. That’s useful.”
“Very. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to win a bet.”
I stepped around him to reach out to Leah, who was still dancing with the others. “You okay if I take off and meet someone?”
“Someone cute?”
“His photo certainly looks it.” It wasn’t like I hadn’t done this before. Leah had admitted she wasn’t into hooking up, but she did flirt sometimes, especially with this one guy in her history class. She didn’t think he was into her though.
She glanced over my shoulder. “Why is Bones acting all miffed about it?”
“To be honest, I have a stupid bet going with him.”
“Why am I not in the least bit surprised?”
I snickered. “That’s how we roll. How else would I get through the semester being his roommate?”
“True. What’s the bet?”
“Whoever gets use of our empty dorm room first wins.”
“Oh my God, you two are ridiculous.”
“If I leave now, I might win!”
“I don’t know whether to root for you or smack you upside the head.” She nudged me toward the exit. “Good luck.”
6
BONES
My chest crowded with this feeling of protectiveness—at least, that was what I told myself as I followed Emil out the front door and onto the walkway.
He rounded on me. “What the hell are you doing?”
I hitched a shoulder. “Making sure you’re safe.”
“You’re kidding, right? Never, in all the time I’ve roomed with you, have you worried about my safety.”
“How do you know?” When Emil gave me a pointed look, I relented. “Okay, fine. But that’s because I never had a heads-up. But now you’re meeting some random dude from an app, and I know about it.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know if this is your way of keeping me from winning our bet, but if I were you, I’d head back inside and try to beat me to the room first.”
“I don’t care about that right now.” I honestly didn’t, and it must’ve shown because his mouth dropped open. “I just think…you should be more careful.”
Emil clenched his jaw. “I’m fully capable of fending for myself.”
“I’m not doubting that.” I raised my hands in retreat. “I just wanna know where you’re meeting this guy, in case he’s a serial killer.”
Emil rolled his eyes. “I always meet someone in public first, just to be sure.”
“Good idea. So what place did you agree on?”
“You’re gonna make me late.” He huffed out an exasperated breath. “I’m meeting him near the soccer field. It’s a weekend night, lots of students around. You satisfied now? Gotta go.”
As he turned to leave, I blurted, “I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this.”
“You’re serious?” He stared at me hard.
“Yeah, call it a sixth sense or something.” I was full of shit, and he probably knew it. I had a bad feeling about his hookup for vastly different reasons.
“Whatever.” He started fast-walking, and I jogged to catch up.
“I’m about to unload on you if you don’t go back to the party.”
“I will, I promise. As soon as I see that you’re safe.”
He clenched his jaw. “If I let you walk with me to the field, you’ll be satisfied?”
I lifted two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
“I can’t imagine you ever being a scout.”
“You got me there.”
He fumed silently while I walked beside him, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. As we neared the stands, the dude was waiting for us. He was tall, decent-looking, and as he glanced between the two of us, wariness crossed his features.
“What the hell is this? I didn’t agree to—”
“Don’t freak!” Emil said, then nudged me a little too forcefully. “He’s my roommate, and he’s heading to a party across campus.”
“Catch you later,” I said with a wave.
I bypassed the field and continued walking, feeling like a jackass. But I didn’t head back to the party, opting instead for an empty bench well away from the soccer field. I sat down heavily, wondering what the hell I was doing trying to cock-block Emil. But every time I thought of him being with that guy—who, I supposed, seemed decent enough—my stomach felt queasy.