Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Best of all, we’d become masters at finagling sleepovers without alerting either of our roommates. Brent’s parents were in the midst of remodeling their mountain home, so he spent most of his free time helping them. And Evan was busy with football and some secret project he was working on at school. If I wasn’t preoccupied with my own secrets, I might have asked a few pointed questions. But I had my own life to worry about.
Although at the moment, it was pretty fucking amazing. I was head over heels in love and lust and admiration for Gabe. And yes, I did say “love.” Not to him, of course, but there was no reason to lie to myself. I loved him.
I loved his beautiful mind, his silly sense of fun, his quick wit and boundless energy. I could have listened to him talk for hours about his mom’s cooking, his anthropology class, or some dickwad ball hog on the national team. And I could have happily sat on the sideline and watched him glide across the pool, cutting through the water with brisk, even strokes. He mesmerized me. But nothing compared to being naked with him moving inside me. Or me inside him. We did it all and we did it as often as possible, but we still couldn’t seem to get enough.
It was harder than it should have been to keep my hands to myself. Gabe was worse than me. He had a habit of linking his pinky finger with mine when he thought no one was looking…in line at the grocery store, walking on the boardwalk, on the team bus. He was famous for stealing kisses in front of random places—like the ice cream store at the mall or the alcove next to a restaurant bathroom. And if I knew him, he’d stick his tongue down my throat the second he parked his car on campus in the packed lot under a tree.
He turned off the engine and took a cursory glance at our surroundings before capturing my face in his hands and kissing me senseless. I swore I saw stars when he finally pulled away.
I fiddled with the zipper on my jacket, clandestinely adjusting my dick as I shot a faux-admonishing look at him. “Someone’s going to see us, Gabe.”
He rolled his eyes. “Unless they have a high-powered microscope and can see through those trees, I doubt it. Everyone’s in class and you better get going, or you won’t get your favorite seat…unless Amanda saves it for you,” he added with a teasing grin.
“Ha. I think she dropped the class. She ignored me at Chelsea’s party last weekend, which hopefully is a sign she’s moved on. Chels thinks she’s seeing someone. Then again, Chelsea thinks everyone is in the midst of a big love affair.”
“Does she think we are?” he asked with a lopsided grin.
“She knows we are.” I shrugged when he gave me a sharp look. “She’s one of my best friends. She won’t say a word.”
“I’ve got too many other things on my mind. My biology test this afternoon, my dad’s visit this weekend. Did I tell you he’s coming for the UCLA game?”
“You mentioned it.” More than once.
Gabe claimed his father’s attention was a distraction at this point in life, but I had a feeling that wasn’t necessarily the case. I knew from experience; it was hard to let go of parental expectation. We were nearing the holidays, and I hadn’t told my folks about Gabe and me. They knew we were friends, but I left it at that for the same reason I hadn’t told Evan. I was protective of us. I wasn’t ready for the real world to give their opinion—good, bad, or indifferent.
“Hmm. Kiss me,” he growled, pulling me against him greedily.
I melted into the connection, loving the feel of his scruff on my cheek and his soft lips. I lingered longer than I should have before pushing him back.
“I should go,” I said.
“Okay. See you at practice.”
I nodded, then took another peek out the windows before leaning in to kiss him once more. It was a brief touch of lips. No big deal. But the urge to add a quick “I love you” was stronger than ever. It made me want to stay there, just to be near him. We didn’t have to talk. We could just…be.
I finally opened the car door and stepped outside with an absent wave. It was cooler today than it had been all season. I glanced at the three giant palm trees and two amber trees standing sentry near the econ building. The orange leaves of the amber juxtaposed to the green palms might have been jarring anywhere else in the country, but they were commonplace in Southern California. My thoughts bounced precariously as I made my way along the wide path.