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)
He grinned. “I owe you, so…”
That was what we did. Facials and Slay, and more of those warm, addictive kisses.
He fell asleep in my bed, and I let him.
I’d deal with the aftermath tomorrow.
14
BONES
Dear Brody,
I’m learning stuff about myself, and it feels overwhelming but also good, really good. You were always so sure of yourself, of your goals and dreams, and I suppose it’s just taking me a bit longer.
I’m enjoying my classes, and I think I finally understand what it means to want to date someone, even if he doesn’t take me seriously yet or isn’t ready for that. Yeah, I said HE. Can you believe it? It’s like it came out of left field for me. But it feels right dead center. I’m bisexual and probably something called demiromantic.
Until we meet again.
B.
We were at an away game in Jersey City, where we’d just pulled off a win against a team we’d struggled to beat last year. I was on a high, not only because our defense performed so well, holding them to only three points, but also because Emil was here with the marching band. And after that make-out session earlier in the week, I kept smiling like a giddy teen who’d just been kissed by his crush. It was so unlike me, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
I’d even caught some of the halftime show by running back to the bench for my water bottle, and I could attest to the fact that they were pretty good. Or maybe I was biased. But when they were all costumed up and in sync, they sounded awesome, and the crowd was really into the music and their formations, though they would’ve been more impressive from a higher level in the stands. I could pick Emil out in a heartbeat, so I planned to tease him later about the ridiculous hats.
“You’ve been different,” Henners said as we were heading back to the hotel.
“How so?” I asked as the bus hit a bump and jostled us.
“I don’t want to make any assumptions, but I think you’re into someone.”
“I am,” I admitted. Likely by now, he’d put two and two together after I’d called him out of the blue the night of the party to ask him questions.
“Is it mutual?”
“Not exactly.” I glanced out the window, unsure where the bus carrying the marching band was in this traffic. “Just keeping it casual.”
He lowered his voice. “But you want more?”
I felt an ache in my chest. “For the first time in my life.”
He thumped my shoulder. “Aww, our baby Bones is growing up.”
“That’s what he…” Fucking hell, I almost outed myself. “Um, Emil was teasing me about that too.”
“Does this mean you pick up your socks now?”
I smirked. “Hell no. I enjoy getting under his skin.”
He threw me a coy look. “Uh-huh, I bet.”
“What does that mean?” Did he suspect?
“Nothing. I can tell you’re trying to figure shit out this year, so I hope good things come your way.”
“Thanks, man.”
After chilling in our rooms for a while, several of us met in the lobby to figure out the rest of our evening. There was a Dave & Buster’s within walking distance from the hotel, and not only did the place, which was like a gigantic arcade, serve food, but it would help us blow off steam.
The moment we stepped inside the large complex and saw all the different types of games, we were like little kids, running from the football pass to a virtual shooting game and even old-school pinball and Skee-Ball machines. It was like a Chuck E. Cheese, but for adults.
When Emil, Jonah, and a few others showed up, we claimed a long table and ordered food while downing our sodas and comparing buckets of tickets we’d won.
Emil and I got into a back-and-forth about a racing game. “I can totally beat you,” I told him.
“Oh, here we go,” Spencer said. “What is it with you two?”
“Do you wrestle each other for the remote in your room too?” Flash said.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Emil winked, and there were murmurs all around.
“What’s the big deal?” I said, hoping the suspicious glances died down. “I’ll gladly show him who’s the king of the world, especially after we dominated in that game.”
Some of the guys fist-bumped me, still on a high after that win.
“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that.” Emil wiped his mouth and stood. “Let’s go.”
After I gleefully spanked his ass in the driving game, we spent the next hour traveling from game to game, collecting tickets, and were pretty evenly divided until we saw the Ping-Pong table near the air-hockey machine. “I’m feeling pretty lucky tonight.”
Emil arched a sexy eyebrow. “Are you?”
“That was a double entendre,” I said, proud of myself.
“Yeah, I’m aware, dork.”
He handed me a paddle, then bounced the ball toward my side of the table before I was even in position.