Austin lets out a hard exhale and takes a step back. “Come on,” he says, turning around. “Let’s go before they bust us.”
He opens the door, peeking into the hallway before slipping out of the closet. I follow quietly, stepping into the dim hallway behind him.
I pretend not to notice the distance he’s put between us. I don’t say anything, just keep my eyes on the floor, trying really hard not to feel disappointed.
And I hate that I do.
Because for a second, I thought maybe… maybe he was looking at me differently. That maybe he was going to kiss me. That maybe all the flirting wasn’t just him being him.
But I forgot who I’m dealing with.
Austin Rhodes flirts with everyone. One look, in a dark closet, doesn’t mean anything.
And I need to remember that.
13
AUSTIN
Six weeks.
Six whole weeks without sex.
Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if there’s a secret monastery somewhere in this city I accidentally signed up for.
I shift, feeling the worn-out fabric of the couch underneath me, the faint smell of spilled beer and old pizza lingering in the air. Ryan’s sprawled out on the armchair across from me, scrolling on his phone, slowly sipping his beer, Nathan’s pacing near the window, and Logan is leaning back in a chair, half-smiling at something on his phone.
“Hey,” I say, sitting up and flicking a peanut at Ryan’s head. “Quick question.”
He looks up, blinking. “What’s up?”
“How did you deal with blue balls?”
Ryan almost chokes on his drink, sputtering as he coughs. “Are you serious?” he asks, shaking his head.
“Come on.” I sit up. “Last year before Isabella, when you were all moody and grumpy like this one,” I nod at Nathan, who shoots me a glare, “how did you deal with it?”
Logan laughs. “Having a dry spell, bud? What’s it been, two, three days?”
“Six weeks.”
The room goes quiet instantly, like I just dropped a bombshell.
“Fuck,” Logan breathes out, his eyes widened.
I groan, rubbing my face. “Yeah, I know.”
Nathan frowns. “What’s going on? In the two years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you have any problems getting a girl.”
I shrug again. “Just haven’t felt like it,” I tell them honestly.
“Uh oh,” Ryan says with a teasing smirk. “This is about a girl.”
“No.”Yes.
I don’t even know if I did it on purpose, but ever since Cherry started texting me, I haven’t eventhoughtabout hooking up with anyone.
It’s dumb. I’ve never met this girl, I don’t even know who she really is, don’t even know if she’s near me or if she lives halfway across the world. But this girl has hooked me like no one else.
