“Hey,” he says when he opens the door to her. “You can keep him company while I check on things downstairs.”
“I’m sorry about that, Thor.”
“Don’t apologize for something that wasn’t your fault.” Thor pulls her into a hug, and a vision of tearing his arms from their sockets swims before my eyes. I don’t like him touching her,even if it’s platonic. What the hell is going on with me? I scrub my hands down my face, unfamiliar with dealing with these kinds of feelings.
“Callan.” Astrid’s soft tone is laced with concern.
Lifting my head, I notice Thor is gone, and the door is closed. She walks toward me, biting on her lower lip. “On a scale of one to ten, how angry are you with me?” she asks, perching on the end of Thor’s bed.
“I’m not angry withyou.” It’s no lie. “How could you have ever gone out with someone like him?”
She sighs, leaning back on her arms and staring at the ceiling for a few beats. “What you just saw is not who he really is. He was just upset and lashing out.”
“I’d say the guy I saw downstairs is exactly who he appeared to be.”
“He was a good boyfriend, and he never raised his voice to me like that before.”
I think she’s had a lucky escape, but I don’t verbalize that thought. I might not know her very well, but I have seen enough to understand she wants to see the good in people. It’s admirable, but it’s naïve and makes her vulnerable to a world of hurt. “Why’d you break up with him then?”
“The relationship had run its course.”
“I don’t think he got the memo.” I spread my thighs and relax back into the chair, considering whether I should bring up fake dating or not.
“No, unfortunately not, but I think he got it now.”
“How long did you guys go out for?”
“Almost nine months.”
Fuck, that’s practically eternity. I couldn’t imagine being with any girl that long. “You went out that long and never fucked?” I blurt, wishing I had the excuse of alcohol for why I just asked something so personal and so rude.
“Oh gawd.” She buries her face in her hands.
“I shouldn’t have said that, and I’m not judging. I swear.” It only makes me respect her more and regret my stupid outburst. She doesn’t look up, and I feel like a right shithead. “I’m sorry, Astrid. Forget I said that.”
When she lifts her head, her cheeks are bright red. “How much of our conversation did you hear?”
“Only the tail end, but you should know those cheerleaders were eavesdropping the entire time, and that door is paper-thin.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. They hated that I was dating Joe. It’s like all the players are theirs to claim, and how dare an outsider invade their territory.”
“Will they make life difficult for you now?”
She shrugs. “They can try, but I don’t care if they mock me for being a virgin. I’m guessing most of the senior class has already done it, but I don’t regret waiting for the right guy, and my instincts have served me well. I’d currently be regretting giving it to Joe if I’d gone there.”
“I don’t think they believe you’re a virgin any longer.” My tongue darts out, wetting my lips, and I notice her gaze tracking the motion.
“Um, what are we going to do about that?” she asks, shoving her hands between her thighs.
I imagine replacing them with mine before I snap myself out of it. This is the perfect opportunity, and I’m just going to go for it. “I have an idea if you’re game.”
She tips her head to one side. “I’m listening.”
“What if we let everyone believe we’re dating?”
Her brow puckers before her eyes widen. “Are you suggesting wefakedate?”
I nod.
