I eyed my list, adding more to it and crossing off the stuff I’d already done.Getting a job, getting a schedule, hanging with Greta.Those were all completed and the new addition to staying at Greta’s place was written under the last one.Finish biology homework.I wasn’t looking forward to having the guys away for a week, but I could use the time to get as much work as possible done for that class. It was brutal, tedious and not even a sliver of fun.
Ruled out majoring in science.
I tapped my favorite pen on the edge of the notebook and waited for Tanner to return. With Aaron and Greta staying here ruining our secret fling,I had no idea what to expect. We had been close to getting caught, the fear and adrenaline from that almost out of my system in the thirty minutes since my brother had asked if I was taking a shit.God, I could wring his neck.
How mortifying.No. Just, ugh.I shook out my hair and my glasses didn’t fall off.Shit. Oh my god.I’d left them in Tanner’s room when I’d snuck out. If Aaron had seen…
Tanner chose that moment to come through the shared bathroom with my glasses in his fingers. “Figured you were missing these.”
“Mind reader.” I stood from my bed and went to grab them, but he unfolded them and put them on my face. It was…sweet. “Thanks.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m starting to hate your brother.”
I snorted, my shoulders shaking at his exclamation. “Join the club.” I nervously looked at my closed door and the bathroom and cringed. “Do you think we’re good?”
“Yeah. I went to grab a snack, chatted with them for a bit about the Fourth of July tournament and made my way up here with the excuse I was tired.” He jutted his chin toward the bed and grinned. “Ah, the list is already out. Excellent.”
I jumped onto the bed. I held the list against my chest when he joined me a second later. We leaned against the headboard—like we’d done a handful of times before—and he reached for my pen. “You are not authorized to use my pen. We can discuss addendums, but you cannot change them yourself.”
“Disagree.” He was much stronger, bigger and faster than I was and he had the pen out of my hand in a heartbeat. “Now, let’s see what I should change.”
“Tanner, your handwriting isn’t the same as mine. If you write, I’ll have to redo it all. Trust me, my insane quirks know no bounds.” I pleaded with my eyes, holding out my hand for him to return the pen. He did not. I blamed that for why I leaned closer to him, why he put his arm around my shoulders and why we sat cuddled together like a…couple. Because he took my pen.
“I see you added some stuff and shit,there’syour reminder to watchDelicatessen. Safe to say neither of us watched that movie.” He laughed, the deep sound vibrating in his chest, against my shoulder. He was so warm. “Ah, yes. This is what I wanted to discuss. This line.”
He pointed the tip to the line,do it with Tallen eighteen times. “I’m adding,in your bed,to the list. So we know it’s more specific.”
“And if it’s in the shower, or your room, in doesn’t count?”
“Exactly. When those fuckers are gone, we have the whole house to explore.” He winked and squeezed his arm around me, forcing me to snuggle closer. I didn’t hate it. Nope. Not at all.
“Okay,Ican add that part to it so the writing stays the same.” He let me snatch it back, because we both knew he would overpower me. I addedin my bedto it and sighed. “Now that we have that taken care of, anything else?”
“Yeah.” He stilled, using his free hand to run through his messy dark locks. His muscles tensed, that action showcasing his delectable jawline. “I, uh, we both know this is a fling, right?”
“What we’re doing? Yeah. I know.” The pressure came back in my chest, and I made a mental note to drink some orange juice and buy vitamins to prevent any more sickness. “Why?”
“You’re not seeing, uh, anyone else, right?”
“Tanner, why the hell are you nervous right now?” I would’ve laughed if he didn’t look so uncomfortable. “No, I’m not seeing anybody. I’m free as a bird, having all sorts of adventures before college.”
“Can you add the wordonlyto that bullet point?”
I frowned, thinking about what he meant when I stared at the line more.Do it with Tallen eighteen times in my bed.
Do it with only Tallen eighteen times in my bed.
“Ah, I get it.” I added the word for him, not entirely sure why my heart hammered behind my ribcage to the point my throat hurt. It felt heavy, like this awkward conversation wasn’t what I was prepared to do. “Noted. Just you.”
“I hated seeing you flirt with Felix.”
He said it in such a soft voice, I would’ve missed it if I hadn’t been pressed right next to him. It wasn’t jealousy, or a passive-aggressive comment meant to entice. It was how he felt. I remained quiet too long—or just the perfect amount—because he continued, “I have no right to ask this of you, so tell me to fuck off if you want, but while we complete your genius to-do list, I don’t want to share you.”
Damn.
“Do you tend to ask this of all your hook-ups?”
“No, that’s the thing.” He repositioned me so I stared straight into his gorgeous eyes. “I’ve broken a couple of rules with you, Ken.”
