I rolled my eyes at myself. “So fucking eager I couldn’t wait to get home.”
“Bailey.” His voice was soaked with affection as he leaned over and kissed me. “I pulled you into my lap, remember? I wanted that just as much as you did. But I am way too large and awkward to try to get off the same way in this cramped space, so how about we get back to the dorm so I can show you just how damn eager I am, okay?”
I nodded, feeling silly for my bouts of insecurity, and re-buckled my seat belt. “Yeah. Sorry, I just…”
“You’re new to all this,” Flynn said quietly. “I understand.”
“I’ve never actually had a boyfriend,” I admitted as Flynn adjusted his seat and started the car. “Just some fooling around that really doesn’t compare to this.”
Flynn shifted the car into drive and then enfolded my hand in his. “Well, it’s been a long damn time since I had anything resembling a boyfriend either. We’ll figure this out together.” He pulled into the street and drove toward the next stoplight. “But for the record, you don’t need to worry about whether I’m into you, Bails. I’mveryinto you.”
Some of the tightness eased in my chest. “Well, why wouldn’t you be? I’m hot, smart, and a damn good mechanic.”
“And a hotshot pool hustler,” Flynn said with a grin. “How did you get so good at that, anyway?”
While Flynn drove back to Thurston University, I filled him in on the many hours I’d spent at the pool hall perfecting my game when I was a young teen. My brothers used to spend even more time there to avoid the old man when he was drunk and nasty, and they took me along to keep me safe. Since I couldn’t drink, there wasn’t much to do but sit around and talk or play pool.
At that age, I didn’t much want to talk. Axel was in his ragey, chaotic phase and usually focused on starting a fight or finding someone to fuck. Holden was brooding and tense, even more serious than he was now.
Pool was my escape. It always had been.
Even this year, when I’d wanted to escape my thoughts about college and how badly I was going to disappoint Holden. It’s why I hustled Owen. It’s why I got myself punched in front of Flynn.
But tonight had been different. I’d been playing for the fun of it again. To show off for my boyfriend, sure, but mostly just to enjoy the game.
Flynn made good time, and soon we were parking near the back lot closest to my dorm. I had gotten a guest parking pass for him earlier that week. I fished it out of my wallet and stuck it on his windshield, then led him toward my building.
I used my student ID to buzz up into the building and led him up one flight of stairs to my second-floor dorm room.
Let Seb be gone. Let Seb be gone. Let Seb?—
I opened the door, and Seb swiveled toward us in his computer chair. “Hey!”
He closed the screen, meaning he was probably up to something I’d rather not know about.
“Hey, Seb.” I stepped forward, pulling Flynn in after me. “Surprised to see you here.”
His gaze went over my shoulder and stuck on Flynn. “Uh, yeah. So, this is the boyfriend, huh?”
“Hi,” Flynn said, leaning past me to extend a large hand. Seb shook it, but he couldn’t seem to pick his jaw up off the floor.
“You’re, like, a grown-ass man,” he said as he stood from the chair. “I mean, damn. Bailey doesn’t do things halfway.”
Flynn laughed. “Uh, guess not.”
“Seb,” I said, giving him a pointed look and nod toward the door. “Don’t you have somewhere to go?”
He rose from the chair, glancing between us. “Are you sure?” he said in a low voice. “I mean, that dude isbig, if you know what I’m saying.”
“Maybe I’m a size queen,” I snarked. “Get the fuck out of here, will you?”
Flynn shifted beside me. “If it’s too inconvenient?—”
“It’s not,” I said, cutting him short. “Right, Seb?”
Seb checked the time on his phone and winced. “I guess there is a late showing at the indie film fest. It’s the last night.”
“There you go.”
