“No we didn’t!” I yell, a little too fast. I can feel my cheeks flushing.
Prudence pulls her chair closer. “Is he any good between the sheets?”
“It’s the twenty-first century, honey,” Becca says kindly. “The expression you’re looking for is ‘Is he a good lay?’?”
My stomach twists just thinking about it. I’m not the kind of girl to go all weak-kneed at the thought of some guy. When I readromance novels, I hate all the gushy descriptions of male performance. But with Donovan? It feels like the guy knows exactly what I need before I know it. I’ve never experienced anything like it. And even when we’re fucking like we’re trying to break furniture, it feels like… something else.
Right… definitely won’t be sayingthat.
“I think we maybe need to back off now,” Lois murmurs. “It’s none of our business, after all.”
Should’ve thought of that before you went spilling tea to Becca the bloodhound!
She seems to realize she’s gone a bit too intense. “It’s just girl talk. We’ve all got guys—of course we’re going to want to discuss them. Well… Some of us have got guys, anyway,” Becca adds, her eyes sliding over to the sisters.
Two wrinkly faces turn to look at her.
“We don’t want a pair of grandpas hanging around and getting under our feet, but rest assured—we get our kicks.”
Becca slaps her hands over her ears. “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that!”
We laugh, and I realize I’m actually enjoying myself now, despite it all. I have a bad habit of sticking to my own company. I’m not a big talker, and I find it hard to open up, but times like this make me realize that I’m missing out. What’s the big deal, anyway?It’s not like I plan on admitting I’m crazy in love with him, or anything.I’m getting hints of the old, nonchalant me.
I lock eyes with Becca. I’ve done a good job fending off her prying, but I’m suddenly hit with an urge to get everything off my chest.
“Okay…” I pause.What the hell.“We’re hooking up—happy?”
“Wait—present tense?” Becca glances at Lois, mouth hanging open. “So this is still a thing?”
“Yeah, but before you start getting any ideas, let me just say this—we aren’t together-together, and we never will be.”
I don’t “do” boyfriends. My parents got together in college, and mymom’s whole life was my dad. We all know how that turned out—which is exactly why I promised myself I would spend these four years focusing exclusively on school. No way I’m getting hit by the family curse.
“Why not?” Hope asks.
“We’re just having fun every now and then.”
“Who are you, and what did you do with my roomie?”
“Cut the crap, Becca.” I roll my eyes. “You’re acting like I used to be a virgin, or something.”
“I know you had a thing with John, butDonovan…”
“I’m gonna stop you right there.” I hold up a hand. “I’m not a fangirl, okay? I’m not obsessed with him, I don’t plan on following him around like a little puppy, I…”
I’m all out of talk. I don’t know what they’re getting off me, but considering how they’re looking at me right now, I must be giving off a vibe.
“What?”
“Carrie, honey…”
“You guys are looking at me like I’m screwed.”
“Oh, you’re getting screwed, all right.”
The little psycho manages to coax a laugh out of me. Iambeing screwed, and I have no idea how to make it stop. To be perfectly honest, I don’twantit to stop, and that bothers me, because it goes against everything I thought I believed in. I’m heading straight for a place the old me would have done everything to avoid.
“Can we talk about something else?” I whine, tugging on my collar.
