Page 56 of Catching Feels

“That I tossed it in the trash? I wheeled it out to the curb this morning. Yeah, I think.” I walk past him to get Fawna and I sweatshirts. “Chill.”

“Chill?” he huffs. “How am I supposed to chill?”

I open the tiny closet and dig for two sweatshirts. “Deep breaths, mindful mediation, book a massage, listen to some soothing music.” I grab the sweatshirts, turn around, and smile. “Jerk off. Any of those methods are known to greatly reduce stress.”

“How can you be so calm?” he whispers.

“You really wanna know?” I ask.

“If you mention getting yourself off, I’ll lose my shit.”

Smiling, I walk to the door. “Then don’t open the bottom drawer in the bathroom during your little freakout. That may put you right over the edge.”

Walking out toward the fire, I hear Fawna laugh and ask, “Sexual rock, paper, scissors?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never played.” AJ sighs dramatically.

“Okay, I won’t.” She smiles at me as I walk toward her. “If this is how it is every night, I’m moving in.”

“I’m not sure what the boys do in there,” I say, pulling the sweatshirt over my head.

“So, you’ve never played sexual rock, paper, scissors?” she jokes.

“She better not have,” Hudson grumbles.

I sit next to Fawna. “Roman and Hudson have been the guardians of my virtue since the day I was born.”

“Damn right we have.” Hudson nods.

“Double standards much?” Fawna scoffs.

Blaze chimes in, “Double the double standards, because there’s two of them.”

“You sure there’s not four?” Nour asks as he hands him a bottle of water, and then Hudson and AJ a beer.

“Fuck water,” Bennett grumbles. “Fuck everything and everyone.”

“You ready for bed, man?” AJ starts to get up.

“No, I’m not ready for bed. I’m ready to”—he inhales and exhales slowly—“breathe. Just breathe.”

“He’s so fucking cute,” Fawna whispers.

“I heard that,” he says.

She palms her face as Nour holds out two beers for us. I take them and mouth, “Thanks.”

He responds by narrowing his eyes.

“I’m cute until you get to know me. Then I’m either an asshole or the fucking man. No in-between.”

“Cheers for knowing yourself, bro.” AJ grins at me and Fawna, and we both stifle a laugh.

“Since I’m not getting any action, I think I’ll get my dick pierced like Locke and Jase Steel. How long do you think that takes to heal?”

“All right, Bennett.” Nour walks over and holds out his hand. “You’re spilling state secrets in the company of ladies. Let’s get you tucked in.”

Blaze bats his hand away. “I’m sleeping out here. The stars are beautiful.”

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