Page 105 of Your Side of the Offense

Summer

I groan deliciously feeling something stiff between my ass cheeks, grazing my wetness. I realize now sleeping with no panties on wasn't a bright plan. But maybe I was kind of hoping he would fuck the sad out of me in the middle of the night.

"Wake up, sleepy head."

"You aren't sleek, Deltona." I turn to face him.

I find his devilishly handsome face.

"A man can try."

I take his face in before I rub my eyes, remembering everything about yesterday.

I got cheated on again. I shift to lay on my back and exhale audibly.

He doesn't say anything, but his left-hand rests on my stomach and he brushes me softly, still on his side. It's not sexual, just soothing and calming and so very welcome.

"What happened between you and Logan yesterday?" he asks after minutes pass by without a word from me as I sink a little more.

My ego really took a hit. The fact that I was going to dump him anyway doesn't matter, it feels like he flipped the script on me.

Didn't he know I'd be back? Maybe he planned it? I was breaking up with him last weekend and the last thing he said was to find him when I got back. Maybe they planned it all along. But also, what am I going to do, say, to Hazel now? The friendship is definitely over, but why would she do that to me?

I just don't get it. They looked so in tune all of them. Was it first time? Or was I the fool all along.

But then I think about how much Haze has wanted me to be better to Logan. Maybe it's a recent thing. I have no way of knowing any of that unless I ask. And since I don't want to talk to Logan, I’ll have to speak to Hazel.

"Peach…" the calm, but concerned voice of Arch pulls me from my pit.

Can I tell him the truth? How will it look to him – to all of them – the fact that I left them for cheating only to run and get cheated on again by the guy who was supposed to be their replacement? How fucking wrong I'd been.

Could I have stayed and worked things out with them after Harv? Could I have dumped only him and continued the relationships?

I know I couldn't have. I wouldn't have been able to trust them. I would constantly question everything since they had successfully lied to me.

But am I not a bigger dummy by trying to move on only to get cheated on by a guy I didn't even love?

And why am I even upset by it? I don’t love Logan. Why am I so touched? Shouldn't I be ecstatic? I finally found a solid out. I finally am free.

"I don't…" I drift off. "I'm embarrassed to talk about it." I choose honesty.

Arch’s hand doesn't stop its ministrations and I close my eyes.

"You know there is nothing you can tell me that would make me see you any less, Summer. Right?"

"In theory, I know, Arch. I know. But…I just feel a little low. And insecure. And unsure. And it's a me issue."

Silence falls on us and he doesn't say anything to respond. I finally open my eyes, turn my face to him, and find him waiting.

"You really not letting me not talk, are you?"

"No," he says simply, as cool as a cucumber.

"Logan cheated on me."

His hand stops in its tracks. And his eyes widen with many emotions. I look away from him.

"Yeah. That's what happened. I got cheated on…again." I breathe out, unable to help the bitterness that drapes my words.

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