Page 19 of Hiding from Hope

“Well,” I pause briefly, trying to spit the words lodged in my throat, “maybe we can both be better at being real.”

She searches my eyes, whatever for I don’t know, but she finds something because that crease between her brows disappears and a soft smile forms on her face. Exhaustion evident in her eyes, and she rolls them before she groans and leans her head against my chest. “You’re a dummy,” she mumbles into my clothes, and something soothes the tightness I previously felt at how comfortable she feels around me. That she can fall into casual affection without blinking. A rough laugh releases from my chest as I wrap her in an embrace.

“I’ve spent too long around people who lie and pretend. If you want me to be open, then I’m going to need you to be real,” I say, and she pulls her head back and narrows her eyes, pursing her lips like she was listening to some hidden message. I raise an eyebrow at her inquisitive stare, and she wraps her arms back around me too, a heart-stopping smile spreading across her face, and she nods.

“Deal.”

Casey

23A Sluts

“So, which one is ‘sex pest’?” I ask Rosie as we stand out in front of Pucks waiting on Addison. The early winter air isn’t as brutal today, but we are both wrapped up in our coats and shaking our legs, trying to keep warm as we wait. Uncertain why we couldn’t just wait inside.

“Caleb.”

“WHAT?! You slept with Caleb?”

Rosie waves off my astonishment and rolls her eyes, searching the street for Addison.

“It was one time. After Noah’s. He is like a dog with a bone, too. If I’d known he’d become obsessed, I wouldn’t have even gone there.” She is pretending to be annoyed, but I can see the slight smile on her lips. Taking this rare opportunity for the two of us, I bump her shoulder with mine to get her attention.

“Would it be so bad if you had a repeat? If he is one of Noah’s friends, I’m sure he is a good guy.” Rosie’s cheeks blush but she holds tight to her look of indifference.

“Oh, please. He wasn’t even that good.” She fusses her hair out of her face as she looks around. I don’t miss the way she bites her bottom lip to hide a smile.

“Oh my GOD!” I slap her shoulder. “You liar!” I laugh and she covers her face with her hands. “I don’t think so, spill everything NOW! You would never let Addy and me get away with such blatant lies.” She grunts and throws her head back.

“Fine! It was…” She looks at me, narrows her eyes, then rolls them to look away from me. “Earth-shattering. Show-stopping. I saw through space and time and felt like my soul left my body, before I came back down and found myself in the body of a goddess who was gifted her three wishes before being given a whole other genie bottle to wish for more. It was like…” I watch as she runs her fingers over her lips, and I plaster a hand over my mouth to stop the laugh from tumbling out. “Case, it’s bad.” Her big brown eyes widen and lock with mine as she whispers intensely.

“What’s bad?” My head tilts in confusion because I wouldn’t describe what she just said as being bad sex. If it is, then I really need to evaluate my own sexual experiences.

“It was too good.”

“Is that a thing?”

“Yes! It means I’m ruined. I can’t have sex again. My sex-life is over!”

“Or you could just repeat.”

“I don’t repeat.”

“And why not?”

“Because people get attached, they get their hopes up, and that’s when disgusting things like love happens.” She shivers as though she inhaled a bad smell.

“I don’t think love is disgusting. And would it really be so bad if you did find love? It sounds like you finally found your equal. Someone as wild and crazy as you are. Maybe he’s your soulmate?”

“Ew.” Rosie enacts a pretend vomit, pointing her finger into her mouth and screws up her face. “Thank you.” She turns and nods, now smiling fully.

“What on earth for?” I ask, barely able to withhold my laughter.

“Saying all of that fuckery. I think you cured me.”

“You are something else, Rosie Garcia.” Rosie winks at me, and I shake my head as Noah’s car pulls up.

Noah and Addy exit the front, with Riley swinging herself out the back and leaping onto the sidewalk, as another exits the car. The sex-pest himself.

“Garcia.” He winks at Rosie.

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