Page 67 of Bump and Run

“Calm down, Junior.” She chuckles in the dark. “We both knew what this was.”

My body feels twenty pounds heavier. “Right… we’re just having fun.”

“Exactly.” She pops up onto her toes and lays a quick peck on my cheek. “Bye, Junior.”

“Bye, Ellie.”

I leave her at her car and she drives off down the street.

I linger on the porch until her car disappears from sight but I try to pretend I’m not. I pull the mailbox open to check inside even though I already know it’s empty. I bend over to adjust the welcome mat because it’s about thirty degrees off center.

Thirty degrees?I guess Eliza was right when she said I’d actually learn something with her as my math tutor.

I step inside and run right into Ty’s judgmental face.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he asks, the whole truth flashing back at me.

“Checking the mail,” I claim.

“At three in the morning?”

“Is that weird?”

Ty shakes his head. “Cut the crap. That was Eliza Pierce, wasn’t it?”

I scoff. “Come on, man. She’s just my math tutor.”

“Oh, okay…”His voice drips with sarcasm. “Eliza Pierce was in your bedroom all night, moaning at you to solve equations harder and faster?”

“Okay, fine. You caught us. We’re just having some fun. That’s it.”

“There’s having fun with girls and then there’s having fun with Cary Pierce’sdaughter,” he points out. “Only one of those things will get you kicked off the football team.”

“Coach is not going to kick me off the team, all right?” I laugh.

“I hope not because, unfortunately, we need your ass.” He steps back, his head sagging with disappointment. “Don’t let a few late-night study sessions blow this entire season for the rest of us.”

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

Ty takes off back to his room but I linger behind in the darkness for a few more minutes.

I can’t really blame him for getting angry. Hell, I’d be just as pissed off if I were in his shoes. Hands off Eliza Pierce. It’s an easy, simple instruction but as Eliza the Tutor could easily tell you, following instructions isn’t my strongest suit.

But Eliza and I are just having fun. She confirmed as much a few minutes ago. No strings attached. Just good, old-fashioned, casual sex.

When the coach told me to stay away from her, he could have meant not to date her. We’re not dating so we should be in the clear, right?

I slink back to my room and the temporary comfort the thought brings me disappears. The place still smells of her. That flower perfume lingers on the walls and my bedsheets. Her moans of pleasure and laughter still echo in my ears.

It could all come crashing down at any moment. The mere thought of that burns. Every ounce of victory and satisfaction in me is instantly displaced by nagging guilt and doubt but it doesn’t change a damn thing in the end.

I plop down onto my desk chair and twitch as something soft breaks my fall. I reach behind me and pull out that teddy bear from the arcade. It takes me back to that night and how cute she looked sitting in my car with it on her lap. It’s just a stupid stuffed animal but it makes me grin like a damn idiot every time I look at it.

I’d do it all again. I’d throw everything else away for a minute of her in my bed.

Does that make me an asshole?

Screw it. I’ll be an asshole then.

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