Page 87 of Easy Out

“How original,” Charlie mocks.

“Hart doesn’t have to worry about it. That’s not my thing either. I already told you that.” Charlie waves a hand brushing off my protest.

I didn’t celebrate Halloween growing up. There was no dressing up or walking around the neighborhood for me. “What about you Syd?”

She lifts her shoulder. “Don’t know. I still have all the costumes I’ve worn the past few years. I will probably just mix and match them to come up with something new. Something sexy.”

“That’s my girl!” Charlie high fives her.

“You can borrow something from me,” Syd tells me. There’s no way I’m getting out of this now.

“Will Seth be there?”

“I mentioned it,” Syd answers slowly. “He might have other plans. We aren’t together or anything.”

“But you want to be,” Charlie pushes. “He’s got that hot nerd thing going on. Maybe I should dip a toe in the science department pool and see if there is any chemistry.”

“That was so bad,” I say in between giggles. “The glasses are very sexy though. Let them see that photo you showed me of him at the gym.” I tap Syd’s phone.

“Did he send you a photo of himself working out?” Charlie holds out her hand in a gimme motion.

“No. I snapped it when I was on the treadmill, and he was lifting weights.” Syd blushes.

“That’s an invasion of privacy,” Wren says coldly.

“You mean to tell me you’ve never snapped a picture of a hot guy without him knowing. Come on Wrennie.” Charlie passes Syd’s phone back after scrolling through several photos of a shirtless Seth.

“Everyone does it. I have a whole folder full of hotties I’ve collected from around campus. Lauren, you’ve done it right?” I shake my head. I have definitely not taken pictures of random dudes around campus.

“Lauren doesn’t have to. She has Hart,” Syd says.

“Well, I bet you have a whole flickipedia album filled with just him. I mean damn. I would if I were you.”

“Flickipedia?” Wren questions. Charlie rolls her eyes.

“The finger file, bean bank, whatever you want to call it. Are you going to tell me you don’t service yourself now too?”

“I have an imagination. I don’t need a flickipedia as you call it to make myself orgasm,“ Wren states just as Wyatt, Koa, and Hart walk up to our table.

“Well. Well. Well. Boys, it sounds like we’ve arrived just in time,” Wyatt says with a grin. “Please continue darlin’. Don’t stop talkin’ on my account. Tell us how you have all you need to get yourself off in that pretty head of yours.”

“Oh Lord, here we go,” Syd mumbles.

I’ve got to give Wren credit. She doesn’t blush. Unlike Charlie whose cheeks are as red as her hair.

Hart straddles the bench and locks me in between his legs. I tune out whatever Wyatt and Wren are talking about. He tucks me so close to him I might as well be sitting on his lap. “Hi,” I whisper and kiss him softly on the lips.

He’s wearing jeans and a henley today instead of his usual athletic wear. He’s also not wearing a hat for once. I take a moment to appreciate how devastatingly handsome my boyfriend is.

“Hola, cariño.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to bring you this,” He whispers in my ear and places a bag from The Round Table in my lap. I open it up and find a giant frosted brownie inside.

“You’re so sweet to me. Thank you.”

“De nada." Hart skims his hand down my cheek. His eyes roam over my face as if he’s looking at me for the first time.

---