Page 21 of Solitude

“I can go for something else?” Gus suggests, smirking. “Can I call it your little hockey stick?”

“No.”

“Goldfinger?”

“No.”

“Little man?”

“What the fuck?”

“Moby cock?”

My brow furrows. “Why not just say Moby Dick?”

Gus barks out a laugh and shoves his fist towards me. I fist bump him hesitantly, wide eyed as Beck scrubs his hands over his face as he groans.

“Winnie, sweetheart?” He starts, his head falling to the side to look at me, and his eyes are pleading. “Please, don’t encourage him.”

“It was an accident, I swear,” I reassure him, chewing my lip to keep from grinning.Sweetheart. God. I try to focus back on the conversation instead of grinning like an idiot at Beck like I want to do. “Um, why did you guys bet five hundred dollars over…that?”

Gus sighs, stepping close to squeeze my shoulder. “Itall started two years ago when Beck graced the great state of Texas with his man meat?—”

“Jesus Christ.”

“—and he fucked half the campus. Apparently, he’s a generous lover.” Gus winks at me. “He’s been melting panties left and right. Just collecting wet souvenirs.”

My cheeks are on fire. “Oh.”

Ben slaps the back of Gus’ head. “He didn’t fuck that many people.”

“Whole lot of nerve coming from you, anyway.”

“Hey, don’t slut shame me.”

“Then shut the fuck up sometimes.”

Gus sighs obnoxiously, “Unfortunately, I don’t know how.”

Beck looks at me, eyes shining desperately. “Any chance you could forget you heard that?”

“Which part?”

“All of it.” Beck licks his lips, his fingers tangling in his wild hair. “He never stops talking shit.”

Beck doesn’t deny it though. The validity to his statements, and while I know Gus is probably being hyperbolic on purpose to get the best reactions, the idea that Beck has been making his way sexually through campus while I’ve been daydreaming of him any chance I get makes my stomach turn uncomfortably.

It shouldn’t matter.

He’s allowed to have sex with whomever he wants. Beck isn’t mine. Never has been, and never will be. He’s a crush; simple as that. My hot, next door neighbor thatwould never look my way if he wasn’t forced to by our proximity.

Maybe that’s why I force a smile on my face and say, “Forgotten. It’s okay, though. It’s not surprising that you’re…living your life in Texas.”

Beck frowns like he doesn’t like my response. “I didn’t fuck my way through campus, Winnie. Promise.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

“Maybe not, but?—”

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