Page 123 of Just This Once

Xander tilted her head as if I were speaking a foreign language.

So I pressed, “Did he ever make you come?”

“Uh…yeah.” She blinked at me as if that should be obvious.

“Maybe that’s why this is so hard for you, then,” I said. “Not all guys can, you know. Make a girl come. I myself just had my first orgasm recently after being sexually active for three years and failing with six different guys before finding a winner.”

“Right on, sister,” Oaklynn cheered, giving me a high five. “It was nice, wasn’t it?”

“It was—” I drew in a long breath before admitting, “Life fucking changing. This guy is legit the orgasm king.”

“Woo-hoo,” Raina called.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Faith added with an admiring nod.

I preened, deciding I liked girl talk. “Thank you.” I’d never actually had friends that I just hung out and gossiped with like this before. It was thrilling.

“Honestly,” I went on. “You have no idea how much of a struggle it was for me to hang out with you all tonight instead of tracking him down for another hookup.”

“Wow, I see where we rate,” Oaklynn gasped in mock outrage.

While Faith warned, “Hoes before bros, woman.”

And Raina sent me a raspberry, singing, “Boo,” as she threw a gummy bear at me.

Laughing, I picked up the gummy bear and popped it into my mouth.

“Keene told me the best way to get over Liam was to have a rebound hookup,” Xander said suddenly, biting her lip as she glanced at us. “I mean, I know he meant withhim, but—I don’t know. Maybe it isn’t entirely a stupid idea. Except, gosh. Justthinkingabout being with anyone else right now makes me feel like a cheater. I mean, what if Liam came back tomorrow, and all I would’ve had to do was hold off foronemore day to wait for him? I just—” Tears filled her eyes again. “I keep thinking he’s going to realize he messed up and come home any minute, begging me to forgive him.”

“I hear you, sister,” Oaklynn said softly. “A year ago, I would’ve been allforget that asshole. He fucked up. Just move on and enjoy life. But now that I’m with Damien, I—yeah. If heleft me foranyreason, I’d want to wait for him too. I’d wait for him forever.” Shaking her head slowly, she murmured, “That man’s in my blood.”

“So is Liam,” Xander croaked, her chin trembling.

I touched her knee and murmured, “Hey.” When she focused on me, I added, “I think the first time with someone else is going to be hard for you no matterhow longyou wait.”

She wrinkled her nose. “So you’re team rebound, huh?”

“I mean, not necessarily. But…” I shrugged. “Maybe. I just don’t want you to stop living your life because of him.”

On the other hand, I personally didn’t want to go looking for anyone else either, not after I’d been with Parker. So who was I to tell her to move on?

But this was Xander, and Alec was already halfway in love with her.

“You could do worse if youdidpick Keene,” Raina spoke up.

“Or Parker,” Faith added, reaching for the last lock of hair to curl.

“Ooh. Parker.” Raina pointed and nodded. “Nowthatwould be the ultimate rebound.”

“Yeah…” Oaklynn said slowly. “I’d probably vote for Parker over Keene too. He’d be all chill and casual about it. Keene might rub it in everyone’s faces and brag and make you regret ever meeting him.”

Xander furrowed her brow and shook her head, confused. “Which one is Parker again?”

“You know whoIthink you should pick?” I broke in, nodding to redirect the conversation. “My brother.”

Xander blinked down at me once before saying, “Alex?”

I opened my mouth to correct her that his name wasAlec, but Oaklynn cried, “What?” before she burst out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

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