Page 26 of Lucky Star

“You’re not putting me out. It’s a big bed.” I walked around to the other side and slid beneath the sheets.

Cameron dropped his boxers down around his ankles and then stepped out of them. My eyes immediately dropped to his cock, thick and heavy even when it wasn’t erect.

“What? You’ve seen me naked before.”

I swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, but I didn’t realize you sleep naked all the time.”

“Is that going to be a problem?” he asked with an impish grin.

“Of course not. I’m warning you now though. I probably won’t be able to keep my hands off you if I know all that—” I gestured toward him “is naked and within touching distance.”

He chortled and climbed into bed. “Oh, the horror. How ever will I manage?” He winked and reached over to flip off the bedside lamp. “Shit, I forgot my phone in the other room.”

“I’ll get it,” I said, sliding to my feet. “I think I forgot to put the lock on Duke’s doggy door too.” I didn’t want the sneaky bastard getting out and tangling with the neighborhood coyotes.

Locks double-checked and the doggy door secured, I called for my dog to follow me into the bedroom and stopped to grab Cameron’s phone. I couldn’t say whether it was reflex or curiosity, but when I saw a few texts showing up on his screen, I glanced through them. It wasn’t an invasion of privacy if they were there for the world to see, right? It wasn’t as if I’d entered his code and gone snooping. At least that’s what I told myself.

And then all at once I wished I’d minded my own business.

Jake: You’re a fucking fool. You’re about to be able to get any pussy you want. What a waste.

I felt tears sting the back of my eyes as the screen blurred. Who the fuck did Jake Donovan think he was to cast judgment on me? He was nothing, a no one. The perpetual man-child wouldn’t know a good, solid relationship if it walked up and punched him in the face. Since I’d known him, Jake had run through a string of women, one empty-headed, plastic blonde after the next, each one an interchangeable copy of the last. At first, our group had tried to make each of them feel welcomed, but after the third or fourth one, we realized none of them would be around for longer than a month. And that was the long-term ones. Jake didn’t deserve my tears.

But what if it isn’t just Jake, I wondered as my fingers flew over the virtual keyboard, entering Cameron’s code so I could find out.

I’d worry about the consequences later.

With my heart beating wildly in my chest and sweat breaking out along my hairline, I read through all of the responses to his initial text announcing our party later that afternoon.

John: Congratulations you crazy kids!

Charlie: I knew it! Congrats!

Sinclair: About time.

Dad: I’m proud of you, son.

Jennifer: I’m so happy for you. You can tell how much you love each other.

Additional messages in a similar vein followed. The people I was closest to, those Cameron and I spent the most time with, remained overwhelmingly supportive. It also appeared Cameron and I were the only ones who hadn’t known how we felt about each other.

Knowing I shouldn’t, but doing it anyway, I opened a new thread, one that wasn’t part of the original chain of messages. Hands shaking, I opened one hateful message after another as nausea roes in my throat.

James: I like Sarah and all, but really? She’s not bad, but you’ve had better.

Adam: It’s not April 1, so why are you acting the fool?

Noah: Is she knocked up? You fucked her and she’s pregnant, right?

Mason: Even if she is pregnant, you don’t have to marry her.

Josh: Didn’t see that coming. You know I love Sarah, but I never thought she’d be who you ended up with.

Ben: Are you sure you want to be tied down, especially now?

Lucas: You’re throwing your life away.

Ethan: Are you out of your mind? Tell me you’re kidding, man.

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