Page 56 of True Blue

“I’m dating my best friend’s brother,” I blurt, stomach churning as I realize what I’ve just said. “Trust me I get how it can be complicated.”

Her eyes grow wide, and she smiles. “You’re with Axel?”

I nod. “Yeah, we’ve been seeing each other for the last month or so. It’s still new so we’re going slow.” Sort of. I already know Axel won’t care that I told Mira we’re together. He’ll probably jump up and down on the spot when I tell him.

She leans forward. “Does Layla know?”

I shake my head. “We haven’t exactly told her, but they’re twins and she’s my best friend. I’m pretty sure she knows and is just waiting for us to tell her.” Mira nods, leaning back and looking pensive. “She’s tried pushing us together before though. Axel’s not really subtle with his affection and she knew he liked me probably before I did.” I feel light, being able to talk about him, though the niggling feeling to say something about Bentley too dwells in the background.

Mira laughs. “Yeah, I like Axel. You guys are paired up with Bentley on that big history project, right? How’s that working now that you’re with Axel?”

I roll my eyes. “Keeping him on task has been a little tricky.” I think back to how we had to bribe him to finish his draft for the essay with a tandem blowjob and how quickly he suddenly found the motivation to finish. “But it’s working out. They both wantto get a good grade and know how much this is important to me since the course counts toward my major.”

Mira nods. “Yeah, Bentley takes his grades seriously. But he’s a brain so it doesn't take much effort for him.” She shakes her head, still smiling all the same.

“I’ve noticed that,” I muse. Glancing at my watch, I realize I need to leave to meet the boys soon.

“Time to head to your lunch plans?” Mira pulls her legs up, loosely circling her arms around her knees.

“Yeah, sorry.” I stand up, stretching my limbs.

“No, you’re fine. Go.” She waves a hand at me, and I pass her the remote before going into my room to put on some socks and grab my side bag. Mira sits in the same spot when I come back out, now starting some show that looks a little familiar. I put on my coat and boots, pulling my fuzzy earmuffs wide to fit them over my curls without crushing them.

Before I leave, I glance back at Mira, smiling. “We should hang out more. This was fun.”

She smiles, nodding her head fast. “You know where to find me,” she jokes, nodding toward her bedroom.

I nod, feeling warm. “I’ll see you later then.” I leave the suite, heading down to the lobby, excited to tell the guys I made the first step toward fixing things with Mira.

26

Ihead toward the building the boys and I agreed to meet at, practically skipping down the sidewalk. Seeing my guys standing at the bottom of the front steps, I speed up, heading straight for them. I bounce a little when I’m standing before them, Axel already smiling to match my energy.

I grin. “Hi, babes!”

“Ugh,” Axel groans, deflating dramatically. “You sound like Layla. Don’t remind me of my sister when I'm thinking about kissing you.”

I giggle at Bentley’s rolling eyes. “Got it. No babes. Hi, hotties?” I try and Bentley cringes.

“Better,” Axel muses. “We’ll workshop it later. I’m starving.”

“Let’s go then.” I start to head down the sidewalk toward the closest road leading off campus, but Bentley slides into my path.

“Wrong way, sunshine.”

My brows lower. “Aren’t we going to get sushi? The place is that way.” I point in the general direction I'm pretty sure the restaurant is in.

“Yes, but our ride is this way.” Axel calls, already heading in the other direction.

I turn around, Bentley stepping up beside me as we start walking. “Our ride?”

“You didn’t think we’d make you walk that far in the snow, did you?” He looks down at me like it’s ridiculous.

“It’s not that far.” I shrug, but I can already feel the tip of my nose going numb in the biting winter air.

We enter the parking lot beside the building, trudging through the slush around the edges of the cars. “Whose car are we taking?”

“Mine,” Bentley says, pulling out his keys and clicking a button. The lights flash on a black Mercedes, completely clear of snow. “I moved it over here earlier so we wouldn’t have to go far to get back to it.” Axel hops into the back, leaving the passenger side for me.

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