Page 42 of The Charlie Method

Ergo, she’s sipping on iced tea, and I’m sipping on a Coke. Just two wild gals partying it up on Saturday night. I would’ve taken her to the diner, but it’s closed tonight for a private party.

“Areyouimmune to his charms?” I ask Blake, narrowing my eyes at the freshman.

She offers a shrug. “I think he’s hot.”

I grumble under my breath. Traitor.

“Come on, Charlotte. You know he’s hot.”

“Objectively, yes.”

“Oh, fuck off,” she laughs. “Subjectively too. Beckett Dunne is gorgeous.”

Fine. She’s not wrong. He’s tall, athletic. He’s got all that tousled blond hair. Those striking gray eyes, forever glinting with mischief. The cocky smile and killer jawline.

“Don’t get sucked in by his charm,” I caution. “He seems like the kind of guy who breaks hearts everywhere he goes.”

“Eh, he’s too old for me. My dad would literally murder me if I went out with a senior. One time, he heard me telling my mom that I think Gigi’s brother Wyatt is cute, and he almost had a heart attack.”

“Does Wyatt go here?”

“No, I think he’s in Nashville now. He’s a tortured musician.” She sighs. “Speaking of hot.”

Ugh, that does sound hot.

Andwhyare we such walking clichés? Why do women always go for the brooding bad boys? I suppose it’s because we want to fix them. Tame them. But haven’t we learned our lesson after centuries of anecdotal evidence? These guys can’t be fixed. They’re walking red flags.

“So yeah, no seniors for me. Or hockey players.” She pauses. “Not anymore.” She’s trying to hide a smile as she takes another sip.

“Not anymore?” I prompt.

“I lost my virginity to one,” she confesses. “Last year.”

Ha. Knew it. “Was it good?”

“Shockingly good.”

“Lucky. My first time sucked,” I admit. “I was wound up so tight, terrified that my parents were going to come home early from their anniversary spa weekend. I couldn’t relax, so I was just lying there, every muscle in my body tense, and the gentler he tried to be, the more stressed I became, until finally I blurted out,just get it over with already!”

Blake bursts out laughing. “Stop. You didn’t.”

“I totally did. But I didn’t mean get thesexover with. I just meant, get the penetration out of the way—”

She’s shaking with laughter now.

“—break the hymen, and let’s move on to the part that’s supposed to feel good.”

“Did it? I mean, did it at least feel good after the hymen part?” She’s still giggling.

“No. It was awful all around. The condom broke, and he only brought one.”

“You didn’t buy your own condoms just in case?”

“Oh, I did, but…”

“What?”

I bite my lip to suppress my humor. “They were too big for him.”

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