Page 195 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 1

All sadness is gone, and she says, “The date is an event in my parents’ honor. Karl will be there.”

“Good. I can’t wait to show him how lucky I am. He’s going to regret ever stealing your research, your grant, the scholarship . . .” I stop, too late, remembering the prize she really wanted to win. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I may not have won the money and other stuff, but I know it’s my work that won it for him.”

“Betrayal is a hard pill to swallow, but how you’re looking at it is true.”

She moves to the wall at the edge and looks over the side of the building. “You know what my parents would want me to do?”

“What?”

“Live life unapologetically.”

“I believe they would.”

Coming back over to me, she takes the leash and leads Rascal toward the door. “Come on. I have plans.”

I jog to catch up. “Do they include me?”

“They absolutely include you.”

Holding the door open for her, I ask, “Are you going to tell me?”

She lifts on her tiptoes and kisses me, and in Juni speak, I think that means I’m forgiven. Thank fuck. “I’d rather show you.”Fuck. Yes.

29

Juni

“I don’t understand.”

I sound it out slower this time. “I don’t have a condom.”

“Why not?” Drew asks, staring at me like I’m an alien.

My defenses kick in, and I cross my arms. Even though it’s over my bare breasts, he gets the message. “Well, for one, I haven’t been sexually active in a long time. Secondly, you should have one as backup.”

“Like carry one on me at all times? I’m starting to worry what you really think of me, babe. I’m not some sex-crazed animal roaming the streets. I might have slept with a few women over the years?—”

“A few?”

His finger shoots up, noting my point for that round. “A lot, but that doesn’t mean I can’t control myself. Also, how did this get turned around on me?”

“Because we’d be upstairs right now if your mom wasn’t visiting. And upstairs is where the protection is.”

He sits up next to me on the bed and angles my direction. “Are you on the?—”

“No. Reference number one again, the not sexually active with a human in many?—”

“Months?”

I distract myself with the lights dotting the nightscape through the window and whisper, “Years.”

“Years?”

“Okay, don’t say it like that.” My arms tighten because if I’m not getting any, he’s not even getting the pregame show.

“Like what?”

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