Page 93 of Choosing You

“Blake’s already drunk off his ass. I talked to him earlier. He didn’t even know who he was talking to.”

“So when does this party begin?” I say it with such enthusiasm it doesn’t even sound like me.

He gets this huge smile on his face. “It starts as soon as I get some swimming in. I’ll go grab my stuff upstairs and then we’ll go.”

My enthusiasm seems to be spreading to Garret. I know it makes him happy to see me this excited about something he did. And I like that. I like making him happy. It’s so much better than yelling at him.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Watching Garret in the pool,I can’t help but check out his body. It’s total perfection. Muscular arms, sculpted chest, six pack abs, broad swimmer shoulders. Every part of me wants to get in the pool with him and replay the scene we didn’t get to finish.

I told myself I wouldn’t get involved emotionally or physically with a guy in college. But I’m already emotionally involved with Garret and am more than ready to be physically involved with him. We’re not even technically dating, so I know it’s too soon for that and it might ruin what we have going on between us, but that doesn’t make me want it any less.

As I watch him swim laps, I wonder how many girls he’s been with. It’s got to be a lot. From the few physical encounters we’ve had together, he definitely knows what he’s doing. I, on the other hand, have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to that. Back in high school, I didn’t have a ton of experience with guys. That said, I have had sex. One time.

It happened after homecoming last year. The guy went to a different school. I met him at a knowledge bowl tournament which I participated in only because I have a better than average ability to remember random trivia. Plus, I thought it would look good on a college application.

A really cute guy from the opposing team asked me out. We went on a few dates, then he asked me to go to homecoming at his school. For the week leading up to it, I kept hearing my mom’s voice in my head, saying how girls always got pregnant at school dances. Because of that she told me I’d never be allowed to go. But since she was no longer around, I went. And for a reason that makes no logical sense at all, I decided to challenge her theory and have sex, proving to her and myself that I wouldn’t get pregnant. And I didn’t. I’ve been on the pill forever and he used a condom.

It was over in a minute. Okay, maybe not a minute. I wasn’t timing it, but it was over really fast. After that, the guy never called me again. So much for remembering your first time. I try to forget it ever happened.

“You bored yet?” Garret is hanging off the edge of the pool, smiling at me with those yummy wet lips that are begging to be kissed.

“No, not at all.” I’ve been pretending to read a book but I’ve spent the entire time staring at his nearly naked body.

“We can go soon. I just need to do a few more laps.”

“That’s fine.” I glance up at the clock. We’ve been here for two hours? I didn’t realize it’d been that long.

A few minutes later, he jumps out of the pool. “I’m done. I’ll go get dressed and be right back.”

He’s in such a good mood. He’s almost always in a good mood. I don’t know how he does it. My mood changes from hour to hour and it’s usually not a good one. Except I’m finding that the more I’m around Garret, the more good moods I have.

We get back to the dorm and Garret goes upstairs while I go to my room to drop off my book. It’s early afternoon and girls are already getting ready to go out. Harper has a new guy in her life and she’s been staying at his apartment all week. I’ve barely seen her.

I head upstairs to Garret’s floor. Some guy at the end of the hall has the door to his room propped open. About 20 guys are stuffed inside, watching a football game on a giant TV. I can smell their beer from the hallway.

One of the guys stumbles out, nearly falling on me as I walk by. “You know, you’re kinda hot,” he says, slinging his arm around my shoulder. “You wanna come back to my room and—”

“Get off me.” I push his arm off, but he puts it right back.

“Come on.” He pouts. “I promise I won’t bite. Unless you want me to.”

Garret comes out of his door and sees drunk boy hanging on me. “Shane, get the hell away from her.” He comes over and shoves the guy’s arm off my shoulder.

Drunk boy looks offended. “I was just being friendly. Shit, can’t a guy be friendly?”

“Go be friendly to someone else.” Garret takes my hand. “Come on, Jade.”

“Where did you find her?” Shane yells from behind us. “Does she go here? She’s got a nice ass on her.” He continues his drunken rambling as he stumbles down the hall.

“Ignore him,” Garret says as we walk to his room. “He’s been drunk for hours. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“Are you saying he was wrong about my ass?” I smile. “Because I took that as a compliment.”

He smiles back. “You do have a nice ass, but I don’t want him looking at it. That’s my job.”

“Oh, really? Because I don’t think you should be checking out your friend’s ass.”

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