Page 35 of Level Me Up

“Yes, but not here. And I want to finish my chapter first. I’ve got like four more minutes left,” she distractedly replies. But I know how to get her attention, so I lean down and nip at her earlobe, placing sweet kisses behind her ear.

“Hmmm,” comes out of her mouth as her Kindle drops in her lap.

Just then, I hear the front door open. With a sigh, I stop the progression down her neck. As payback, she wiggles a little against my hard-on, and I can’t help letting a groan out.

“Dude, are you guys getting dirty on our couch?” Simon says from the doorway.

Dropping my forehead to Morgan’s I growl out, “No.”

“Right,” he drags out the word as he enters the living room. “Are you playingRocket League?” I can hear the glee in his voice but it doesn’t mix well with the other emotions I was experiencing just a few moments ago.

“Yeah, it’s been a while. I’d forgotten how much fun this game is,” I reply. Morgan sighs beside me. She then snuggles back into me as she picks her Kindle back up.

“Mind if I jump in?” he asks but grabs a controller from the charging station before I can respond.

~~~

An hour or so later, Morgan gets a call from Gia and escapes to my room to talk to her. Normally, she talks on the phone around me but since Simon is in the room I guess she wants a more private setting. I understand, because things get awkward when we bring Gia up around Simon. Actually, shit gets almost hostile. Heck, we haven’t actually all hung out as a group since that first night they met—well, reunited? Gia’s devil-may-care attitude was subdued when Simon was around. She became quiet and tried to just blend into the background.

“Where’d Morgan go?” Simon asks five minutes later, just realizing she’s no longer in the room.

I take this opportunity to put out some feelers. “Gia called her,” I reply, focusing on him and not the game. And, sure enough, he straightens up and clenches his jaw. But he nods.

“So, uh, want to tell me what’s up with that?” I ask cautiously.

“With what?” he glances at me.

“With that reaction. Every time someone mentions Gia’s name, you get all broody.”

He rolls his eyes, “Don’t worry about it.”.

“Well, since she’s my girlfriend’s best friend, I kinda have to,” I add.

Swearing under his breath he throws himself back into the chair and scrubs a hand down his face. He takes a moment, but I think I’m going to finally get some answers. “We grew up together and then we didn’t. She made some bad decisions. I honestly didn’t think I cared about it anymore, but apparently, it still pisses me off.” He takes a breath, “I’d rather just leave the past in the past, with her. I don’t particularly want to see or talk about her but I get that she is now in your life, so I’ve gotta find a way to deal with it. And I will. But, it’s gonna take some time.”

Now I’m even more intrigued. But, he surprised me by giving me an inch, I’m not gonna ask for a mile. “I get it. I’ll back off, and I’ll say something to Link to as well. But, please try to tone down your distaste for her in front of Morgan. I think it makes her feel bad. Like Gia isn’t welcome here…but she is. So, maybe keep that in mind.” I say seriously. I’m trying not to be a dick about it, but I hate that Morgan feels like she can’t even talk about her best friend when Simon is around.

He sighs deeply, “Dammit, I know. I’m being a dick. I’ll try and reel it in.” He lifts an eyebrow, “Does Morgan…know? Like, does she already know what I just told you about me and Gia?” he grimaces. Dang. What did that girl do to him?

“No, she was just as confused about this as I was.”.

“Huh. That’s…kind of interesting.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, guess so. Whatever happened between the two of you must have been a doozy.” I mean, if Gia won’t even tell her best friend about it, then it must have been something big. I stand, set my controller on the coffee table and head to my room. “Well, I’m done here. Gotta gobe dirtywith the hot-as-shit girl hanging out in my bedroom.”

Simon snorts. I clamp a hand on his shoulder as I walk by, and it isn’t until I get to my closed bedroom door that I hear the game resume playing.

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