Page 49 of The Drop

The things Grant said last night made me feel like this isn't just a casual hook-up, and he's being more careful with me than he has with previous girls. The hand on my stomach tightens and wraps around my waist, pulling me in tighter as Grant nuzzles closer to my neck.

"It's early," he groans.

"Please, you're up earlier than this for dry land most mornings." I snort as he leans into my shoulder and bites it playfully.

"I'm normally well rested for dry land, not staying up half the night, exerting myself." As if he needs to make his point, he yawns.

"We've got to get you out before Cami realises you are here," I whisper, turning in his tight hold to look up at him, and he blinks the sleep away, looking down at me.

"I feel like a man of the night." He laughs softly, giving me his easy-going smile that makes me melt, but we need to get going; I jokingly slap his hands away and sit up, looking for something to put on over my underwear.

"Never." I smile, slipping on some tight workout shorts and an oversized tee. "That would mean I paid you."

He winks at me, slipping on his pool stuff over his boxers from yesterday. I move towards the door "What are you doing today?" he asks, checking his phone.

"Uh, I've got a yoga class later, but I was going to thrift some jerseys for the Thanksgiving drop before", I say, tying my hair up. "Want to come?" I regret it as soon as I ask. Of course, he doesn't want to hang out with me today; that would be something people in a relationship do, not two people who hooked up and had fun. "Or if you're busy, don't worry about it," I add quickly as we slip into the hall and walk into the living room. I don't want him to think I can't do casual, and I'm clingy.

"No, I'm good. Can we grab a coffee first?" He stretches, and his shirt rises, showing me the abs I was running my hands all over last night. He catches me looking and winks.

I can't help but smile back at him as we near the door. "Well, I guess we kept this under wraps." I smile up at him.

"Yeah, I guess." He gives me an odd look. "Broo—"

He doesn't finish because a second later, Cami bursts through the door, making us both jump back from each other. "Hey," she says excitedly before noticing Grant. She narrows her eyes, glancing between the two of us. It looks weird because we are standing in the entryway.

"Are you going to the beach?" she asks, eyes narrowed and locked onto Grant.

"What?" he splutters. "No, this is from the pool party yesterday."

Panic sets in immediately; he's just blown it, and my brain goes into overdrive thinking whether to be honest or make something up about how it happened.

"Cam—" I begin.

"Seriously?" Cami scoffs, motioning with her hands at Grant. "That's gross. Grant! You can't just walk into our apartment wearing yesterday's clothes after banging some girl."

My eyes widen at her assumption and look to Grant, who seems so angry his head might blow off. He looks at me and I make a face, silently trying to tell him to just go with it.

"I'm sorry, Brooke," he grits out, looking at me, then Cami. "I should have showered and changed first, then come over to bother you."

"That's okay." I laugh out nervously, putting on a fake smile as Cami nods next to me, still glaring at him.

"Go bother the boys." She shooed him with her hand. "B and I need to gossip."

I shoot him an apologetic look before he moves past Cami and makes a shooing motion behind her back as he slips out the door, and I chuckle, shutting it behind him.

"Who peed in his Cheerios?" she asks, having moved into the kitchen and pulling a glass down from the cabinet to fill it with iced coffee from the refrigerator.

"Uh, I think the girl's roommate kicked him out before he had time to talk with her about last night." I press my lips together in an awkward smile. I don't want to lie to Cami, and this seems like the closest I can be to being honest with her.

"Oh, that's going to end badly." She frowns. "He always has to have the talk with them after."

I freeze up immediately hearing the words "the talk".

"The talk?" I ask because I'm a glutton for punishment. I fold one leg under myself as I sit on the sofa, looking over into the kitchen at her.

"You know, the I’m not a relationship type of guy talk," she says distractedly, flicking through her phone, leaning her hip on the counter while I have an internal panic.

We didn't have the chance to talk about what last night was, and he seemed like he wanted to speak before Cami interrupted us. Maybe he was going to have the talk with me.

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