Page 149 of Counter Bet

“Can I stay at yours tonight?” Emily whispers, watching the flames dance and flicker.

I bury my nose in her hair, breathing in the smell of bonfire and her coconut shampoo. “What about your parents?”

She props her chin on my shoulder, peering up at my face. “They think I’m staying at Hailey’s.”

April’s loud laughter interrupts our moment. I peck Emily’s nose. “You can stay at mine anytime you want, but my bed is small, and it will be cramped with the three of us in it.”

Dallas, who’s been laughing with Nina, looks over at us. “You staying over tonight, princess?”

Emily dips her chin, her face shielded by her blonde hair. “Is that okay?”

Dallas lifts their joined hands, placing a soft kiss on the back of Emily’s. “It’s more than okay.”

I look over at Steph and catch her grinning. She lowers her camera, mouthing ‘threesome.”

I shake my head, my brows furrowed. I’ve tried to make her and the others fucking understand that the bet is off, but they keep raising the stakes.

Princess leans up and nips my jaw, drawing my attention back to her. “Let’s skinny dip.” She stands up and pulls off her dress. It lands in my lap.

My eyes bug out as she goes to remove her bra. “What are you doing?” I ask, ignoring Josh’s wolf-whistle across the fire.

Princess shimmies out of her panties, and then Dallas joins her, stripping out of her clothes. She then takes Emily’s hand as they run toward the water, leaving me to stare after them with my mouth hanging open.

“What the fuck are you waiting for?” Matt laughs, throwing a sticky marshmallow at me. “There’s literally not a man out there who wouldn’t be naked and in the water by now.”

I swallow around the thick lump in my throat. Tears prick my eyes as I reach for the photograph on the bed. She’s just a girl, for fuck’s sake, so why does she have this hold on me?

My heart is thundering in my chest. I turn the photograph over, dreading the words I know will shred me to pieces.

“I love you.”

I suck in a sharp breath, then reread the words. My hand is shaking now. I have to hold the photograph with both hands so I don’t drop it. I stare down at her handwriting, seeing but unseeing. She loves me? After everything, she still loves me?

My phone vibrates in my pocket.

I drop the picture, and it flutters to the ground, landing face up.

Dallas: I’m not sorry. She needs you, Ben.

I release a heavy breath, balling the hand that isn’t holding the phone. This can’t go on. Any more photographs and I’ll fall to pieces. I need to find Emily and put an end to this once and for all.

I stalk out of the bedroom and take the steps two at a time, my heavy footsteps thundering on the stairs. I burst through the front door, hurrying to the car with no idea of how to find her. All I know is that she lives on campus, which isn’t helpful since it’s a fucking big campus.

I unlock my phone and shoot off another text to Dallas before strapping on my seatbelt. My hands are so shaky that I fail several times.

Me: Where is she?

Dallas may not have told me outright that they’re dating again, but I’m not stupid. I can smell Emily’s scent on her, like soft summer evenings. I don’t probe, and she doesn’t tell me any details. It’s an unspoken agreement we have.

My phone vibrates as I turn on the ignition.

Dallas: Promise you won’t hurt her.

I chuck the phone down on the passenger seat next to me before lashing out on the steering wheel, hitting it once and then twice, causing the horn to sound. There’s so much pent-up frustration and hurt inside me, I have no idea how to channel it. I love her, damn it. Why the fuck do I still love her?

As I hit the steering wheel for the third time, I feel something let go inside of me—something which I’ve fought against for too long.

The first tear escapes, trailing a path through the stubble on my cheek. I wipe it off. Fuck, I am not letting her see me cry over her again.

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