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I was glad of being busy, though, because I couldn’t get Joy off my mind. She’s already taken up residence there this year, but after what I overheard at the rest stop, my mind is in overdrive. The journey back to Franklin West was quiet. Most people slept or played on their phones. Joy and I talked a little, but she seemed different. Perhaps it was that conversation.

There are a few others from the swim team here, but I doubt anyone will be drinking. We’ve got practice at six a.m. and despite being in a marginally better mood since our San Francisco meet, he’s still pushing us harder this year than ever before.

I look up and find Wes pushing his way through the crowd and my eyebrows lift in surprise. He rarely attends stuff like this. I try to catch his attention, but he doesn’t see me. Shrugging it off, I turn back to Joy and find her chatting with Trey. Her eyes flit up and, when she sees me, the way she smiles makes my breath catch.

After a minute or so, they trade places and I push off the wall, heading through the crowd toward her.

“Hey,” I say, leaning to speak against her ear. “Great set.”

“Thanks,” she says. “Want to get a drink?”

I nod and take her hand, leading her through the throng to the kitchen. “What do you want?”

“Lemonade, please.”

I hand it to her and top off my own drink.

“Thanks,” she says.

We stand there for a moment, the music just a little too loud for conversation and both of us too painfully sober to do much else.

“Want to go to my room?” she says.

I almost choke on my mouthful of cola.

“To talk,” she clarifies, her eyes sparkling as I cough. “I want to hear about your winter break.”

“Sure.”

I follow her through the living room to the entry hall and up the stairs. Her ass looks incredible in her leather pants, and I’m hypnotized as she leads me down the hallway to her room. I wonder if I’ll get the opportunity to ask her about Lane. Although, I’m not sure what good knowing would do.

We reach her door, and she opens it, flicking on the light. I close the door behind me, watching as she pulls off her spiked, black ankle boots and climbs up onto the bed, leaning against the wall with one leg tucked beneath her.

“Are you going to hang out over there?” she asks. “Or are you going to come and get comfortable?”

I step out of my sneakers and join her on the bed, sitting on the opposite end. Placing my drink down on her nightstand, I pick up a huge stuffed shark. “Who’s this?”

“Ah,” she says, reaching out and petting his head. “That’s Splashy, my high school mascot.”

“Splashy?”

“Not his official name,” she admits. “But he’s my Splashy.”

I laugh and place him back down carefully. “Nice to meet you, Splashy.”

“So, how was your winter break?”

It’s not like I don’t have a lot to tell her, but as she stares at me, all dark eyes and perfect lips, with that cute as fuck nose, I lose all will to form words.

“Aldo?” she presses. “Are you okay?”

She really does have a great mouth. It’s like a bow shape, the top and bottom lips both evenly plump. She sometimes wears dark lipstick, but tonight they don’t seem to be colored. Although they’re sparkling a little. Some sort of lip gloss, perhaps. I wonder whether it tastes of anything.

“Aldo,” she says, shuffling closer and waving her fingers in front of my face. “Are you stroking out on me?”

“Sorry,” I say, blinking the room back into focus. But her mouth is still there, begging to be kissed.

“You okay?” she asks. “What’s wrong?”

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