Page 27 of Still Here Without You

Delilah drops onto the bed in front of me and curses under her breath. She looks physically drained. Like the toll all this is taking is too much to handle. I want to wrap her in my arms and tell her it’s all going to be okay, but I can’t, because I’m not sure that it will be.

“I want to be celebrating, I do. But even my best friend is trying to convince me not to do it.”

“What the actual fuck?” I grip the chair to stop myself from jumping to my feet. “Delilah, I know that cheer is taken seriously, and should be taken seriously, but this opportunity ishuge. How many people can say they’ve been offered an internship for fashion inParis? That actually sounds unbelievable. Like it would never happen.” As I say the wordParis,my chest tightens a little. Not going to lie, I’ll miss her when she goes. “I’m assuming that’s why it’s suddenly become a bigger complication…because it’s in Paris?”

Delilah’s eyes become glassy before she drops her head in her hands and cries.Shit!

I practically fly off the chair and pull her into a hug, immediately starting to rock her back and forth, stroking her back at the same time. “It will be okay. We can talk it through and find a solution that’s best for you.”

Delilah pulls back so she can look into my eyes, sniffs, and then smiles. “Why can’t everyone be as supportive as you are?”

“Because I’m one of a kind.” I bounce my eyebrows and grin before inwardly sighing in relief when Delilah laughs again. “Do you want to talk it through?” I ask, seriously.

She shakes her head with her lips sucked into her mouth before standing. “Not really. I kind of need a break from it for the rest of the day.”

“Come on then, let's go out. The football team is at Reilly’s tonight, as usual. Let’s get you drunk and pretend we have no responsibilities.”

Delilah’s lips pull into a smile as she bounces on her toes. “That actually sounds perfect.”

“It does. And who knows, maybe we’ll end up back here and naked,” I half joke.

Her smile fades, but I know it’s in jest. “And you ruined the moment.”

I laugh before walking to the door. While I like the idea of being naked with her again, that’s not my goal for the night. Tonight, I’m helping her to relax and forget her current problems. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear comfortable clothes; I’ll be on the bike.”

“I’m not getting on that death trap.”

“We’ll see,” I say, leaving without giving her a chance to respond.

Dylan’s in the kitchen when I get home. He’s got every bit of food we currently own on the counter, making himself some weird-ass sandwich.

“What the fuck is that?” I say, not even trying to hide my disgust.

“I’m hungry, and that's all we’ve got.”

“Does that combination even go together?” My entire face scrunches as I imagine putting that thing in my mouth.

“I’m about to find out.” He takes a bite and immediately cringes, spitting it out. “Nope. It does not. I’m gonna head to the bar early to eat. You coming?”

“I’ll be there a bit later. I’m bringing a friend,” I say, a little distractedly as I stare at the mess he left.

“A friend named Delilah?”

Looking up, I shake my head and smirk. “Her name happens to be Delilah, yes.”

“Good. I’m flying solo tonight, so I’ll have time to really get to know her.” He smiles big, as though he’s up to something.

“Yay! I can’t wait,” I say with all the sarcasm I can muster.

No one is around to let me in when I arrive at Delilah’s dorm, so I text her to come down. I’m leaning back against my bike when she walks out the door, and I almost fall off at the sight of her. Dressed in a loose-fitting designer sweater that falls off her shoulder, and tight—I mean tight—leather pants, she personifies sex on legs. I’m practically drooling. Swallowing a lump in my throat as she approaches, I school my features, trying to appear unaffected.Yeah, I’m cool. Not.

As she walks down the steps, I wolf whistle like the jackass she likes me to be and smile when she laughs.

“Come on. Let’s get this over with,” she says, grabbing the spare helmet I have in my hand.

“You look hot as sin, Del. How the fuck am I meant to focus with your legs wrapped around me?”

She gives me one of the eye rolls I love and pats the seat of my bike. “How does this work? Do I get on first, or you?”

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