Page 23 of Secret

“No. Blake has an ego the size of Mars and put that in.” I chuckle, hiding a blush, and she smiles.

"So are you and Blake doing the nasty?" She moves her eyebrows up and down.

I laugh. “It's complicated. We agreed to see each other in secret for one month and then tell my mad brothers. I don't want the pressure from them yet, you know?”

“Yeah, I do. Tristan would be the same with anyone I date. Shit, the last time I brought a date home, he all but chased him to his car,” she laughs, and I do too.

Someone knocks at the bedroom door and Allie shouts ‘come in.’ Lily pops her head around the door.

“Hey, guys,” she says as she drops her bag on the floor and hops on the end of the bed. I’m glad it’s a big bed or there wouldn’t be room, but I sit up anyway.

“Tris drove me here and let me in, but he had to leave. He says ‘hi’ but only to Izzy, though,” she frowns, and I laugh.

“Well, it’s pointless him hitting on her, when she is clearly crazy about someone else,” Allie says with a small laugh, and I roll my eyes.

“I’m not crazy. I’m just seeing how things go first,” I lie, as I know I'm crazy about him, but I can't admit that out loud yet.

“You keep telling yourself that, but I know how much you want to jump his bones,” Allie says, making me turn bright red, but she hardly notices.

“You've only been here a week, and you found someone? Details, now. Spill!" Lily says.

I can't help but laugh. “Blake, but please don’t tell anyone,” I say quietly as my cheeks blush, and Lily squeals then bounces on the bed. She has a very bubbly personality, which makes me think it’s strange she is with my very serious brother.I guess opposites attract and all that.

“Oh, I thought he wanted you last night! Well, considering he didn't take his eyes off you.” I start panicking as Lily looks back at me and holds her hands up in a surrender sign.

“Don't worry, the boys haven't noticed. I don't think,” Lily says, giving me a bit of relief.

“I hope not, it's a secret. One month to get to know each other before telling them. They are crazy over-protective. I don't want to risk it,” I tell her.

“Agreed, that's a good idea, my lips are sealed.” Lily laughs as she zips her lips up with her hands and throws away the key.

"So, tell us, how far have you gone with him? Is he as good as everyone says?" Allie asks, and I flinch a little, knowing he must have slept around for people to know how good he is. I square my shoulders back before answering.

“Not much, I want to take it slow; he's a lot more experienced than I am.” Which basically says I’m a virgin without saying it.

“There is no way you’re a virgin at seventeen! You’re extremely…well, look at you!” Allie exclaims, and Lily nods in agreement.

“Can I just say ‘wow’? Blake not sleeping with someone straight away is unheard of. I'm shocked,” Lily says again at the mention of his past. I know I need to give him a chance to change for me, so, as far as I'm concerned, it's not anything to deal with now.

“Oh, sorry, Izzy. I guess that was insensitive,” Lily says, going red, and I smile.

“It’s all right, everyone has a past. I don't judge. I may be a virgin, but it never felt right with my ex. We did everything but have sex,” I say,clearly I’m not that innocent.

“That’s cool. I haven’t been with anyone since my ex. Honestly, I’m taking a break from boys,” Allie says with a dramatic sigh.

“I can’t say Elliot was my first, but he is like a new experience,” Lily says with a sigh, making me cringe at the thought and shake my head.

I glance at Allie, whose face looks angry, and she quickly changes the subject. “Cool, anyway, what movie we watching?”

The night is filled with us watching chick flicks, and I’m reminded why it’s nice to have female friends around. We eat our body weight in pizzas with lots of sweets. I check my phone to see it’s ten, and I say my goodbyes to them both before I get in my car to drive home. I remember to offer Lily a lift home, but she says she wants to stay over, and Allie says it’s fine. I send a quick message to Blake to tell him I’ll be home in ten minutes, hoping to get that phone call he talked about.

The house is silent as I pull up, and there are no cars out front, so everyone must be out. I unlock the door and relock it before going to bed. I stay awake, waiting for a text back, but after half an hour with no reply or phone call, I get into my PJ’s and hop into bed, drifting off into a restless sleep.

Chapter11

BLAKE

“Seb, maybe you should slow down, mate,” I shout over the loud music as Seb downs another shot after the last five he has had in less than ten minutes.

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