Page 12 of Playing By Their Rules

I reach under my skirt and pull off my lacy black panties, dropping them to the floor next to me.

“Wait, I thought we were pretending?” Bradley says, eyeing my underwear. “I mean, I am down if you want to do the real thing—”

“Shut up,” I say with a laugh. “You know I’m not going to lose my virginity in an empty classroom as a half-baked revenge scheme.”

He shrugs and says, “I live in hope.”

“Your boner lives in hope.”

He laughs. “That too.”

If he had no sense of humor, this wouldn’t be possible. I thank the stars, fate, whatever, that I have such a good friend in Bradley. It also helps that he is aromantic. He loves sex, but he doesn’t connect with people on a romantic level. Friendship is his emotional catnip, and sex scratches the physical itch.

If I were able to make sex just about physical connection without the emotional, I’d have slept with him some time ago. Well, my need for romance holds me back along with the fact I’ve been foolishly waiting for two men in particular.

“All right.” I lean against the wall that connects to Chance’s office. “Get over here, let’s do this thing.”

Grinning, he arranges himself next to me and gets in my space so we’re standing super close, against the wall. “Is this okay?”

“Yep,” I squeak. Although being this close to him and thinking about Chance is doing strange things to my brain. I am actually turned on. By my friend.

“So now we start banging against the wall,” he says, “and you moan. That’s the plan, right?”

“Right.” I inhale deeply, and my desire diminishes. He smells nothing like Chance or Ethan. This isn’t real.

He thumps the wall with his hip in a rhythmic, suggestive way.

“Oh, you’re good at this,” I say.

“That’s what she said.” He smiles again, and we both have to cover our mouths to keep from cracking up.

“Mmm,” I say loudly when I catch my breath. “Yes. Right there, like that.”

Bradley continues bumping against the wall. Surely Chance is hearing this right now? Why doesn’t he investigate? He doesn’t know it’s me, yet.

“Say my name,” I whisper to Bradley.

“Maisie,” Bradley says. “Fuck, Maisie, Maisie!”

“Yes, like that!” I cry.

A door close by squeaks open. It isn’t this classroom door. Is it Chance’s office?

Bradley whispers, “I’m going to touch your leg, if that’s okay. If he walks in—”

“Yes, do it,” I whisper back.

Bradley puts his hand on my upper thigh, dragging up my skirt partway. I pull up my shirt so my breasts, covered by my bra, are out.

I pull Bradley’s head down to my neck so it looks like he’s kissing me.

“Maisie, be careful,” he says. “This is maybe too far—”

I immediately let go of him. I don’t want to hurt my friend, even if it spoils my fake scene.

The door bursts open and light from the hallway spills into the room.

“What is the meaning of this?” Chance’s voice asks in a growl. “This is highly inappropriate.”

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