Page 67 of Into the Woods

Not just Court, but everyone had been lying to me. I’d been hurt, angry, and embarrassed that everyone seemed to know more about my own life than I did. That people kept making decisions for me, especially ones that I thought had my back.

Court and I had said a lot to each other that night. But I’d never forget the moment he said You’ve always belonged to me. The truth was, he was right. My heart had always belonged to the boy next door. My hero, my friend, my everything.

But then he’d doubled down by reminding me, I was your first kiss, remember? I was meant to be your first everything.

He’d been right, but I’d been hurt and pissed, and I’d lashed out the only way I’d known how. I’ll give you that you were my first kiss, but you weren’t my first. Or my second. Not my third either.

The pain in his eyes had been worth the tiny momentary triumph that had surged through my veins. But my claim had been a lie.

Well, unless you counted me, myself, and I, then sure. I’d had three sexual partners.

But I wasn’t about to tell Court he was right. That even when I’d tried dating or getting close to other guys, no one held up to the ideal of the perfect guy that my childhood self had invented.

No one except him.

It was stupid. I mean, I’d been a kid. What did I know about love and forever? But something in my bones knew that every guy I’d ever held hands with, kissed, or touched who wasn’t Court Woods felt wrong.

At this rate, I was going to need an exorcism to extract him from my DNA.

Unfortunately, that meant I needed to either come clean… or keep up the lie.

It was a no-brainer.

“What? Only guys deserve orgasms?” I folded my arms and shifted my weight, popping one hip out in defiance. “Did you expect me to enter a convent? Die an old, virgin spinster? Oh, or maybe I should be waiting for my one true love to sweep me away.”

Court’s eyes flashed. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” I needled. “I may not have been with hundreds of people, but I guess some of us prefer quality over quantity.”

“Oh, I’ll give you quality,” he growled, moving closer to me.

“No, you won’t. Not now, not ever. I’m not interested in you, Court.” I sucked in a breath, praying he wouldn’t see through the outright lie.

He smirked. “You’re lying.”

“Don’t believe me?” I challenged. I spun and looked at Bishop. “How would you feel about going out with me?”

Bishop’s eyes went wide. “Uh, what?”

“A date. You. Me.” Oh, God, I hadn’t thought this through. If he said no…

Well, the convent was still an option.

Court snorted. “Becca, come on. My brother isn’t going—”

“Okay.”

I don’t know who was more shocked at Bishop’s decision—me or Court. But I recovered fastest, flashing Bishop a big smile that felt too tight across my face. “Awesome. Tonight?”

“No fucking way,” Court spat. “Even if you two were serious, you can’t just go running around Paris, Becca.”

“Just so happens we’re conveniently staying in a hotel with excellent room service,” Bishop replied, grinning.

Court glared at him with enough ice to freeze fire. “You’re going on a fucking date with her in our hotel room? What, are Rook and I the chaperones?”

Bishop scoffed, pulling out his phone. “Bro, give me a little credit. I may not be racking up the notches on my bedpost as fast as you, but I do know how to date a woman. And… done.” He winked at me. “I just booked us our own room here. We can be alone all night.”

Wait.

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