“Anyway, you tyrant.” I smack her back, letting my head fall back against the door and looking at the ceiling. This might be easier without eye contact. “I’ve been seeing the same guyfor, like, maybe two-ish months.” She gasps and I arch an unimpressed brow at her. “Yes, yes. I broke my no-repeat rule.” She gasps again, and I turn a scolding look at her. She giggles a whispered apology and I go back to looking at the ceiling. “I don’t know how, he just gets under my skin. The sex is, like, groundbreaking.” I turn to look at her so she can really understand just how fucking good. “Like, this man has a penis blessed by the gods and really knows how to use it. And his tongue!? OhDios,his tongue. It’s so good.” He really is a pretty face to sit on. Addison giggles.
“You have no idea how great it is to get sex gossip when it isn’t one of my siblings.” She sighs. I’ve heard all the dirty Jessie and Casey details—man isdefinitelyliving up to his caveman nickname—but Addison refuses to participate in those conversations, for obvious reasons.
“Yeah, well, it isn’t the sex that’s causing my head problems.”
“No? Not the fact you realized you broke your no-repeat rule?” She bumps me with her elbow.
“Nope. It’s that he’s making me want to consider breaking my no-sleepover rule. And my nonexclusive rule. And my meet the friends rule.” I don’t say that the mystery man alreadyknowsmy friends, but not keeping Caleb a secret would essentially be breaking that rule.
“Oh my god,” Addison whispers, and I groan, squeezing my eyes closed. “Are you in love with him?”
“What!?” I look at her and her eyes are blown wide, her mouth open in a happy surprise. “Bitch, you better be joking. I amnotin love. Are you crazy!”
“Itsoundslike love.” She raises her brows suggestively.
“It absolutely does not.” I am not in love. I can’t even feel love. Addison has no idea what she is talking about.
“Okay, tell me more then.”
“What do you mean?”
“About him, and you. Why does he make you want to break all your rules?” She taps her chin softly and she looks at me with knowing eyes. Eyes I still can’t look directly in, so I turn my attention back to the ceiling, thinking of another set of eyes that entrap me every time I see them.
“His eyes. They’re, like, too blue to be purple, but from different angles they’re too purple to be blue!”
“Oooo, that’s hot. Like Elizabeth Taylor! They are so rare!”
“Right! He’s also really fun. Like, I can connect with his playful side, and not only when it’s sexual—he just knows how to look at the bright, fun side of everything. Doesn’t take life so seriously. And I love that.” Except when he is declaring the need for an exclusive status and to no longer be a secret, that isnotso fun. I heave a heavy sigh and all my thoughts become consumed by Caleb. I can’t even stop the stream of consciousness that falls from my lips. “He’s funny, and super smart. He’s also one of the few eligible bachelors in New York who are all of those things, while also being incredibly sexy andalsosuccessful. I think he’s a lot more successful than he lets on too. He knows me a lot better than most people, and he makes me feel…I don’t know, comfortable? Like I can be myself. He would never judge me for my sexual history, or for my shitty family. He never only has sex on the mind…don’t get me wrong, the guy is a sex pest?—”
I suck in a breath at my slipup and quickly side-eye Addy to see if she picked up on the nickname, but she just smiles like she has no idea, and I heave a sigh. Yeah, no. I amnotready for people to know who the man consuming my every thought is. Sorry, pest, you’re a dirty little secret for just a little bit longer.
“Anyway, he’s just good to talk to. I don’t know. I feel almost whole when I’m with him. Even when it’s just silent. His company…I enjoy it.” Crave it, but I leave that out. When I look at Addy again, her head is leaning against the wall and she issmiling at me with a look of pure adoration. Almost wistful with green eyes that look almost wet.
“Rosie, maybe you’re not in love yet, but it sounds like you’re well on your way.” She says it gently and I sit up straighter.
“Nope. That’s not what this is.” I laugh at her ridiculous insinuation.
“Okay, but what if it is, is that really so bad?” She chuckles, resting a warm hand on my leg as she continues to bore her overly emotional eyes into me.
“Yes, Addison. That’s worse than bad, that’s horrible. Like, the worst possible outcome.” I look at her, completely horrified.
“And why is that? Rosie Garcia with a boyfriend who matches her perfectly? God, I hope I live to see it.”
“Well, you won’t, trust me.” I shuck off her hand, over the physical affection, and get to standing, taking the bat back in my hand.
“Just tell me why and I’ll drop the question.” Addy’s tone is full of determination, and I avoid making eye contact as I head to my phone to turn up the music. I can’t tell her the actual reason why. It’s my best kept secret. Casey doesn’t know, either, and it’s one of my many shames when it comes to these girls. They believe they know who I am, but they really, really know nothing at all.
“Just not in the plan.” I give her a fake smile, aiming for playfulness but feeling the weight of everything I don’t say heavily on my shoulders. Addy is no idiot, though she might not know what is going on, she narrows her eyes because she knows there is something. When I raise a challenging brow at her, she just rolls her eyes and secures her goggles again, gesturing to play the music. I hit Play on “WAP”and Addison breaks out into laughter as I let my smile split across my face. We blast the volume, and with another swing of the bat into the stack of plates, I feel the tension roll down my shoulders.
Girl talk might be cathartic, but now Ireallydon’t know what to do about this stupid boy situation. I swing again in complete raging frustration. This was meant to be about cleansing my anger at my father. Who knew I’d have my titties all twisted about a completely different man.
Caleb motherfucking Smith.
CHAPTER 27
meet vivienne
Caleb
