I haven’t told her about me and Ryan yet. I don’t know why. Well, scratch that—I do know why. Because I was stupid enough to think I could sleep with him one time and forget it ever happened. And now, Aurora wants me to go to this party and see him there with other girls, and the thought alone makes my stomach churn.
“We slept together.”
Aurora freezes in place. “You what?”
I chew on my lip, feeling my face turn bright red. “Saturday night.”
Aurora’s eyes widen. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“I’m telling you now,” I reply with a shrug
“Isabella!” She grabs her makeup brush and throws it at me. I dodge it just in time, bursting into laughter.
“I… forgot?”
“You forgot?” Aurora halts in her tracks, her jaw practically touching the floor.
“Well, I didn’t forget, obviously,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “It just… happened. And I didn’t know how to tell you.”
Aurora shakes her head, narrowing her eyes. “You’re lucky I love you. If you ever do that again without a heads-up, I will murder you.”
I roll my eyes, but a grin sneaks on my face anyway. “What? Should I send a play-by-play mid action?”
“I’m not asking for a play-by-play,” she adds with a smirk. “but a few juicy details wouldn’t hurt.”
I breathe out a laugh and shake my head. “I regret telling you this already.”
Aurora turns to me, eyebrow raised, the lipstick still in her hand. “So, was it good?”
I blink, memories of the other night flashing in my head. “Yeah,” I admit, my lips curling into a smirk. So fucking good. I’ve never had sex like that before. Granted, I’ve only been with one guy before, but still.
She narrows her eyes. “But?”
I hesitate, the words sitting in the back of my throat. “But it’s not happening again,” I tell her, lifting my shoulder in a shrug.
She pauses, the lipstick hovering just above her lips, her gaze locked on me. “Wait, what?” She narrows her eyes. “Why not?”
I chew on my lip, wishing I could just bury myself in my bed. “We agreed it would only be a one-time thing.”
Aurora’s eyebrows lift, and she blows out a breath, turning her attention fully to me. “Oof. You’ve made a big mistake.”
I furrow my brows, confused. “How so?”
She shrugs and sits beside me on the bed. “You desperately needed a rebound, don’t get me wrong, and Ryan’s hot and I could tell you liked him… But there’s no way you can hang out with him every day, flirting and teasing, and not catch feelings for him.”
I frown, pulling the sheets up to my chin. “Which is exactly why I need to stay in,” I mutter. “He’s going to be at the party, and I?—”
“Hell no. You’re not cowering away,” she interrupts, giving me a pointed look as she tugs at the sheets. “You made your choice, and now you have to live with it.”
I sigh, frustrated. “I don’t know if I can handle it.”
Aurora leans in, locking eyes with me. “You can. You see him every day at practice. This is no different.”
I beg to differ. At practice there are people noting my every move at all times. My dad by my side, my brother on the ice, and the other guys surrounding him. But at parties, there are somany quiet places, dark corners where I can lose my inhibitions and melt into a puddle with a simple glance from him.
“Plus. Showing him how hot you look won’t hurt,” Aurora adds with a grin.
I chuckle despite my nerves. “Okay, fine. I’ll go. But you can’t leave me alone. I have no willpower when it comes to him.”
