“Jules.” She puts her hands on my shoulders. “You haven’t taken a real day off in months. You showed up looking like you did the walk of shame. Go home. Shower. Spend the day with your boy. Get some rest. We’ve got this.”
“Are you sure?”
“GO!” All three of them speak at once.
“Also,” Sierra adds, “shower sex saves time. Just saying.”
I flip them off as I leave, their giggles following me out.
The walk back to my condo is less frantic. The morning air helps clear my head, and I’m suddenly very aware that Nick might still be there. I also remember we agreed to friends with benefits, and he’s taking me on a date tonight.
When I unlock my door, I hear the shower. My stomach does a little flip.
I climb the stairs, hearing him humming something. The bathroom door is cracked open, and steam rushes out. I can see his silhouette through my shower curtain, and I admire him for a second before creeping closer.
“BOO!”
“FUCK!” Nick screams, and a shampoo bottle flies past the curtain. He slips, catching himself on the shower curtain rod. “Jules!”
I’m laughing so hard that I can barely breathe. “Did you just throw shampoo at me?”
He yanks the curtain back, soap in his hair, glaring at me. “Woman, you trying to give me a heart attack?”
“Your scream!” I wheeze. “So high-pitched!”
“You scared the shit out of me!” But he’s starting to laugh too. “What are you doing back? Trying to assassinate your boyfriend?”
“Blaire sent me home. Apparently, showing up and looking like I’ve been mauled is frowned upon.”
His eyes rake over me, taking in my backward sweater and my destroyed appearance. “Mauled, huh?”
“See for yourself.” I turn my head, showing him the hickey.
“Mmm.” He looks genuinely surprised. “Are you sure I did that?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Unless there’s a ghost trying to suck my neck off, pretty sure. Seems our body shots got a little too enthusiastic.”
“Apologies.”
I meet his eyes. “Don’t. I liked it.”
“You like being marked by me?” Something shifts in his expression.
“Yes,” I say. “Oh, look, my sweater’s on backward.”
“It is,” he agrees, voice lower now as I pull it off of me.
“And these jeans are yesterday’s.” I unbutton them, letting them fall to the floor.
“We can’t have that.”
“I should probably shower.” I unhook my bra, watching his eyes trail over me. “You know, to save water and all.”
“Environmental conservation is very important,” he manages.
I step out of my panties and into the shower with him. “Hi.”
“Hi.” His hands immediately find my waist, pulling me under the spray. “This okay?”
