Page 49 of A Stealthy Situation

So what that we catch up multiple times a week? That’s what friends do.

I kick at the sand, sending it in an arch over the beach. It’s near deserted here, and even though the DIK house is a few minutes’ walk from Shenanigans and the beach there, Emmett and I have gone further out. Somewhere no one from FU will run into us.

“Are you going to tell me where you got that hickey from yet?” Em asks.

It’s faded almost from sight now, but I’d loved having it. Showing it off. Watching Harrison’s face every time his eyes caught on it.

I don’t answer him, and Emmy laughs. “To be clear, I’m not actually asking. We both know it was your”—he lifts his hands for air quotes—“friend, Harrison.”

“And that’s exactly why you’ll never meet him. We’re friends. Nothing else.”

“Friends who fuck.”

“It was one time.”

“But you did do it.” The asshole smirks at me like he’s won. Whatever. It’s not like he didn’t know I hooked up with Harrison without me needing to tell him. Being subtle isn’t something I’m good at, and showing off that hickey after getting back from his house was a dead giveaway.

My shithead brother just wanted me to say it out loud.

“Anyway, I’ve been there and done that. It was fun. Every bit as good as I knew it would be, and now we can move on and be actual friends.”

“Mmm, uh-huh, yeah, okay.”

“I know it’s been a while for you, but that’s what you do when you hook up with someone, unless you want to start getting into booty call or boyfriend territory. I don’t want him to be either of those things.”

“If he asked you to hook up again, it would be a no, obviously.”

“Obviously.”

“You definitely wouldn’t go there.”

“Nope.”

“Even if he begged. You’re better than that.”

I narrow a glare at my stupid brother and his stupid dumb face.

He taps his temple. “We might not have the twin reading minds thingy, but I don’t need it to tell me when you’re full of shit.”

I grumble and flop back onto the sand. “Nobody likes you.”

“Actually, that’s you. I’m the delightful one.” He kicks off his shoes and moves down toward the water. It’s almost sunset, and there’s a crisp breeze that reminds me of back home, but the sand is still hot, and I’ll bet the water is the same.

“Hypothetically,” Em yells back to me. “If Harrison was standing here naked right now, how do you say no to that? If he’s as hot as you say, and you have as little self-control as I know you do?—”

“I might have no self-control, but I think even I’d draw the line at having sex with him in front of you.”

“If I wasn’t here, obviously. You’re really telling me you wouldn’t go for it?”

I press my lips together to stop the automatic lie that wants to slip out. If hooking up was on the table, it would be a real struggle to say no, but considering this crush is lingering, it wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do.

But Em doesn’t know how to shut up. “And what about the straight thing? Where is he at with that?”

“Dunno.”

“You haven’t talked about it?”

I sigh toward the sky. “Briefly. He said he can’t be straight since he enjoyed it so much. That’s as far as we’ve gotten.”

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