“I know.” The anger drains from him. “But I can’t stop thinking about you. Which is also insane because we hooked up twice, and sure, we were friends, but I shouldn’t be this upset about you wanting nothing to do with me.”
“It’s not …” I drop my hands so I’m not touching him and turn to Jordan. “Sorry. It was cool of you to have my back, but I think we need some privacy.”
“Not going to lie, it was getting kind of awkward.” He backs up. “Text me, yeah?”
“I will.”
I swear, Benny growls.
“That’s enough from you,” I tell him, pulling him away. “It’s not that I didn’t want anything to do with you, but imagine if I told you that I’m not Harrison. I’m some other guy. You’d probably need a minute to adjust, wouldn’t you?”
His confused frown makes it obvious that’s not the right question.
“Never mind. You’re used to the twin thing. But it’s sort of a big deal for me to suddenly find out that there’s two of the dude I like. I needed time.”
“You didn’t text me back though. At all.”
“Yeah, that’s what needing time is.”
“Okay, so …”
“So …” I’m still not all the way there, but it’s obvious I still feel something for him. “I want to give this another go, but we’re going to have to talk about some things. The cheating in class … It’s uncomfortable. And I need to know that you and Emmett aren’t going to be switching things up on me or lie about anything.”
“I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“Except about getting your dick sucked.”
His face falls. “Shit. Yeah. That.”
“You also omitted a pretty big thing.”
“Fine, so my track record isn’t great. I get it. But I want to try. I …” He sucks in a long breath. “I like you a lot, and I don’t want to push things. I don’t know where you’re at with men, and maybe you do want to sleep around and try out this new side of you, but I want to date you. For real. So, if that’s something you want …”
I lean in and press my lips to his, the connection making everything inside of me full again. “I want. I want it so fucking much.”
He holds my face gently. “Good. Because I really didn’t want to have to kill that guy back there.”
“You’re so stabby and cute. Not going to lie, jealous Benny is a real turn-on.”
“Good, because I’m not used to dating, so I get the feeling he’s going to come out a lot.”
I don’t hate that anywhere near as much as I probably should. “Then I guess we need to clear some things up.”
22
BENNY
Harrison has faded freckles beneath his eyes. They’re more obvious in the sunlight, same as the way his light brown eyelashes fan out over them when he blinks.
If I’d been asked what my type was, I wouldn’t have described him, yet here I am so painfully attracted to him that I can’t keep my thoughts in order.
It’s annoying and distracting.
We walk side by side across campus until Harrison speaks.
“Sorry I went MIA.”
“Yeah. Sorry for …” How do I say everything without sounding dismissive?