Page 10 of Merry Mischief List

“Nope…” Silence fills the air. “One of mine.”

“Back up. You slept with acollegecheerleader and didn’t invite me?”

“I never said I slept with her,” I whisper, shutting the bedroom door. The next ten minutes consist of me filling him in on the airport bar run-in down to her passing out in my car.

“Damn, man,” Knox says once I’m done. “And your first instinct was ‘I’ll bring my ex’s sister back to my place’?”

“Well, it was that or leave her in front of a random dorm on campus, which didn’t seem to be a particularly appealing option.”

“Is she hotter than Jess?”

Exponentially.“Really, man?”

“Sorry,” he says half-heartedly as a laugh comes through the line. “So what’s she like?”

“All I know is she’s a cheerleader for CBU, has an unhealthy obsession with cupcakes, and, apparently, sangria is a truth serum for her because I got her whole life story last night.”

“She got a free Porter therapy session, and you didn’t even get laid? What a gentleman,” he mocks.

“She’s Jess’s sister…anda student.”

“Since when are you opposed to a good time?”

“Did you not hear me say she’s Jess’ssister?” I ask. “And evenmoreimportantly, a CBU student. That simple fact alone could derail my entire career.”

“Excuses, excuses. I say tap that.”

I pull eggs out of the fridge to start breakfast. “And that’s why I don’t take advice from the guy who buys his condoms fromCostco. Who needs a hundred-and-thirty-two-pack?”

“It’s cost effective!” Knox counters.

“Listen, I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

“Unless the story gets better, don’t.”

5

ANDI

The scent of fresh sheets and something innately masculine, combined with a pounding headache, overwhelms my senses.

“Ugh,” I groan, taking another deep inhale through my nose.

Hold up. My bed does not smell like a Dior warehouse.

I snap my head up, taking in my surroundings. Wherever I am, this place is freaking swanky. There’s a walk-in closet full of suits, an ensuite bathroom, and completely modern furniture around the room, with a massive flat screen taking up almost the entire damn wall.

I blink everything into focus, attempting to conjure up last night’s memories. The last thing I remember, I was at the airport bar, wallowing in self-pity and talking to—

Panic courses through me, and I bolt out of the bed. My muscles instantly relax upon discovering I’m still fully clothed—sans shoes.

I’m ninety percent sure we didn’t sleep together given I woke up dressed and alone.Or maybe he’s not a cuddler, and I was cold?

My eyes are glued to the bed as I try to place together the puzzle pieces of how I ended up in what I’m assuming is Porter’s bedroom.

Maybe I can leave without him noticing me. It wouldn’t be the first time I slipped out after a hookup. Not because I was ashamed, but because that was all they were: hookups. I never felt the need to stay and do the wholewanna talk about it over brunch?thing.

I tiptoe over to the door and gently place my hand on the knob, pausing to hear if there’s any movement on the other side.

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