Page 3 of Every Hidden Truth

“You just gave me sex hair, didn’t you?” I said in an attempt to dispel the anxious energy buzzing through me.

Smothering his laugh in his arm, he shook his head. “Not intentionally.”

And because I was stupidly head-over-heels for him, I couldn’t stop the flirtatious, “Pity,” from slipping out of my mouth.

Ben’s poised pencil froze, hovering over the study guide as his Adam’s apple leapt. He looked at me, ocean-blue eyes flaring. I wet my lips, and his gaze tracked the motion. The buzzing in my veins leaked into the air between us, and I swore he leaned in, like he wanted a taste.

Our desks vibrated as a text lit up my phone screen, jarring us from the intense moment, and we both blinked. The expectant atmosphere shattered as I snatched my phone from the desk to stop the loud vibration from gaining the teacher’s attention.

I checked the text.

Kim: Still on for sledding?

Silas: Yeah, I’ll meet you there after work.

Kim: Ben coming?

Blacking out my screen, I turned back to Ben who was calmly filling out the study guide like he hadn’t seconds ago been staring at my mouth like a starving man.

“You’re coming sledding, right?”

Enthusiasm brightened his face. “Hell yes. You’ll be there too, right?”

I nodded. “I work till one, so I’ll have to meet you there. But yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Awesome.” His leg bounced with excitement, and I bit back a chuckle at his innocent anticipation.

Sledding was a normal activity here in Indiana at wintertime, so I couldn’t fully grasp the appeal it held for him. But since he grew up in California where snow was limited, I could kind of understand. Winter fun wasn’t normal for him.

I texted Kim back, letting her know Ben would be there tomorrow too before focusing on the study guide Ben was filling out. His leg continued its happy dance beside mine, and I nearly sighed like a loser. He was too cute.

As Ben answered the questions in the packet, I leaned into his shoulder under the guise of offering input. There was no logical reason for me to sit this close to him, but he didn’t complain or push me away. If anything, he pressed back into me, head angling in my direction.

My hand lay on the desk, millimeters from his. Every few minutes he shifted, his knuckles skimming mine. Once, twice, three times.

Utilizing bravery I didn’t know I had, I stretched out my pinkie and teased his. I fully expected him to pull away, maybe even send me a confused or uncomfortable look. But he didn’t.

His pinkie curled around mine until they hooked together snugly. My blood erupted with flames beneath my skin as a shy smile quirked the edges of his mouth. He didn’t look my way, his attention on the study guide, but I could practically feel the satisfaction radiating from him.

Neither of us spoke or drew attention to the affectionate touch. We worked on our study guide in relative silence as our shaking fingers held fast.

Was I the one trembling or was it him? Did it even matter anymore?

Seconds before the bell rang, Ben’s ocean eyes met my slate ones, the waves crashing wildly, and my heart fluttered. This boy was going to be the death of me, and from the smug grin spreading over his face, he fucking knew it.

2

Fuzzy Hat

I woke Saturday morningfrom a dream I shouldnothave been having, morning wood tenting my pajamas. With a groan, I turned over and buried my face in my pillow as the last remnants of the dream evaporated like smoke.

Dreaming about Ben in any type of naked scenario was literally the last thing I needed in my life. But my brain was an asshole.

Forcing myself out of bed, I stumbled toward the bathroom and started the shower. I glared down at my morning wood until it deflated, refusing to jerk off to thoughts of Ben or his face or his general existence.

Plus, masturbating had proven to be a bit of a touchy subject, no pun intended. Sometimes, everything worked the way it was supposed to. Other times, bad memories surfaced, and I’d lose my erection instantly.

Since I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with all that, I’d kind of stopped jerking off in general. It wasn’t really worth the risk.

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