Page 95 of Hard Hitter

“Bryan Wilmot? He said you gave him a hand job when you met up to tutor him for French.”

“If you’re going to lie about a hookup, why not make it a little better than a hand job?” Rae asked. “Also false. What else?”

“Drake Vaughn-”

“Absolutely not.”

Quinn laughed. “Yeah, I didn’t really believe that one either. Um...Greg Mink?”

“The guy wears eyeliner, Quinn- What do you think?”

Laughing again, he shrugged. “I don’t know, some girls like thatJack Sparrowlook.”

“Not this girl,” Rae said. “Okay, how about you? KimberlyandOlivia Brooks? You were making out with Kim in their hot tub and Olivia joined?”

“Nice- but no. I did go out with Olivia, but nothing particularly exciting happened.”

“Did you hook up with Hallie Thomas?”

“Nope.”

“Rachel Price?”

“Also no.”

“Nina Parks said her dad caught you guys fooling around.”

Quinn winced. “True.”

Rae gasped. “Quinn Casey...Did she really have your dick in her hand?”

“Why do girls share these things?” Quinn groaned.

Rae laughed. “Isn’t her dad a pastor?”

“Mhmm.”

She let out another high laugh. “That’s brilliant.”

“Most of the rumors are false though,” Quinn sighed. “I just sort of...fuel the fire. I think it’s funny, so I go along with it. Encourage it, even. It seemed a lot easier than fighting the rumors.”

“Interesting strategy,” Rae said. “Maybe I should do that.”

“That might attract the wrong kind of attention,” Quinn replied, shaking his head. No way did he want the guys at school thinking those stories were true.

Rae was looking at Quinn curiously now, her eyes searching his own. It was rare that he didn’t know what to make of her expression. Today had been a bit of an anomaly, between Rae coming out like some kind ofSports Illustratedswimsuit model, and the horrible moment of watching Jett-fucking Jett!- lick her finger. Quinn didn’t think he’d ever let him live that down.

“Are you staying at your house tonight?” Rae asked.

“Probably should since tomorrow’s the first day of school,” said Quinn. He nodded toward the pile of opened boxes on the patio. “Although, I think your parents got me a whole new wardrobe, so maybe it doesn’t matter where I stay.”

“I see Mom talked Dad out of buying that car for you,” said Rae, looking over her shoulder toward the gifts, too.

“I don’t know what I would’ve done. You guys do too much for me as it is.”

Rae shrugged. “You deserve it.” Her gaze floated down to where her hands were still resting on Quinn’s arms. He had almost forgotten he was still holding her like this, with his arms hanging loosely around her hips. He wanted to pull her closer and inhale her again. “Why don’t you just stay?” she suggested.

“Stay?” Quinn questioned, his mind wandering from their conversation and floating off to a dream land where holding Rae like this meant they were more than friends.

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