Page 49 of Under Pressure

“In case you were wondering.” I set the pen down, feeling a little foolish.

“Okay.” He shrugs, like it means nothing to him, but I swear I see relief pass over his features briefly. He walks over and zips up his backpack, but doesn’t put it on.

“Would you really have gone out with him?” he asks, staring at his bag.

“What? Oh, no, I was just freaking out a little.”

He nods, looking like he’s choosing his next words wisely. “You shouldn’t ever feel like you have to go out with a guy to make him comfortable. Fuck guys that are told no and can’t accept it like a man.”

“What if I told you no?” The thought escapes me unbidden. Why would I even say that?

He swallows. “No big deal.” He shrugs again, nonchalantly shouldering his backpack. He walks to the door, placing his hand on the knob but doesn’t turn it. “Are you telling me no? That you want to stop things?”

“No,” I rush to say. “I’m not saying that at all. I—I like what we’re doing.”

I want more than anything for him to sayI like it tooorI don’t want to stop, either.

But he doesn’t.

He just nods again, then exits.

I don’t know why I expected something different, though.

Chapter Fourteen

Tyler

“How’s your research study going?”Mom asks, taking a bite of the cheesy broccoli casserole she made for dinner.

Next to me, Riley carefully picks out the bits of broccoli, setting them on the napkin on her lap.

“It’s good. Mia and I are getting the results we want.”

“Does something bad happen if they aren’t what you expect?” Dan asks around a mouthful.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I can only imagine what Mom would say.He’s trying to take an interest. Don’t ignore him.

“Nothing will happen. We’ll publish the results regardless of the outcome. Our hypothesis will just be wrong.”

“You’ve mentioned Mia before,” Mom says casually. A little too casually.

I spear a piece of broccoli and make sure Riley sees me eat it. She recoils in disgust.

“You keep asking about the study,” I tell Mom. “Considering she’s my partner, I have to mention her.”

“What’s she like?”

I take another bite, stuffing my face full of cheesy noodles, but she patiently waits for my answer.

What does she want me to say about Mia? She sucks dick really well? She made me lose my mind going down on her? “She’s… just a girl. We don’t have time to speak to each other in between participants.”

Technically not a lie. Mom doesn’t know that we talk plenty before and after sessions in the lab, at her apartment, at the gym…

“Why don’t you invite her to my party Saturday? It’ll give you a chance to get to know each other better.”

This time I do roll my eyes. “Mom, she’s not going to want to come to some random birthday party. She doesn’t even know you.”

She frowns, actually appearing hurt at my words.

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