Page 72 of Left on Base

“Yeah.” She giggles, falling in step beside me as we cross the courtyard. Our bare feet dodge the dewy grass, sticking to the concrete path winding through the cherry trees. The sweet, floral scent mingles with coffee wafting from the campus café, where early risers are already lining up for their fix.

“What happened to Sawyer?”

“Oh, uh. I don’t know. He hasn’t texted in days.”

“So you hooked up with Jameson?”

“Nooo. It’s not like that.”

“Mmmmk. I know you, though. You see Jameson pitch and every time you fall for him again.”

“I’mnotfalling for him.”

“Then what happened last night?”

Callie giggles into her hands. “I don’t even know. I kinda ended up there. One minute we were flirting, next thing I know, I’m in his bed.” She stops and stares at me. “Wait. What about you and Jax?”

My stomach does a little flip at his name. I remember his sleepy smile and the way he held me tighter when I tried to leave around midnight, murmuring “Stay,” against my hair.

“Nothing. It was nice. I came over to see the kitty.”

“And showed him your kitty?”

I shove her away. “Stop. No. We didn’t even do anything. Just watched Netflix and I fell asleep in his bed.”

She catches herself from falling on a bench. “Mhm. Sure.”

“You have no room to talk. You were in Jameson’s bed naked.”

“I was not.” She tugs at the hem of his shirt. “I had his shirt on. And apparently his shorts.”

“Where are your shoes?”

“Oh, crap.”

“Callie, I’m not going back to get them.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just text Jameson later.”

I wink at her and strut ahead. “I bet you will.” There’s a problem with my strutting. I’m, well, you know. And Callie notices.

“Girl, where’re your panties? I can see your booty cheeks.”

“Um.” My cheeks heat and I yank the hoodie lower. She forgot her shoes, as did I, but I’m sure my panties and bra are still on their floor. “I dunno.”

A group of runners passes, shoes crunching the cherry blossom covered path. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and my heart stutters—is it Jax? I resist checking. I’m not going to be that girl who can’t wait an hour to text back.

“Did you actually have sex while Jax and I were sleeping five feet away?”

Her cheeks flush pink. “In my defense, I didn’t know you were there.”

“How could you not know? Their beds are pretty close.”

She snorts. “I wasbusy.”

“Clearly.”

She throws an arm out, stopping me. “Stop walking so fast. My legs aren’t that long.” The morning sun finally breaks through the clouds, casting long shadows from the cherry trees across the brick buildings.

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