Page 59 of The Comeback Pact

“I don’t know,” I tell her, glaring at her swimming poster. “I don’t usually let other guys watch me while I sleep. Especially ones in Speedos. They really cut into you, you know.”

She giggles into my side. “I think he might have to go, too. He was looking at me accusingly when, well…”

“When you were coming all over my finger?”

Instantly, the air is charged again with a heaviness that has my heart racing.

She takes a deep breath. “Yes.”

I’ve had my choice of girls since I’ve been at Warner, but none have made me feel like this. Like if I don’t have them, I would think about it for the rest of my life. Like one touch could soothe everything and the loss of it would ruin me. “Well, we can’t have that.” I measure my breaths before I get too excited. “Because I plan on making you do that a lot.”

“It’s okay,” she says finally. “I think having a real-life half-naked man in my room might be more fun.”

“Just any half-naked man? Good to know.”

She lifts her head to stare down at me. “I think you know what I mean, West.”

I know what she means, but I want her to say it. I want to see the confirmation in her eyes that I wasn’t toppling over without taking her with me.

I’ve never told anyone about the real me, and that simultaneously exhilarates and scares the shit out of me. Kenna knows me more than anyone else in the whole world, which means she holds all the power.

Powerful people do terrible things.

But staring down at her while her lids are closed and there’s such a peaceful expression on her face, I can’t imagine she would be anything like my father.

She’s perfect.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

Kenna

Sydney dropsdown in the chair across from me, blowing out a breath. “I don’t know what’s worse, you not realizing you were in love with West Brooks…or you realizing you’re in love with West Brooks.”

“Shh,” I hiss, staring around the library to see if anyone’s heard her. Everyone’s already been talking about how West gave me his jersey at their first game. The jersey chasers have been sending me dirty looks for a few days.

Sydney rolls her eyes. “Oh, everyone knows. You can’t keep that goofy smile off your face. Although, seeing him in that tiny little swimsuit, I can understand why.”

I give her another look. She’s well aware we haven’t slept together yet. She only asks every time West and I get a spare moment together. “I don’t have a goofy smile,” I tell her, even though I totally do. My face always hurts at the corners of my mouth now.

Completely ignoring me, Sydney asks, “Where is he anyway?”

“Practice. They’re preparing for homecoming.”

At that, my friend deflates. I’ve been noticing the dark circles under her eyes, and when she’s not in class, she’s in rehearsal for the halftime show. Lighting, sound, costumes. It’s coming off like she’s performing at the Super Bowl, for crying out loud. “Speaking of, I have another long one tonight.”

“Just think about how awesome it’ll feel when you nail this.”

She flashes her eyes at me and grins. “You know it.”

“I might be out late, too.” I stare down at my textbook and pretend to turn the page, like I’ve been sitting here studying and not thinking about going out with West tonight.

“Oh, that’s right. Your official date night. Not like the one where I caught him in your bed super early in the morning.”

I ram my book into her hand and then smile wide at the girl passing by talking into her phone. Hopefully, she’s not pretending she didn’t hear my former friend and roommate’s last words.

“I never knew your mouth was this big.”

Sydney laughs, throwing her head back. “I need something to get excited about that doesn’t involve the current stressor in my life. Let me live vicariously through you, Kenna. Take pictures of that dick. I—”

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