Page 45 of The Midseason Fakeout

I wait for him by the bed until he steps up beside me. “What’s wrong?” he whispers.

“I don’t know what side of the bed you sleep on.”

“Scooch toward the wall.”

I get in, slipping under the covers. Luckily, he has two pillows, so I take one and place it behind my head. Aidan gets in after me, and my stomach flip-flops. We both stare up at the ceiling, our sides pressed into each other all the way down. The bed definitely isn’t big enough for us to have our own space.

Reaching down, Aidan takes my hand. “Good night, Bails. Don’t kick me out if I snore.”

I chuckle under my breath. “Just get some sleep. Did you set an alarm?”

“Jesus, I almost forgot.” He leaps out of bed, grabs his phone, and sets the alarm. The light from his screen illuminates his face. He’s so freaking handsome I can’t stand it. Any girl would die to be in my position right now.

I shoo away the weirdness from earlier. I don’t need to make this any more awkward than it is. He was totally right about the whole taking-my-virginity thing. It was a stupid idea. I was caught up in the moment.

“Thanks,” Aidan says as he gets back in bed.

“What are girlfriends for?”

The adorable smile he gives me makes me feel ten times better.

“Well, cuddle up, girlfriend, because these beds are only so big. Don’t be shy.”

I shake my head at him, trying to be as quiet as possible while we get into a more comfortable position. I end up facing him on my side, my hand under my pillow. He stays on his back, both hands tucked under his own pillow, and if I’m not mistaken, one of his legs dangles off the side of the bed.

I warm at the sight. When he used to visit, I would come down some mornings and there would be Aidan and Darrin, fast asleep after trying to stay up the whole night. Aidan’s leg would dangle off the sofa, and I’d wonder how that was even comfortable.

“Go to sleep,” Aidan teases.

“I am.” I yawn, moving my head into the pillow to mute the soft sound.

My mind is bursting with things to say. I’ve never slept in a boy’s bed before, and my mind races, but when I look over, Aidan’s already asleep, so there’s no one to talk to but myself.

13

AIDAN

The imprintof Bailey’s ass still tingles along my skin. I woke up spooning her, my right hand cupping her rib cage so I could feel every breath she took. Untangling myself without waking her was a chore.

I breathe in the cool morning air along with the smell of hot muffins from the bakery just off campus. I’d needed to get out of that room before I flipped her over and forgot about the fact that I would be stealing her virginity by taking her the way I wanted, so an impromptu breakfast run was in order. When she told me about her v-card status yesterday, it felt so wrong to continue. Here I was, telling her friends-with-benefits was going to be fun. And there she was, about to let me take her most sacred thing.

Maybe I’m old school, but her first time shouldn’t be something she gives up in the heat of the moment without a second thought. It should be with someone who will take it as seriously as the act actually is.

Indecision pricks at me. I’m torn between talking to her about what happened and just letting it go.

“Aidan!”

My head snaps up at the familiar voice.

“I thought that was you,” my dad yells.

Surprise ricochets through me as I start jogging toward him. “Dad! What are you doing here?”

He brings me in for a hug and claps me on the back. “I was out this way on a work trip, thought I’d stop by and see how our star is doing.”

My face flushes. “Good, Dad. Good.” All the bad choices I’d made this last month come flooding back to me all at once, so it’s difficult to answer with a straight face. I never told my family I sat some practices out. Or the game. No one has mentioned it either, and I can’t tell if it’s because they don’t know or if it’s because they would know I’d be too upset to talk about it.

Coach didn’t advertise why he was taking me out of the games, thank fuck. The last thing I need is that getting out to NFL teams. Some of them might strike me off their list right away. I was such a fucking idiot. A month of partying could’ve cost me my entire career.

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