Page 43 of Getting Lucky Number Seven

The sexwasamazing—there was no denying it. A week ago, he’d asked me what I wanted to try. If I had any fantasies he could help me out with. At first I’d said I didn’t have any, and that I liked what we were doing, which was true. But when he’d pushed again the other day, I’d finally blurted out the thing I’d thought of a few days after he’d asked. “I…I want you to wear all of your hockey gear. Then I…” My face had burned and I’d turned away, shaking my head.

Beck had put his fingers under my chin and tipped my face up to his. “Then what, Lyla?”

“Then I want to take it off you, one piece at a time.”

I’d waited for him to laugh, or look at me like I was crazy, but he’d simply kissed me and told me to hang tight while he changed into his gear. Stripping it all off and telling him exactly what I wanted had been empowering, and my body trembled with desire just thinking of the sex that’d followed.

But I still wished that once in a while he’d simply hold my hand. Or kiss me when we weren’t naked or on our way there.

Longing wrapped around my heart and squeezed. I shouldn’t be thinking of what I didn’t have. Beck was crazy hot, he made sure the sex was as good for me as it was for him, and I knew if anyone tried to hurt me, he’d tear them apart.

We were friends, and friends first, and that was as important to me as to him. Even the fun conversations and easy hangouts with Beck had faded a bit, though, replaced by a blur of sex. It made me feel less like a friend and more like a girl to pass time with until he got bored—I wasn’t delusional enough to believe he wouldn’t eventually move on to someone else. I closed my eyes, hating that I felt stupid for not being happier about how great my life was right now. That I wasn’t pulling off no-strings-attached, no-expectations-or-getting-serious fun.

Was I still open to another adventure around the corner? Or would I turn it down so that I could continue to fool myself about what was happening between Beck and me?

“Lyla, hey.”

I opened my eyes to Jeff.Shit.“Hi!” It came out way too high, with the edge of panic I was trying not to show.

“Haven’t heard from you in a while.”

A hand pressed to my back, the familiar cologne and the way my nerve endings jumped to attention letting me know Beck had stepped up next to me. “She’s seeing someone now,” he said.

I glanced up at him, my heart fluttering at his words. All that worry for nothing.

“I hardly even get to hang out with her now,” Beck added. “She’s always with her new boyfriend.”

The flutter changed to more of a stutter with a splat. There was an awkward beat where Jeff just nodded, then he took himself and his sticky tongue somewhere else.

“Figured that’d be the easiest way to get him to stop asking you out,” Beck said, handing me a cup filled with Coke. “You must’ve really put some kind of spell on him.”

Really?That’sthe easiest way? Instead of simply admitting you and I are spending all of our time together?Suddenly I wondered if I was his dirty little secret. The girl he didn’t want to think was sexy. He’d made it sound unbelievable someone could be so wrapped up in me, too. The confidence I’d built up since starting this whole endeavor slowly leaked out of me. I hated that I wasn’t stronger, but it didn’t stop me from feeling the opposite.

I sipped my drink, wishing it were laced with something more powerful than sugar, even though, logically, I knew alcohol wouldn’t solve the mess I’d gotten myself into.

All around us there were people laughing, drinking, and practically humping in corners. There were a lot of beachy bimbo types wearing clothes that made my short skirt and tank top seem like a burka, and most of them were draped over Beck’s teammates, sometimes two or three to a guy.

“You know, I’m kind of surprised you’d bring me when you could pick up so many girls here,” I said, hating I’d let it come out.

Beck lowered the drink he’d been tipping back and his eyebrows drew together, genuine confusion filling his features. “Why would I need to do that? I have you.”

For what? Hookups day and night? Or is there more?Now I was wondering if he was having sex with other girls on the side, on the nights I was busy cramming several subjects into my brain at once. The thought made my stomach lurch.

“Hey, Beck.” The words were icy cold, and when I turned to see who the feminine voice belonged to, I recognized the blonde I’d interrupted him with all those weeks ago. He’d introduced us, but I couldn’t remember her name. She was giving me the same look she’d given me then, too—like I was dog crap she’d gotten on her shoe. More hatred flickered through her eyes as she turned to Beck. “I’mma big girl. You could’ve just told me you had a girlfriend. You didn’t have to ignore me for a month like I was some desperate clinging idiot.”

Judging from the slurring and slight bobble, she’d surpassed the level of alcohol intake that allowed her to keep her inside thoughts from coming out of her mouth a while ago. She was still clinging to the cup in her hand, though. Her lip curled as her acerbic gaze moved to me. “For her of all people.”

I guess I should take comfort in the fact that Beck hadn’t hooked up with her in a while, even if that made me the target of her rage.

“Monica, you’ve had too much to drink,” Beck said, keeping his voice low. “This isn’t Lyla’s fault—she and I are just friends. I was up front about what you and I were doing from the beginning, and you said that was what you wanted, too.”

“You’re an asshole. All guys are such fucking assholes.” She wobbled and Beck reached out a hand to steady her. She jerked away, and whatever was in her cup sloshed over the edge. “Don’t come crawling back to me when you get bored with her.” With that, she walked away, every few steps sending her drifting farther to the right.

Beck scrubbed a hand over his face. “Sorry. I should’ve realized she’d turn into one of the clingy ones, regardless of what she claimed.”

Instead of trying to come up with a response, I wrapped my arms around my middle, wondering if eventuallyI’djust be one of the clingy ones, too.

“See, there’s another reason I came here with you. You’re so much cooler than other girls.”

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