Page 52 of The Casanova Complex

“They just don’t,” both of my best friends say in unison, and we all laugh. It’s our favorite iconic line from Legally Blonde, and being the perpetual nostalgic nerd that I am, it makes me insanely happy that my best friends make me feel seen in all the ways.

The truth is I haven’t really stopped thinking about Bennett’s proposition… or the kiss since it happened, despite trying to push it out of my head.

He did make some good points. Blake already thinks we’re dating, and he’s his teammate. He’s going to know if I’m suddenly never around, and the thought of Blake thinking I lied is too horrifying to even think about.

I would actually die.

I just… Bennett’s charm and enthusiasm are confusing me. Because I’m supposed to be stronger than this. I’m not supposed to want to melt into a puddle right at his feet, and somehow, over the last few days, all I’ve done is think about him and that kiss.

Sighing, I reach for both of my best friends, slipping my arms around their necks and pulling them to me. “Love you both. Can we go back to The Blair Witch Project, please? It’s far less scary than thinking about Legros in any capacity.”

Hours later, after we’ve all fallen asleep in a sugar coma, I wake up only because of the insistent screaming of my bladder from drinking too much. I groggily untangle myself from Stella and Mads, stepping over them to stumble to the bathroom.

Before going back to sleep, I check my phone and see a text from a couple of hours ago from Bennett.

GOOD BOY: Shutout tonight. 3-0.

GOOD BOY: Told you I was going to prove it to you, Mer Bear. Looks like I’m going to be needing a lot more of you in the coming weeks, specifically those pretty little lips.

GOOD BOY:

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

BENNETT

She left me on fucking read.

For nearly two days.

Over twenty-four hours of silence following the kissy face I sent.

The. Fucking. Kissy. Face.

For fuck’s sake, why the hell did I send her a kissy face?

I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever been left on read by a girl, specifically one that I can’t stop thinking about, or maybe it’s just the first time I cared enough to even notice, which does surprise me.

But unsurprisingly, Merritt continues to humble the absolute shit out of me.

I almost double texted.

Almost.

I paced around my room like a fucking teenager, overthinking the stupid kissy face and message for an hour, and by that point, it was too late to unsend it. So she got a kissy face, and I got nothing back.

I truly have no idea what’s happening to me.

Then when she finally texted me back this morning, there was no mention of the text from Saturday night at all. She just asked if I could meet her at the pottery studio to work on our Creative Writing assignment after she’s done with the class she teaches there.

Not…

I can’t wait to kiss you again, Bennett.

Or…

Wow, Bennett, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.

I mean, realistically, she wasn’t going to actually say any of that anyway, but they’re called dreams for a reason.