Page 97 of His Reckless Freshman

With a nod, I quickly continue. “It just started out like tutoring, you know? I showed her a few things, helped her come a few times. And then I told her we should wrap it up. I finished it and figured we could just be friends. But then I saw her today and she needed cheering up, and when she asked for one more, I couldn’t say no, then got completely carried away and nearly came inside her without even suiting up!” I slap the table, pushing my yogurt container away for me and slumping back in my chair.

Sawyer hisses. “Got caught up in the moment. It’s easily done, my friend.”

“Not by me.” I shake my head. “I’m always logical. I think things through. I never let myself get carried away like that, and I just did… with the one girl I was trying to be careful with. She doesn’t need this shit! She already had one guy take advantage of her. I was supposed to be better than that.”

“Ben.” Charli tips her head. “It’s not like you forced yourself on her. She wanted it, right?”

I swallow, Jolie’s whispered begging filtering through my brain again. The way she pulled me on top of her. I nod and rasp, “Yeah, she wanted it.”

“So what’s the problem, then?” Sawyer asks. “You worried you’ve knocked her up or something? The whole unprotected sex thing?”

“No, I pulled out in time.”

Shit, why am I telling these guys so much?

Groaning, I squeeze my forehead and wish I could just erase this day.

“Maybe,” Charli starts slowly, “you’re feeling shitty because the truth is, you really like this girl, and you don’t want them to be just tutoring sessions anymore. Maybe you’ve caught yourself some feelings, Benny Boy.”

I scowl at her, not wanting to acknowledge that publicly. “I said no girls this year,” I mutter.

Sawyer snickers. “The heart doesn’t always pay attention to that kind of bullshit.”

“I thought you never involved the heart.” I narrow my eyes at him.

“I don’t.” He smirks. “That’s how I avoid these kinds of problems. But you’re not built like me, man. And you shouldn’t be fighting your natural instinct. If you like this girl, then what’s the problem?”

I don’t want to get hurt again. I don’t want to hand myself over to her only to have her turn around and break me. I’m sick of falling for women who don’t want me for real!

The thought that Jolie might like me as much as I like her is too dangerous to entertain, so I shove it out of my head and focus back on reality.

And reality is that I fall hard and they don’t follow.

Jolie could be just the same, and for that reason, I need to steer clear. She asked me to do her a favor, so I did. I can’t go turning it into more than that.

A knock at the door makes me flinch, and I turn toward it just as Charli rises from the table.

“Who’s that knocking at my door?” she calls, and I cringe at the lame voice she’s putting on.

“It’s me. Am I in the clear?” a female voice replies.

Wait, that’s Nix, Charli’s buddy… and Darian’s enemy.

Charli opens the door with a grin. “You’re good to go, baby. My big bro isn’t home right now, so come on in.”

“Yay.” She pops through the door with a cheerful grin. She’s so short compared to Charli—compared to all of us. She’s seriously like a little fairy, and I give her a wave, forcing a smile when she acknowledges me.

“So, you ready to study?” Charli asks her. “Or should we warm ourselves up with a little gaming first?”

“I say gaming’s a good way to warm up.”

The girls laugh together, heading for the console and massive-ass TV in the living room.

I throw out my unfinished yogurt and head for the stairs, following Sawyer up to the second floor.

He spins at the top to face me. “Hey, you sure you’re okay, brah?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just… please don’t say anything to anyone.”