“Where did you go?” Rose asks me when I walk into the living room where she and Luc and some of Devin’s cousins are playing video games. I open my mouth and then close it. I can’t tell my little sister—in front of Luc and all these people—that I was just in the barn fornicating with the reason for today’s shindig.
“I was wandering around.” I shrug simply and sit down beside Rose on the wide ottoman.
I pretend to be completely absorbed in Luc’s character in the video game as it shoots its way through the levels against some pudgy, sunburned Garrison cousin I haven’t officially met yet. My eyes are glued to the TV screen but all I’m really seeing are the images in my mind of what just happened in the barn. Devin’s lips on mine, his hands on me, his huge dick—inside me.
“Are you feeling okay?” Rosie asks, suddenly pulling me from those glorious visions. She raises a hand to my forehead. “You look flushed, like you have a fever.”
I realize I’ve been blushing. I smile self-consciously and swat her hand away lightly. “I’m fine. I’m going to get food.”
“Bring me back some!” Rose calls out because she’s clearly not willing to leave Luc’s side. I have a feeling she’s starting to develop a little crush on him. I’m totally going to have to talk her out of that later. I can’t believe watching Jessie fall apart wasn’t reason enough to deter her feelings for one of these idiot hockey players.
Outside, the first thing I notice is Devin, standing by the big oak tree, with Kayleigh and Ashleigh Ratford hanging all over him. He notices me watching them and his face ripples with guilt for a second.
Oh no, I think as dread fills me. I don’t want him to feel like that! I look away and walk swiftly to the food table. As I fill two plates—one for me and one for Rosie—I feel him come up behind me.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m great,” I say firmly. “And look at you with the Ratford babes all over you. Way to go!”
“They weren’t all over me,” he argues quietly.
“Dude, they both want you. I can tell,” I say confidently and give him a smile before turning back to the food.
“Callie… listen… I…”
I interrupt him before he can continue. “Devin. It was fun. I’m glad we messed around, but that’s all it was—messing around. I don’t want anything from you.”
I glance at him. He’s standing there blinking his big hazel eyes at me. He’s clearly confused but I can also see relief there.
“I’m not Jessie. I’m not going to get all heartbroken or anything,” I reconfirm and pat his chest with my free hand. “I don’t want what she wants—to have a Garrison fall in love with me. I don’t want anyone to fall in love with me. I just want to get Rosie through school and get the fuck out of this town. That’s it.”
“I just don’t… I don’t do things like that with anyone,” he says, explaining what I already know. “I just want you to know I didn’t… I don’t regret it but I…”
“Enough,” I say, raising a hand to get him to stop talking. “It was fun and fucking hot. Let’s just leave it at that. I don’t want what you want, Devin, but there are a ton of other girls who do and two of them are standing over there. Go show them what a great dick you have.”
He blushes at that. It makes me feel victorious. I love making boys blush. It means you’ve taken away their control.
“You’re something special, Callie.” He bends down and kisses my cheek lightly. It makes me feel warm, and just before he walks away I grab his hand and give it a quick squeeze.
“If you ever stop wanting one of those silly, suffocating relationship deals, call me and we’ll finish what we started.”
He laughs and nods. “Deal.”