PMU Boxset 2
Page 66
I met Autumn during freshman orientation last year, and we hit it off right away. Honestly, her free spirit energy is exactly what I need a lot of the time. But being suite mates this year might prove … interesting.
Sighing with relief, I turn into my brother’s walkway, pleased that the porch light is on and there’s a light glowing through the closed curtains of the front window. It’s a cute little red brick house with a tidy front yard that Cal’s roommate Simon took care of all summer. I hope he makes Cal do the yard work for the next two months to make up for it.
Two steps up and I’m in the little sheltered alcove that houses their door. Steeling myself for Cal’s irritation, I raise my hand and knock firmly on the oak door. The sound of footsteps on creaky floorboards precedes the door opening, and I’m face to face with a chest. A solid, heavily muscled, naked chest.
Swallowing hard and licking my lips, I force myself to drag my gaze to Simon’s face. This guy. Damn. The first time I met him, I immediately developed a crush, which I know would annoy Cal to no end. And while I love nothing more than to torture my brother—and let’s face it, he started it when we were little kids by constantly bossing me around and picking on me—somehow visibly drooling over his friend seems a step too far. So I do my best to rein it in and be normal. Or at least as normal as possible. As I’m sure Cal would love to say, I’m anything but normal.
Simon crosses his gigantic arms over the chest I’m definitely not ogling—nope, because I’m looking at his face. It’s not my fault my peripheral vision is in perfect working order. His eyebrows draw together over warm brown eyes, concern filling his handsome face. “Ellie? What are you doing here? I thought Cal must’ve locked himself out.”
“Oh, uh, well,” I stammer like I’m a moron who’s never been asked a question, never seen a hot guy, and never seen a hot guy without a shirt on. For the record, I’ve seen both those things before and managed not to stammer when asked a question.
Sighing, I rub my forehead, the closest thing I can do to both slapping myself in the face and covering my face in mortification at the same time. “Sorry, Simon. I know Cal will be pissed I’m here, but my roommate’s—”
Simon steps back and gestures me in. “Say no more. Roommates hogging the room is a rite of passage of dorm life. Come on in. I’m just watching TV. How long do you need to stay?”
The door opens into a long hallway, and the living room is off to the right. I move past him into the living room and offer a shrug, surprised when I don’t find Cal on the couch. “I’m not sure,” I tell him, turning to face him and pretend I’m not distracted by his bare chest. I haven’t spent a lot of time around Simon, so I haven’t grown immune to my attraction to him at all. My brother has done his best to keep me away from all his friends since he started at Marycliff. He brought a teammate—not Simon—home with him for Thanksgiving his freshman year, and according to Cal I kept checking the guy out the whole time so he never did that again. Actually, Simon is the only other teammate of his I’ve met. And the only reason that’s happened is because they’ve been housemates since last year.
“Autumn just said she’d text me when she was done. I’ve dawdled on campus for as long as possible, but the library closed at midnight and still no word from Autumn.” I lift my hands and let them drop, flopping back on the couch and kicking off my flip flops. “Where’s Cal?”
The furrow between Simon’s brows only grows deeper, the longer he stares at me. “Why don’t you text her and—“ He cuts himself off with a grunt at my raised eyebrows. “Never mind. Assuming your roommate’s …” He clears his throat. “Cal’s out. Not sure when he’s coming back. Make yourself at home.” The last statement is tossed over his shoulder as he disappears down the hall.
I lean forward to try to peer after him, but I’d have to get up to actually see anything, which would make me seem like a creeper trying to follow him around his house, and that’s not happening. What is he doing?
He reappears a moment later, and much to my disappointment, has a gray Marycliff football T-shirt now covering that glorious chest. Large, firm, round muscles, a dusting of hair on his pecs and a delicious treasure trail starting at the top of his flat abs and thickening as it disappears below his waistband …
Giving myself a mental slap, I drag my mind out of the gutter. Maybe I was checking out Cal’s teammate he brought home that Thanksgiving. Because I know I’ve done it every time I’ve seen Simon. But can you blame me? It’s not my fault that all his friends look like fitness models.
The couch creaks as Simon settles his large frame as far away from me as possible. I dart glances at him out of the corner of my eye as he picks up the remote and presses play on the paused show.
“Oh!” I sit up a little straighter and tuck my feet under me as the first episode of Cobra Kai comes to life. “This is a great show. Are you just watching it for the first time?”
The look he throws my way is equal parts amusement and annoyance. “Yes. My schedule is packed, so I’m just getting around to it. Shh.”
I make a show of zipping my lips and settle back into my seat. Maybe this night isn’t shaping up so bad after all. Watching a great show with a hot guy at his house? Yes, please.
And for at least a little while, I’ll pretend that he isn’t my brother’s friend and this isn’t my brother’s house and that I actually have more than a snowflake’s chance in hell of landing Simon at some point.
I’m not stupid. I know he’d never go for me. He’s a senior. He’s a football player. He’s my brother’s best friend.
And I’m the annoying little sister.
I know how life actually works. But for a few minutes, I’m just going to let myself believe in possibilities.
That’s what Autumn’s whole point for tonight was, after all. Manifesting what you want for the semester. And what I want is to have some fun. And ideally I’d like some of that fun to be with someone who looks something like Simon. So even if I’m not chanting naked in the moonlight, I soaked up some moonlight on the walk over here, which according to Autumn is important somehow, so I’ll take that energy and direct it toward what I want.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and put my desires out into the universe. Fun with a hot guy.
Sounds like a great plan to me.
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