“Yeah.” I kept walking, wishing I hadn’t asked her to stay with me.
“Well, let me be the first to congratulate you on what looks like one incredible fuck.”
My face burned. “Shh. We aren’t hooking up. He just wanted to talk.”
“Talk? About all the nasty things he wants to do to you?”
“No. Be quiet.”
“I bet you he’s packing some serious—”
“Fallon!”
She grinned. “Man meat.”
“Oh my God, you did not just say that.”
“I’m screwing with you. Geez, lighten up. The guy wanted to fuck you six ways to Sunday. You should be rejoicing, not sulking. Have some fun.” She nudged me with her shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows.
“Do you really think he likes me?” Since I could never ask Mason, Fallon would have to do as my female friend for the moment.
“Like you? Dunno. Want to bend you over a table? Absolutely.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth to stop a laugh from escaping.
“You won’t be walking right for days.”
Laughter burst from me.
“Thank you! Finally, the girl can have a good time.” She grinned. “And I’m not kidding. That boy wants to practice making babies with you.”
—
Mason’s dorm room was identical to mine. Small, two twin beds and matching desks built into the walls, but it was ten times cleaner. Thanks to Fallon, half of my room appeared perpetually tornado ransacked. Hanging with Mason in his room was a nice change.
I kicked my flip-flops off and pulled my knees to my chest.
Mason sprawled next to me, his head propped on a pillow. His legs, which almost hung off the end of the tiny bed, were crossed at the ankle.
“How was work?” I asked.
He rolled his eyes and grumbled about the students who used the computer lab, compatibility issues and a whole bunch of other stuff I didn’t understand. Being that he was a computer science major, he was always frustrated by questions he found dumb. I tried to be supportive by letting him vent, but I also enjoyed giving him a hard time about it.
I stared blankly at him. “I’m sorry, you’re speaking nerd again.”
“You’re hilarious. Considering you’re fluent in it.” He made his voice girly. “Did you hear about the nucleotide enzymatic compound synthesis?”
I bit back my smile. “That doesn’t even make sense. And I don’t sound like that. But I am impressed you remembered all that from Biology.”
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to use all those words in one sentence.”
I laughed as he grinned proudly.
“So what was it you wanted to tell me?” he asked.
“Okay, don’t kill me, but I have to pass this info on to you.”
“What?”
“Fallon wants you.”
“Oh, that. Who doesn’t?”
I nudged him. “Seriously. She did me a favor and so, in return, I need to tell you…I’m okay with y’all sleeping together.”
He sat upright. “Hold up. I know you think I’m a man-whore, but really? You think I’d just sleep with anyone?”
“Kind of.”
Mason twisted his face, looking genuinely insulted.
“I’m kidding. Look, I don’t want you sleeping with her because she’s a super-slut, but she believes the only thing holding you back is me. For the record, if you are not sleeping with her because you think I’ll be mad, then don’t let that stop you.”
“So you wouldn’t be mad?”
“I don’t know. Not mad, I guess. I just don’t think I could stand losing my best friend to her.”
He chuckled. “You would never lose me to her. She’s not really girlfriend material, you know.”
“She’s not that bad.”
He raised an eyebrow. “We are talking about your roommate, right?”
“Yes, okay, she can be a little overly social in the boy department, but she’s funny too.”
“Well, thanks for your stamp of approval, but I’m not interested in your roommate.” He lay back down. “So why do you owe her a favor?”
I shifted my legs and rested my chin on my knees. “She just checked up on me.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Mason knew how much I supposedly hated Ryder but he also knew I lacked experience. Ryder wasn’t the type of guy girls like me dated and he’d have something to say about it.
“Brinley.”
“Did you know Noah and Ryder are roommates?”
“No, and what does that have to do with Fallon?”
“Noah and I planned a dinner date, as friends.”
Mason sat upright again. “When was this?”