{18+ COLLEGE ROMANCE COMPLETED}
What sucks more than being rejected by the girl of your dreams? Finding out afterward that she's moving in with you.
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The night that Beau Martin spends with Collins Bryant is the best one of his life. He wants to...
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TUCKED BENEATH THE COVERS, I could only think of one thing: I shouldn't have slept with him.
It had seemed like such an easy decision at the time, to sleep with Beau and then walk away. I hadn't thought much of it. Maybe that made me a bad person, but I'd imagined that was all college guys wanted anyway.
Of course Beau would be the one guy unlike any other. Of course he wanted to see me again, take me out.
No one had ever taken me out on a date before. Like a real one, not something set up to avoid being a third or fifth wheel. Why would I ever assume that Beau wanted to go on a for-real date?
I wanted to regret it—everything we did last night. But even though I could acknowledge that we shouldn't have done it, I couldn't imagine not doing it.
Last night would ruin me in the long run.
But that was okay. I was already ruined.
—
"Collins!"
The front door slammed, and I looked up from my painting technique textbook just in time to see Beau storm into my room, find me sitting on the bed, and sag against the wall.
"Beau?"
He raked an unsteady hand through his hair, and although he was clearly irritated, he tried to tame it as he shoved his other hand in his pocket before greeting me.
"Hey, baby girl." His voice strained to get out. Something was off about it, and a curious pause lingered. The delay wasn't long enough for me to get a response in, but just long enough to emphasize how his thoughts were churning. "How was your weekend?"
I stood and gave him an encouraging smile.
"It was good, I guess. Hung out with Nessa and Madie mostly. We went to The Grounds and kept Bren company while he was working." Pausing, I watched as Beau's lips thinned. He nodded along while listening. "I missed you, though," I added quietly.
That made his expression soften. "Missed you too, sweetheart. How'd you sleep last night?"
Restlessly. Uncomfortably. Bren and Madie's couch had nothing on my bed or Beau's bed. But it wasn't that big of a deal.
"I slept fine."
A pause. "You sleep in here, or did you claim my bed while I was gone?"
"I slept in—"
I barely caught myself before lying. It had come out so easily, and Beau was hanging on my last word—the one I couldn't get myself to say. His walls had shot back up quickly, and he straightened himself, standing rigidly. Part of me wanted to know why he hadn't gotten his ass over here to kiss me already, but his next words explained it.
