Him by Carey Heywood (reading strategies book .txt) 📕

"No, I just. I don’t know," I mumble.

She makes a face at me. "Sarah, Jared is one of the good guys. I've known him a really long time."

I groan. "I know. He’s hot and he’s been really sweet to me. I even get the feeling that he might be interested in me. I can't explain it." I don’t tell her about the dude thing because it sounds shallow. The rest of the day is low key. I don’t even bat an eye when Sawyer and Caleb head into his room even earlier than they did the last night. I grab my things to get ready for bed and dash into Jared's bathroom before he has a chance to say anything to me. I want to avoid any uncomfortable silences and contemplate strangling Sawyer the next time I see her.

Jared has the pull out all made up by the time I’m finished. He lingers by his bedroom door for a minute like he wants to say something but doesn’t. Part of me wishes I was interested in him. He seems like a nice guy, and he’s hot. Life sucks that way. You don’t get to choose who you fall for.

~*~

A gentle shake of my shoulder wakes me. I open one eye and see Jared leaning over me.

"Coffee?" he asks.

I can smell the mouthwash on his breath and clamp my lips together and nod before heading to his bathroom. I brush my teeth before I come back out. A mug is waiting for me on their breakfast bar. I'm not sure why, but since yesterday's meeting went so well, I feel even more nervous about my meeting today. It’s like I won’t feel like I’ve done a good job unless I have a similar result today. Jared makes us his own version of an egg McMuffin using this microwavable plastic egg cooker and English muffins. He eats three to my one, and he flicks bread crumbs at me when I laugh at him. I can definitely see us becoming friends.

On the way to the office building where my next meeting is, I start panicking and ask Jared to pull over so I can get out of the car. He probably thinks I’m crazy, but he doesn’t hesitate and I feel better after getting out and taking a few breaths. Once we’re on the road again, I feel more confident. Jared waits for me again outside the building. I catch myself thinking about how nice that is while I sit in the waiting room of the dentist I’m meeting. My meeting goes well. Dr. Larsen is very methodical so I can already tell I won't be getting the almost instant result I had the day before. He does say that he'll be in touch three times, which I take as a good sign as I walk out.

Jared treats me to lunch again on the way back. While we eat, he tells me more about himself and living in Colorado. One day of our trip, Jared and Caleb are taking us snowboarding at Loveland. When he goes by himself, he prefers Breckenridge or Eldora, but since Sawyer and I are both beginners, Loveland is closer to where they live and less overwhelming. When we get back to their apartment, Caleb is drinking coffee, and Sawyer is still asleep. I think about going in and waking her but stop myself, not wanting to find out if she’s naked. I change out of my work clothes and into a pair of jeans and a sweater. We’re watching TV when she joins us, yawning and stretching the whole way before settling in Caleb's lap. Sawyer has an almost cat like quality to her. She never walks. She slinks. The cotton candy toned streaks in her hair are long gone, replaced with a vibrant red tone and black low lights.

She yawns again before looking over at me and grinning. "Now that all that work stuff is out of the way, we are so going clubbing tonight."

I wrinkle my nose. Clubbing? That’s always more her thing than mine, and I’m not sure if I had even packed anything dressy enough.

She reads my mind. She has a way of doing that. "I have the perfect dress for you."

Chapter 25

Present

I wake in Will's arms. The only time that has ever happened before is that day in the lounge chair by his parents’ pool. I think back to last night, his mouth on me and then my tears. I can't really explain why I cried. I’m only embarrassed that I did. I move to slip out of his grasp, only to feel his grip tighten.

"You're not getting away this time, Sarah," he murmurs in my ear.

"Aww. That’s sweet and all, but unless you're into golden showers you're going to wanna let me go to the bathroom."

He squeezes tighter.

"Will, if you make me pee in my big brother's bed I will never forgive you."

"Where's the romance?" he grumbles, releasing me.

"That kind of romance is only in movies, where people never use the bathroom or have morning breath," I shout, streaking to the bathroom.

I'm heading back to the room now clad in a towel when I hear noise in the kitchen. I bite back a laugh when I see Will leaning over the kitchen sink, in his boxers, brushing his teeth.

He shrugs at my expression. I walk up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and lean on him. His back feels warm against my cheek. He rinses his mouth before turning to face me, his lips finding mine. A minty fresh tongue dips into my mouth, and I'm thankful I brushed my teeth while I was in the bathroom. His hands relieve me of my towel, and he lifts me onto their kitchen island.

"This can't be sanitary," I tease as he comes to stand between my legs.

In the morning light from the balcony door, I'm able to fully appreciate how much his