My Sweetest Escape (My Favorite Mistake #2)(53)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron

“You just…keep your hands to yourself. I’ll take care of it.” He rubbed his head.

“Poor baby,” I said, getting up on my elbows and feeling the top of his head gently. Yup, he was definitely going to have a bump. I kissed the tips of my fingers and touched them to his head.

“It’s late. You should get to bed.” I wished I could ask him to come with me, and then he could sneak out of the house before dawn, but the chances of that were so freaking slim, with Hannah asleep in the next room. Besides, we couldn’t really do what I would want to do with someone in the next room without making a little bit of noise. Those walls were pretty damn thin. There was always the shower, though…

“Good night, Red.” I got one more chaste kiss on the lips before he got out and pulled me up after him.

“Good night, Dusty.” Well, that was pretty normal for a goodbye. Finally, I’d gotten the hang of it. I walked back toward the house, as slow as I could.

“Jos?” I’d been waiting to hear my name.

“Yeah?” I turned and started walking backward.

“Would you like to come over tomorrow? To my place?”

“You mean your shit shack?”

“Yeah. I’ll make it as unshitty as possible for you. But I thought it was one of the only places we could be…without anyone watching us. I want to spend time with you without worrying that someone is going to walk in.” Oh. Oh.

He must have seen the realization dawn on my face.

“That is definitely not what I’m asking you over for.”

“Uh-huh.”

He gave me a look. “Jos.”

“Okay, okay. Yes, I would love to come over. Do you mind if I tell Hannah? Then she can be my alibi. I’m guessing we should keep this on the down low?”

“She seems like the kind of girl who can keep a secret. Plus, I think she wants us to have some time alone almost as much as I do.” That was definitely true.

“So, tomorrow?” he said. “I’ll text you.”

“Tomorrow.”

I’d reached the steps, so I was going to have to turn away from him.

“I’m counting the minutes,” he said quietly, his eyes never leaving my face.

“Me, too.”

Chapter 17

Sneaking back into the house turned out to be easy, and I got back in bed without anyone the wiser.

Despite only getting a few hours of restless sleep, I woke the next morning as excited as I used to get on the first day of school. Yes, I was that kid who couldn’t wait for summer to be over so I could go back to school. In some ways, school was my safe haven from the chaos in my numerous homes. School made sense. It had order and structure at a time when I needed it.

I was up even before Hannah, but when I came out of the bathroom from brushing my teeth she was moving.

“Does your hair always look this spectacular in the morning?” It looked like a stylist had spent hours teasing it to the max.

She tried to pat it down and failed.

“Pretty much. And if you tell anyone, or ever take a picture, I will kill you.” She yawned and stumbled to her feet. “Can I use your shower?”

“Sure, go ahead. Towels are in the cabinet and you can use whatever you want. Need some clothes?”

“Yeah, that would be great.” Hannah was taller than me, but I found some pants that I had to roll up and a shirt that worked.

“I know we’re close, but I’m not sure I’m ready to swap undies just yet,” she said. “I’ll just keep mine on.”

“Sounds good. Listen, I have a favor to ask you about when you’re more awake.”

She gave me a thumbs-up and shuffled to the bathroom.

While Hannah took her shower I went upstairs to see who was actually awake. Mase was lying across the dining table, a cup of coffee steaming inches from his face. Darah closed the fridge and yawned, running her hand through her hair. I’d never seen it so messy before. Definitely sex hair. At least somebody got some last night. Well, with someone else other than their hand, which was what I was reduced to after everything with Dusty. It was the most epic sex with myself I’d ever had.

“You want me to make some eggs?” Darah said to Mase. “Hey, Jos. You and Hannah sleep okay?”

“Yeah, great,” I lied through my teeth.

Mase mumbled something incoherent.

“Hey, it’s not my fault, babe,” Darah said.

Taylor and Hunter came down, followed by Renee and Paul as Darah got out the skillet and started making eggs. I decided to help by making massive amounts of toast and handing everyone a full cup of coffee when they walked into the kitchen.

Hannah emerged from downstairs looking significantly more chipper. I handed her a cup of coffee as she dried her hair with a towel.

“Sugar?” I got the sugar jar and started spooning it into her cup. “Say when.”

I put about four tablespoons in when she stopped me.

“That’s disgusting,” I said, sipping my Lemon Zinger. I was definitely addicted to the stuff now.

“Meh,” she said, taking one of the last available seats. It was Sunday, so that meant cleaning, but it looked like it was going to be a while.

My phone vibrated in my sweatshirt pocket.

Okay, I can’t wait anymore. Can you be over here…nowish?

This time I could almost feel the desperation in the little black letters. Or maybe that was just me.

I typed out an answer.

I have to drop Hannah off first. And get dressed in something cute.

He responded a fraction of a second later.

You always look cute.

Ass kisser. But no. I need to shower.

An hour, then?

One hour.

I could barely contain my excitement. Then my phone went off again.

Bring socks. Brand-new ones.

What the crap? Maybe he meant to say something else and got auto-corrected.

Socks?

That’s right, Red. Socks.

I could just picture him saying it with a smile on his face.

Are we making puppets? Because that’s a little weird.

I couldn’t think of anything sexy we could do with socks, but then again, I was a virgin. Maybe it was something I had yet to learn about. I did a quick internet search and didn’t find anything illuminating.

You’ll see. Come soon. Bring socks.

I’d have to make a trip to Walmart to get some. That seemed like a mission Hannah would want to be in on.

She had already downed her coffee and was washing out the cup.

“I should get back. I have a shit ton of homework. And clothes. I’d really like to put on a fresh pair of panties,” she said. Mase choked on his toast.