“Heard she and Cameron did it last night,” Ivy says with a wicked grin.
My stomach clenches tight, and my gaze lifts, but she’s walking to the coffee pot and pours a big mug and can’t see the storm inside me.
I clear my throat, wanting to sound casual. “How did you hear that?”
“Girls talk, Landon.” She laughs like it was a silly question for me to ask, and takes a sip of her coffee. “I think they make a cute couple, don’t you?”
“Yeah, sure.” I take in her kiss-swollen lips. Pieces of last night start to fill in, and I’m pretty certain we didn’t have sex. I was so drunk there was no way I could have gotten it up anyway. How then, did she get those marks on her neck, and why does she look like a well-fucked woman this morning?
She walks up to me and puts her arms around my shoulders as she sits on my lap, her sex aligned with mine. “How long are you going to be?”
“A couple hours at least.” I tap her backside, to get her off me.
She pouts. “That long?”
“I have to pass English, or I’m off the team.”
She climbs off me. “We definitely can’t let that happen. My man needs to make it to the NFL. Text me when you’re done and tell Ella I’m happy about her and Cameron.”
“Sure,” I say and storm out of the house. Not even the early morning sunshine or the birds help my mood as I cut across campus and head to the library. The second I enter, and find Ella sitting there, absently twirling her hair in her fingers, my heart misses a beat. Man, I am so fucked. I’m with one twin, sort of—I’m not even sure I was given a choice here—and falling hard for the other. Not that I can do anything about that. She’s with douche bag Cameron, and I honestly pray to fuck he’s not doing this as revenge, and he really does like her.
“Hey,” I say quietly, and her head lifts. The second our eyes meet and lock, energy arcs between us. Jesus Christ, am I imagining this, or does she feel exactly what I’m feeling? I must just be projecting, because she slept with Cameron last night. Her smile is so goddamn warm and inviting as she gestures for me to take a seat across from her, it’s all I can do not to lean over the table and taste her sweetness.
I want to ask her how her night went, but it’s not my business, and I’m terrified of what she might say, so I plunk down, and pull out my books. “Did you enjoy your second read of Huck?” she asks me.
“Believe it or not, I did, and it made much more sense to me.”
“Okay, let’s go over what I think will be on the test,” she says, and our fingers touch as she reaches for my book. My throat tightens, and I’m pretty damn sure a little breathy sound escaped her lips. “Sorry,” she says and pulls her hand back. “Just turn to page eighteen.”
I open my book and for the next hour or so we talk quietly, and I have to say, I really enjoy being with her, no one else around but us two. I like closing the world out. Just as we’re finishing up, I say, “Can I ask you a question?”
She slides her laptop into her bag. “Sure.”
“What movie was it?”
“Movie?”
“Last night, we were going to watch a movie. Which one did you pick?”
She smiles. “One of my favorites. Citizen Kane.”
I laugh, and then lower my voice when she puts her finger to her lips. “I love that one. Did you, uh, watch it last night?” Okay, I know I’m fishing for information, but I can’t help it.
Her face falls, and she averts my gaze. “No.”
“Ella?”
Her head lifts. “Yeah?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, fine,” she says, a little too quickly, and I bite the inside of my mouth to keep myself from asking if she slept with Cameron.
“If you’re not doing anything later, maybe we can still watch it.”
“I’m sure Ivy has plans for you both. When she texted me from your bed this morning, she told me not to keep you too long.”
My heart tumbles into my stomach as Ella stands. “Ella,” I begin, wanting to tell her how I feel about her, that it’s her I want to be with, but how can I do