3 Sides to a Circle (26 page)

Dinner is hilarious because it is a nonstop commentary from Libby about all the things that are wrong with Ohio.
And true to form, Honor’s drinking tea and only taking small nibbles of food.

“I’m so doing junior year abroad,”
Libby says.

“Really?
” I say. “Where are you going?”

She smirks. “
We’re
going to London. Very cosmopolitan. You can keep writing amazing news-like articles, and I’ll take pictures. And then we’ll sneak backstage at the Royal Shakespeare and convince all the actors to invite us to their fabulous parties.”

“We can’t afford London. Not right now. We’ll have to save up. Maybe do off-campus housing next year instead of staying in the dorms.” I grin. I’m pushing her on this and she knows it.

“Honor,” she says and flings her lo mein noodles before erupting into laughter.

Honor shakes her head and doesn’t even bother trying to clean up the mess. “Yes?”

“Toby is trying to convince me to shack up in a tiny apartment with him off-campus next year under the guise of ‘saving money’.”

Honor glances at Sawyer and blushes. “It might work out. It has for us.”

He rests his nose against her cheek and pulls her closer, and I’m glad she didn’t let him run away. That she was strong enough to fight for him. It makes it okay that we’re not all three together, when I have Libby and Honor has Sawyer.

Libby rolls her eyes. “That’s because you’re a shameless hussy with no moral compass. I, on the other hand, am saving myself for marriage.”

The whole table erupts in laughter and Libby actually chokes on her snorts.

“But seriously,” she says after she finally regains her breath. “While you’re bohemian apartment is incredibly adorable, I just don’t think living with Toby is the best idea.”

Honor raises an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

Libby rests her chin on her hands. “He never bathes.”

And then we explode into laughter again. Except for Sawyer, who only gets to hear part of the story of Tomas between all of Libby’s snorting.

Hours later, we turn in. Honor kissing us both
goodnight before trailing behind Sawyer into their closet-sized room. Libby shoves up my T-shirt and I slide it off without thinking. Then her lips start making a trail up my chest. Oh. No.

“Libby, we’re in their living room,
” I whisper in the dark as I listen for sounds from their room. “I’m not doing this here.”

I can feel her pout against my neck, but still she’s pulling down my boxers.
My resolve weakens a little with each teasing tug, and I’m wondering if I could forget there’s two people one small room away, and that we don’t have a door, or a lock, or anything.

I hold her hands in mine.
“Libby, please.” Only I don’t know now if I’m saying please because I want her to stop or if I don’t want her to stop.

“H
onor won’t care. She’s probably screwing her painter in the next room.”

Libby’s fingers start sliding across my lower abdomen,
immediately turning me on. “But…” But I don’t have an argument anymore.

“Now that we have sex, and I know what it’s like,
I don’t want to stop.” She giggles as her lips trail up my neck.

“We’ve been having sex for two
months.”

“I know. And I’m not bored with you yet. That’s pretty awesome.”

“I love that you say things like that.”

“You’re not sick of me?”

“How could I be?” I take my hands off her and finger the top of her small panties. Thong. She wears them, knowing that’s all it takes for me to do what she wants, I’m sure. Not that I mind. “You’re you.”

“True.” She wiggles out of her tank, her chest pressing into me.

I never imagined a girl would feel so familiar. Good, like home. Like a crazy, home that’s so perfectly Libby.

I glance toward the bedroom door where Honor and
Sawyer are. Their New York apartment at least has a bedroom, but the foldout couch nearly touches all three walls of their living room. They’re just getting started here, but my guess is that within a year they’ll have a much bigger place. There will always be room for us.

Libby rolls on top of me
in my moment of weakness.

“I’ll be
on top,” she whispers. “That way if they catch us, it’ll be more my fault.”

I start to argue, but she sits up a little
and the light from the window reflects off her breasts and I clamp my mouth shut not wanting anything to change.

Just then the door creaks open and
Libby grins, her eyes widening as she freezes above me. I know she thinks this is hilarious because it’s exactly what I was worried about. The thing with Libby is that I’ve done all sorts of things I was worried about, and once they’re done, I’m not worried anymore. I’m not sure when I’ll just start trusting her and jumping in, or maybe it’s good that we’re together. She pushes me forward, and I hold her back enough to keep her out of trouble. Usually.

Honor makes it halfway around the couch before Libby
hiccups while trying not to laugh, making Honor jump.

I cover my face, glad there are some blankets over
at least part of us as Honor’s eyes find us in the dark.

“Sorry…I…” Honor stammers
and then I swear I can feel her mood change. “
Really
Libby?”

Libby giggles again. “You can stay and watch if you like, but…”

I’m waiting for Honor to dart back into her room or for me to completely deflate in the awkwardness of the situation, but neither happens.

Honor’s ey
es are very carefully not on us as she rounds into the kitchen and digs for a glass. Libby slides a little lower. Low enough that the warmth of her presses into me, making sure I’m still ready for her. I definitely am.

I nearly kiss her again when Honor walks back by with her glass.
Honor lets out a half-snort laugh, which means I do, and then Libby does.

“Night guys,” Honor whispers.

“Night!” Libby whisper-yells back.

Our
circle’s still intact, it’s just a lot more flexible than I imagined it could be.

The moment the door clicks, I’m ready to pick up where we left off.
I’m definitely not the guy I was when I first met Libby.

I roll Libby over so fast it catches her breath and widens her gorgeous eyes. My hands wrap around her wrists, holding her still and I slide my thumbs over her palms.

“God, you’re good at this.” She breathes.

I lean down to kiss her.

“Imagine how good you’ll be in a year…”

“Or two…
” I play along, kissing across her collarbone. Wanting my lips over every inch of the body I know so well. “Or three…” Because I don’t plan on going anywhere else.

“O
r if we—”

“Time to be quiet,
Libs.”

She giggles underneath me until I slide my hand over her panties again.
“Okay. I’m quiet now,” she whispers.

“You’re never quiet,” I tease as I help her wriggle out of the last bits of clothing.

“But you love me.” She takes my face in her hands, her eyes holding everything I want from her.

“I do.”

To authors Cassie Mae and
Nyrae Dawn, and the dinosaur hunter who works for shoes - Heather Hubb – thanks for your eyes, your brains, and your help. And to our families who get occasionally set aside for writing time ;-)

Jolene feels the need to write a disclaimer that we totally used Victoria’s Secret and Ralph Lauren to suit our purposes for this story.

About the Authors

Jolene
wears juvenile T-shirts, worn-out Chucks, and eats too much chocolate. She makes up words, drinks Shirley Temples, and suffocates a little without her iPod.

Jolenebperry.com

@jolenebperry

jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com

Janna
wears juvenile pajama pants, worn-out Chucks, and wakes up ridiculously early. Pen name abuser. Rule Breaker. Trouble maker. Corrupter of youth. In books.

@
janna_watts

Other Titles

Jolene Perry and Janna Watts
also worked together on
10 Weeks
—three friends, one summer, summer love shouldn’t be this complicated…

Jolene Perry
is also the author of the following young adult titles –
Night Sky, Knee Deep, My Heart for Yours, Spill Over, Dizzy,
and the
upcoming
Out of Play, Used to Be and The Happiness of Joy
.

She’s also the author of
Falling
, another new adult novel.