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“I guess that’s my cue to leave.” My stomach turned over at the thought of Wesley with this bitch.

“Maybe you’re smarter than I thought,” she said.

I looked at Wesley as if he might defend me, but all he did was give me an amused smile. And Alex didn’t give me any room to get by her. I turned sideways and tried not to even let my clothes brush against hers as I passed. She laughed her way into the bathroom and then slammed the door.

I barreled down the hallways and into Cael’s room. He and Brian were draped across the sofa talking. As soon as he saw me, he got to his feet. “What’s wrong?”

“Wesley is what’s wrong,” I snapped. “I just found out that he's involved with Alex.”

Cael relaxed. “Yeah. So what?”

“You know?”

Brian said, “Everyone knows.” Then he pointed at me. “Except you.” He rose and gave Cael a couple hearty pats on the shoulder. “I’ll let you two talk. Catch ya later.”

“We haven’t even been here a month,” I complained. “And she’s so...not nice.”

Heat rose in my cheeks when Cael laughed. He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “You’re so cute.”

I glared at him.

He gave a gusty exhale. “Iggy, Wesley’s just fine with a ‘not nice’ girl. He’s not going to fall in love with her or marry her or anything, so don’t worry.”

I folded my arms across my chest and frowned. “And
she’s
the one who said this was a hospital and not a whore house. That hypocritical bitch.”

“You don’t have to act like you're Wesley’s mother.”

“I’m not.”

“Well, you’re definitely either overprotective or jealous.”

“He’s way too good for her.”

“You’re reading way too much into this.”

“She's disgusting.”

“Well, he doesn't seem to think so.”

“You're not helping, Cael.”

“Helping what? What am I supposed to be helping with?”

“This isn't funny. She's a skank.”

“No, it's not funny. But it's also not your business.”

“Of course it's my business. Wesley is my best friend.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Even best friends need to know what subjects to leave alone. And this is one of those subjects.”

I shook my head. “You don't understand. Wes and I have always been able to tell each other everything.” Cael looked angry, but I had to make him understand. “We've always been completely honest with each other. We've never hidden anything from each other.”

“And he's not hiding anything from you now, either. Nor is Alex taking your place as his best friend. So I don't get why you're so angry.”

“Because this isn't the time or place to have sex with someone. And especially not with her. Maybe you can talk to him. Get him to understand that she's a bad choice.”

“No way! Are you crazy?”

“Why not?”

“Because I don't care who Wesley fucks! And you have no right to interfere!”

I froze, watching as Cael sighed and dragged a hand through his hair. He paced in a circle a couple of times while I debated on whether or not to go back to my own room. Cael had never yelled at me before, and I wasn't sure how to take it. Of course he didn't care about Wesley's personal choices like I did. So wasn’t it a little ridiculous of me to have asked him to talk to Wes about Alex?

Cael stopped in front of me and his shoulders slumped. “I'm sorry, Iggy. I'm sorry I yelled at you.”

“It was a stupid suggestion.”

“I just don't get why you're so upset by this. Sure, neither of us think Alex is a good for Wesley. But he's not a kid. He can make his own choices. And even if you think his choice is bad, it's still his choice to make. Be his friend. Not his worst critic.”

“I just don't want him to get hurt.”

“I understand that you care about Wes, but I think you should give him a little space.”

I shuffled from one foot to the other and gnawed on a thumb nail. “Okay. You're right. I get it.” I looked up at him and offered a smile. “Mr. Smarty Pants.”

He smiled back and tweaked my nose. “I am pretty smart, aren't I? Besides, I
am
a couple of years older than you. I'm more experienced in life.”

I rolled my eyes and then bowed. “So wise and all-knowing. How could I ever doubt your sage advice? Your profound life experience has – Eeek!” I squealed when he poked me in the side.

He laughed. “You're so ticklish.”

I tried to karate chop him. “I'm warning you, Cael. I get violent when someone tickles me.”

“And if that sad little hand movement you just made was supposed to be karate, I'm confident that I can handle you.”

“Stop laughing at me.”

“I'm laughing with you, not at you.”

His comment made me laugh even more. Then he poked me in my side again and I swatted at him. Instead of blocking me, he grabbed my hand and pulled me against his chest. His arm came around my waist, and we both stopped laughing.

Cael leaned down. “You have a beautiful smile, Iggy. And that's not the vodka talking.”

Our faces were just inches apart. His eyes were intense. Beautiful. My heart was racing. “And you have beautiful eyelashes.”

His brow furrowed. “Beautiful eyelashes?”

“Yeah.” I reached out and lightly brushed them with an index finger. “They're so dark and long. I'm jealous.” I laughed. I thought he would laugh with me. But instead, he kissed me.

He placed his free hand against the side of my neck, his thumb brushing back and forth across my jaw. He was sweet. Gentle. And I was a little shy at first. But then his arm tightened around me, and he made a little noise of pleasure that echoed what I felt. And I wasn't so shy anymore. This was exactly what I wanted. What I had
been
wanting. And when he urged my mouth open and teased me with his tongue, I copied him, pushing my body even closer to his. His hands were on my hips, and then his fingers slid up under my shirt, splaying across the warm skin over my ribcage. I wanted to touch him, too. So I pushed my hands up under his scrub top and smoothed my fingertips across his skin. He smelled good — soapy and male. I pressed my lips to his jaw, his neck, the hollow at the base of his throat. The more I explored, the bolder I became. I smoothed my hands up his back and across his shoulder blades while his fingertips traced down my spine, brushing across the sensitive skin just below the waistband of my pants.

And when our lips met again, his kiss was not gentle or sweet. I didn't want to be. So I did what I wanted and I shoved his shirt up until he understood that it was in my way. Cael stepped back just long enough to yank his shirt over his head and then we were kissing again. And now I had access to his chest, his arms, his shoulders...and my hands couldn't be still.

“Hey, Iggy! I thought — .” There was a gasp. “Oh, god! I'm sorry!”

I jumped away from Cael to find a red-faced Pippa in the doorway, a hand over her eyes.

She apologized again. “I didn't know. I mean, I'm sorry. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go for a run. You weren't in your room and I figured you were probably here and I...” She lowered her hand and I could see she looked as embarrassed as I felt. “I feel really stupid and awkward right now.”

As Cael pulled his shirt back on, I looked at the ceiling, the floor...back at the ceiling. Anywhere but at Pippa or Cael. “Yeah. A run sounds great. I'll meet you there in ten minutes.”

“Yep!” Pippa acknowledged our plan with a quick wave as she backed out of the room.

I turned around to look at Cael, knowing he could see how flushed my face was. “Um...I'd better get going.”

He grinned. “Are you running away from me?”

“No.” But I shook my head yes. He laughed and planted a quick kiss on my cheek before saying he'd see me soon.

Chapter 20

Iggy

I was on my fourth mile. I reset the incline to fifteen percent and wiped the sweat off my brow. “Well what did Brian say when you told him you couldn’t have kids?”

On the treadmill next to me, Pippa slowed to a walk. “He said that meant we didn’t have to worry about birth control.”

“He didn’t care?”

“No. And given the state of the world right now, I’m not worried about it.”

“But weren’t you angry when you found out the vaccine made you sterile?”

She glanced at me with a puzzled expression. “I was sixteen when I found that out. Kids weren’t on my mind then. They still aren’t.” She took a few breaths. “Maybe someday I’ll be angry and sad, but right now, I’ve got so much to think about that I’m glad getting pregnant isn’t one them.” She looked at me again. “How do
you
feel about it?”

I glanced around to make sure we were alone. “I’ve never had to worry about any of that before. I haven’t had sex yet.”

“Good for you.”

“Really?”

“Really what?”

“Is it good that I’m a virgin?”

Pippa shot me a wry grin. “I just said that to say it. How should I know? If you like being a virgin, fine. If you’re not a virgin, fine.” She pointed to the television where a news broadcast played without volume. “Honestly, I’d be more concerned that the Russian president is meeting with the Chinese dictator. If those two countries form an alliance, we’re screwed. The sheer numbers of China’s army doubles any other country’s.”

“That won’t happen,” I told her, trying to lip read the conversation between the two leaders.

“What world do you live in?”

“If China made an alliance with Russia, our trade agreements with them would collapse. The U.S. would stop buying from them, and it would seriously impact their economy.”

“But we’re indebted to China for billions. They’re the number one economy in the world. If we break trade agreements, they call in our debt.”

I shrugged. “I think it’s really just a pissing contest between presidents, anyway. Our countries will all be friends and allies before you know it.”

She waggled her eyebrows at me. “Speaking of enemies and allies, Brodie was asking me about you today.”

I made a face. “Why? Is he plotting with Alex to kill me?”

“Alex is a bitch. Brodie doesn’t seem too bad, though.”

“I think you’re judgment is flawed.”

She made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “It doesn’t matter. I made it clear you’re with Cael.”

My eyebrows raised.

“Why does it seem like this place is more like the headquarters for an online dating site than a military facility?” Pippa poked a finger into the air and answered her own question. “Oh. Maybe because kids our age are typically pretty horny.”

I wiped my forehead with the back of a hand. “Did you know that my friend Wesley is interested in one of the girls here?”

“Yeah. Alex. So?”

“Oh my god! Does everyone but me know this?”

She laughed. “There are fourteen students here. You and I have boyfriends, Ibram has a fiancée. Everyone else is living in a place where everyone is an athlete, has a totally hot body, powers that you only see in movies, girls that can’t get pregnant, and there’s hardly any staff on the weekends. We’re all eighteen to twenty years old. What do you think is going to happen?”

“But there are more important things to think about.”

“Yeah, probably. But when we’re not killing puppies or running treadmills with a hundred wires glued to us or getting CT scans, what should we do? Contemplate Armageddon? Mope around about missing our families? Food shortages? Job losses? Inflation? Screw that. There's enough shit and sadness. I am going to enjoy the fun and happiness whenever and wherever I find it.”

I couldn’t think of a decent response, so I said, “I thought you didn’t cuss.”

Pippa laughed so hard so she had to support herself on her arms while she braced her feet on the sides of the machine. “You’re so cute, Iggy.”

Iggy

I about had a heart attack when I saw Wesley in the pool on Sunday morning. He was smiling and playing around. Wesley had never been playful. Not even with me. It was so wrong. And yet there he was, flirting with Alex. Maybe part of her power was brainwashing men.

I took a deep breath and walked toward the deep end where they were floundering. No way was she going to one up me. I wasn't going to let her steal Wes’s attention. He was
my
best friend. She'd known him for month. I had known him for years.

I plastered a smile on my face. “Hi, Wes.” I squared my shoulders and strutted up to them. Wesley cocked an eyebrow and Alex glared at me. Then I dove into the pool and surfaced right in front of my best friend. “What are you guys up to?” My words were saccharin sweet. Wesley laughed, and I was even more determined that there was no way in hell I was going to let Alex get close to him.

“Iggy, what are you doing?” He shook his head at me like I was an annoying child.