Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

CHAPTER 9 JESS

I was dreading today.

Not because Monday was special.

I dreaded today because the chances of seeing Luke were one hundred percent.

Luke has been hot and cold, and it started giving me whiplash. I couldn't figure him out, and I was done trying. It's a new week. It's a new me.

If he thinks he can just offer to be my first but then hook up with half the girls in this town right in front of me, he's sadly

mistaken. I was drunk that night. I made a mistake. One I intend to correct.

I finally confessed to Laura and Sam about Luke, and they were convinced I was drunk and imagined it. I gave up trying to convince them. It doesn't matter-there's no more Luke. There's been no more Luke for a long time, and it will stay that way. I grew up, and he grew up to be an asshole.

So what was I afraid of? I could do it and then get it over with. Maybe I'm afraid of crossing that line with Luke because there's no going back once I'm over it. Maybe I'm scared that he wouldn't want more.

I spotted him first when I got to school. Our eyes locked for a

CHAPTER

few seconds, and I was the first to break it. I couldn't look at him without a guilty feeling churning in my stomach.

tried some makeup. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it was a lot of effort for me. I walked in as fast as I could, feeling the burn of

"Hey! Jess!"

spun around, clutching my chest

Tom, and he had a smile plastered on his

just sitting there like I was the most normal thing ever - a boy

was dumbfounded, but luckily, Tom didn't

Jess," he said

Was that a compliment?

I guess..." I finally mumbled, and

for this Friday? I was

11 288 outtert

I'd buy you an ice cream or

someone beat me to

Josh standing behind Tom. My brother

Laura and Sam were standing behind me, and I saw Josh look past me

me behind him, and before they could say anything else, I reached for Tom's

at him, scribbling my number on his arm,

arms across my chest. "You are not going out with Tom," Josh repeated, coming right up to my face. I looked back, refusing to back down. "Where

Luke repeated, and I