The Hazards of a One Night Stand Read Online Free Page B

what’s the point of having an older sister if she can’t hook me up with girls? You never helped me when you lived at home.”
    “Because you’re two years younger.”
    “So? Didn’t you know that cougars were the thing now?” He gave me his signature wry grin, letting me know he was kidding.
    Despite his smile, my stomach churned. I’d just slept with a younger guy. “Listen, I need to go.”
    “You’ll be home for Fall Fest?”
    I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”
    “Cool. Have a good trip.” He hugged me, and I tried to ignore the sweat he left behind. I’d have to change before I got to campus.
    “Be good, Davie.” I waved and headed to the truck. I watched him run on to the field. How had my little brother grown up so fast? He was a senior already. My senior year felt like forever ago. It wasn’t a time in my life I ever wanted to relive.
    The trip to Charleston was three hours, and I only stopped once for gas. I changed into one of my Delta Mu t-shirts and got back in the truck. My phone rang just as I turned the engine on. I hoped it was Juliet, one of my roommates, calling me back. Instead, it was Colton. I pulled out of the gas station lot, waiting to see if he left a message.
    He did. I held the receiver to my ear and took a breath before the message played:
    Hey, Mallory. I hadn’t heard from you, so I thought I’d call. I had a great time last night. Are we still on for tonight? I’d love to take you out. Well, just let me know either way, okay?
    My chest clenched. Was he asking me out to ease his conscious? Did he think he owed it to me? If so, he didn’t need to worry. There was no way I could handle calling him back, but I didn’t want to leave him waiting around too long. I pulled to the side of the road just before the ramp back onto the interstate.
    Texting was always an easy way out.
    Sorry. I already left town. Enjoy the rest of summer .
    I hit send and tried to push him from my mind. He was probably just being chivalrous, or his version of it at least. He’d get the hint that I didn’t care.
    I ignored the return message as I pulled onto the interstate. His text wasn’t worth an accident. I also ignored the next few text notifications. I hoped they were from my friends.
    I finally took a look at my phone as I sat at a light a few blocks from campus .
    You left town? When were you going to tell me you were leaving?
    If you’re embarrassed about last night, don’t be. It was right. I’m glad it happened.
    I’ve been waiting years for that, and it was so much better than I thought possible. But I don’t want it to just be about hooking up. I want to take you out too. And if this is about Jack, don’t worry. He’s cool with it. I promise.
    I closed my eyes for a second. Damn it. What kind of mess did I create? And Jack was cool with it. What did that mean? He didn’t care that his brother was hitting up his leftovers? Colt had already told him what happened! My stomach churned. I couldn’t afford to go down the negative spiral of self-doubt that thinking about Jack always brought me.
    I flipped over my phone so I didn’t have to look at the screen and drove the remaining blocks to campus. I turned once more and parked a block down from the house. I took a deep breath. It was time for sophomore year.

Chapter Four
    “Mallory? What are you doing back so early?” Juliet nearly knocked me over when I walked into the house. The display of excitement was as un-Juliet as it comes. She usually smiled and gave you a small hug. I guess she was still on a Reed high. She’d been on cloud nine since she got back together with her upperclassman boyfriend. He was a senior, and president of Kappa, the frat we spent most of our time with. He was also sexy as hell and completely in love with her.
    “Don’t you ever check your phone?” I set down the bag that she hadn’t knocked out of my hand.
    “Oh. It’s upstairs. I’ve been cleaning.”
    “Cleaning?”
    She pointed out one of