“I didn’t say I was going to mess around with Kaylie. I just asked what you know about her because I’m taking her to dinner to thank her for helping me out last night,” I defended.

“I know how you are with girls, Jackson. Although I don’t know when the last time was that you had to buy a girl dinner first. Just don’t go there with her, okay? She’s really nice and I don’t want her to hate me when you screw her and toss her aside.”

“Damn, sis. Give me a little bit of credit here. I owe her one and am just paying her back with a meal, okay?”

“You don’t have any credit left with me when it comes to my friends, Jackson. I have had too many girls try to become my friend because they want to get closer to you, only to come crying to me when they realize that a night of sex is just that to you and they haven’t bagged you as their boyfriend.”

“And that’s why you should be thanking me instead of ragging on me about this. Any chick who plays games like that with you deserves to be used,” I reminded her.

“I know, but Kaylie is different. She’s nice and likes to help people instead of use them to her advantage. My being your sister didn’t factor into our friendship until last night when she helped me out by making sure you were okay.”

“I thought you’d be happy that I was taking someone like her to dinner, even if it was just to pay her back,” I pointed out.

“Of course I want you to date someone nice, but you don’t date. You just mess around. Besides which, she isn’t the type of girl who has one-night stands anyway. So go sniff somewhere else.”

“Jesus, Aubrey. Sniffing around?”

“Hey, you started it with the whole litter comment. But seriously, don’t fuck up my friendship with Kaylie just because you want to get laid. Okay?” she asked.

“I hear ya, but I’ve gotta run. Got things to do and places to sniff. Talk to you later, sis,” I said before hanging up on her.

I didn’t really have any idea what was going to happen at dinner tomorrow night with Kaylie, but I was interested in her in a way I hadn’t been with another girl before. I knew my sister didn’t keep track of my sex life, but it was pretty clear from our conversation that she didn’t know that I’d refrained from one-stands this year. At first it had been because I was focused on Lex being on campus, but once she and Drake had hooked up, I’d realized that it didn’t hold the same appeal it had before. Sure, the sex was great and I missed the release that I’d get. But I’d spent plenty of time fucking around, and I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted to do anymore. But that sure as hell didn’t mean I’d turn down a night in Kaylie’s bed if she offered.

CHAPTER 5

Kaylie

I crept into our room as quietly as I possibly could, hopeful that Charlotte had fallen back asleep after she’d gotten my text letting her know I was okay and had just fallen asleep last night since I’d been so tired. I hated when she was pissed at me, and I totally got why she was angry right now. I sat down on the bed and pulled off my shoes. I could use a little more sleep myself since it was going to be another late night at the bar.

“Don’t think for a second that I don’t hear you over there,” I heard Charlotte mumble from under her covers.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

She flung the blankets off her head. “You should be sorry! What the hell happened last night, Kaylie? You let me know you were taking Jackson to his parents’ house, that you got there safely, and then nothing else all night long. You’re damn lucky I didn’t call the cops out on your ass.”

“I am so sorry, Char. I don’t know what had happened. I think all the craziness from school, the show, and work just caught up with me. I was waiting for his dad to come back and fell sound asleep on the couch. I don’t even really remember going upstairs to crash in Aubrey’s room. If I had been more than half awake, you totally know that I would have let you know that I was just going to stay,” I apologized.

“You’re lucky I had Aubrey’s phone number handy. I sent her a text asking if she’d heard from you, so she checked with her mom for me,” she told me. “If not, I seriously would be pissed at you this morning. As it is, I barely got any sleep last night.”

I tossed a pillow at her. “So you knew all along where I was last night? What was up with the text messages then?”

“Oh, I sent those before I thought to check in with Aubrey. I wasn’t even sure I had her phone number, but you did a group text when we all went to that dance thing. Now shush. I want to try to catch a few more z’s before I have to be up. You know I need my beauty sleep.”