Page 54 of His Reckless Freshman

The way their eyes are sparkling.

Their smiles.

I want an orgasm. I want to know what that feels like. I don’t want to be one of those women who can never have one.

As the girls keep talking, I slip out of my seat, murmuring that I need to use the restroom. As soon as I’m locked in a stall, I dig out my phone and text Ben.

Me: Are we still on for tonight?

My knees start bobbing, my stomach roiling so much I think I’m going to throw up.

But he doesn’t make me wait long.

Those gray dots appear, and then his words are on my phone screen.

Ben: Yep. I was about to text you. I’ve booked a room at a small hotel near the hospital. I figured that would be nice and private for us. I know we want to keep this on the down-low. I hope that’s okay.

Me: That’s perfect! Thank you. I’ll meet you there at eight?

Ben: Eight works for me. Do you want me to pick you up from somewhere? Like maybe a place away from campus?

Me: No, that’s fine. I’ll catch an Uber and see you there. Thanks, Ben.

He sends a thumbs-up emoji and then the address of the hotel.

I brush my finger over the details, chewing on my lip as I imagine what it’ll be like tonight.

My stomach is in chaos, nausea surging through me. Am I doing the right thing? Am I certifiably insane?

Maybe I should just bail.

No! You can do this.

“I said I wouldn’t bail, and I won’t,” I murmur to myself.

This is going to be great. It’ll be freaking life-changing!

18

BEN

She’s not paying me, but somehow I still feel like an escort as I pace the hotel room waiting for Jolie to arrive. I came here straight from practice and quickly showered up.

The room’s pretty nice. There are a handful of hotels in Nolan, and this is the smallest one. Four stories, built in the early 1900s, and they’ve maintained that historic feel for the tourists. Not that we get a bunch of tourists around here. I mean, we get visiting sports teams and the place balloons during graduation season, but Nolan is a college town, hardly a mecca for travelers. But it’s surrounded by natural beauty, so a smattering of people still pass through.

I stare at the cream wallpaper with the pale blue flowers on it, then turn back toward the door, my eyes grazing over the king-sized bed.

There’s also a pale blue chaise by the window and a writing desk, but that’s it furniture-wise. And the bed’s kind of all we need.

I swallow, wondering yet again if I should bail.

Do I honestly want to do this?

But I know she’ll be gutted if I don’t come through for her. She’ll probably take it personally, thinking it’s her fault or something. I hate the way my sisters do that. Particularly Emily. She’s an elementary school teacher and the sweetest woman on the planet. But whenever things don’t go her way, she always looks inward and tries to figure out what she did wrong, even though it’s usually not her fault at all. She’s so hard on herself, and it kills me.

I can see that tendency in Jolie.

Actually, it’s more of a feeling. I just get the sense that she would do exactly the same thing, and for that reason alone, I can’t bail.