Page 104 of Ruled Out

She leans into me. “Also—and don’t take offense here—every time I’ve brought a guy back, I’ve had to be quiet, and let’s just say, I’m not usually, so I can definitely be a little louder now.”

I shake my head and smirk in response.

“I’m not looking forward to our next class with Leo.”

Groaning at the thought, she refastens her robe. “I’d say, based on the text messages we exchanged last night, he will be making himself as unnoticeable as possible for a while.”

“What did you say?”

“Similar to what you did that night in the bar. He told me that you called him a dickhead and he was pissed at the mixed signals you’d been giving him. I said what he did to you and Jessie was one thousand percent little-dick energy, and I’d be making sure all the girls on campus know he was a crap lay and an absolute asshole.”

With that, she plants a kiss on my cheek and saunters off. “I expect you to pick me up in that posh new car of yours next timeI see you. Oh, and …hot.” She spins around, fanning her face with one hand, her coffee cup in the other, as her eyes motion to Jessie before she disappears inside her room.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

JESSIE

Mom

You didn’t come home when you came back to Dallas last week. You always come and see me when you’re back. I miss you, Jessie.

I have no idea how to reply to my mom’s message as I stare down at it from the booth in Riley’s Bar. The next time I see my mom, it will be as she steps off a plane at the Seattle airport. All I have to do is find the right words to convince her that she absolutely has to leave Dallas.

“Everything okay?” Mia asks from beside me.

Closing out the message, I pocket my phone and bring a hand to the side of her face, kissing her hard.

And, yeah, that’s right. Out in public, for everyone to see and take photos.

The past week of us living together has been the best five days of my life. Also the most sex I’ve ever had.

I slide my other hand up the inside of her left thigh and underneath her skirt when Kate clears her throat from opposite us.

“Listen, I know you guys aren’t used to public displays and all. But sex in a busy bar is a fast way to get yourself arrested.”

Breaking the kiss for just a second, but never taking my eyes from Mia’s, I contemplate stopping our make-out session altogether.

“Fuck it,” I respond and bring her lips back to mine.

“Maybe you don’t give a shit about the custody part, but you sure as hell will when I empty the contents of my stomach onto you both,” Zach shouts from across the table.

We both look at him as Luna swats him on the arm. “Leave them alone. They aren’t hurting anyone.”

“Yeah, well, I might be getting a little FOMO.” He drops his head and kisses her behind the ear, his hand coming to her round stomach as he runs a palm over it.

“Another cocktail, Tara?” Felicity asks as she turns her head over her shoulder, searching for a waiter.

Mia throws Tara ayou’re underage, and you know itglare, which earns her a quirkeddon’t you dare rat me outbrow.

Pulling Mia’s face back to mine, I whisper against her lips, “You aren’t fooling me with that good-girl exterior any more. Not when I know the nasty girl you are behind closed doors. Kind of my dream girl, come to think of it.”

“The sheets cleaned up great, thanks for asking,” Jensen pipes up, interrupting us.

With Mia pinned to my side, I look across at my closest friend. “You’re welcome.”

He narrows his eyes at me, but I can see the smile fighting to break out on his face. Briefly, he glances at Mia and then back at me, his smile only getting more obvious.

“Fucking traffic,” Jon announces as he slides in next to his wife and brings his hand to the back of her neck, kissing her deeply.