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He grins, and something about it makes me think he hasn’t been used to doing much of that lately. “Yeah, I am. Let’s get moving. I’ll meet you back at our room later, and we’ll leave by four thirty.”

“Sounds good.” I follow him out with thoughts of Susa’s blue eyes floating through my mind and threatening to harden my cock.

This is going to be an interesting semester.

Chapter Seven

I make it through the rest of my classes and return to our room, beating Carter there. I have enough time to grab a quick shower to rinse off the sweat from walking between buildings. I shave again.

Then I throw on jeans and a button-down short-sleeved shirt. One of my better ones, light blue chambray, sort of serious but not stuffy.

Carter arrives about that time, takes one look at me, and slowly shakes his head as a smirk fills his features.

“What?”

“You know this isn’t a date, right? She’s using us to get rid of her ex-boyfriend.”

“She’s usingyou,” I say. “I might look big because of my height, but you and I both knowyou’rethe muscle. I’m the distraction waving at him while you kick his ass.”

He drops his backpack on his bed. “Why do you say that?”

“I’ve never been in a fistfight in my life. Hell, I don’t even fight over parking spaces. I can stand there and cross my arms and look tough, but I’m pretty damn useless as a bodyguard.”

“Don’t put yourself down. You’re in good shape. You just need some training, and PT with me every morning will take care of a lot of that.” He glances at the time. “I’ll grab a shower, too, since it’s still early.” He shoots me a grin that relaxes me.

He’s not upset.

Maybe this is how big brothers rag on little brothers, I don’t know.

I never had one of either to know, the half-brother I’ve never met not withstanding.

We’re heading to Susa’s in my car tonight, and Carter’s navigating from his phone. Frankly, I’m kind of glad he asked me to do the driving.

I don’t have the fanciest car, but I really didn’t want to roll up in the Snot Box and have Susa laugh her ass off at us. No, I don’t have great luck with women, but there’s something different about Susa.

Yeah she’s asked for our help, but I sense how damned strong she is in other ways.

She’s lit, not even like a furnace, but more like a nuclear reactor.

I wonder how close and how long I can stay near her before I catch fire and burn.

I don’t even think I’d mind all that much, to be honest.

* * * *

Susa’s house isn’t just ahouse. It makes my mother’s McMansion look like a fucking abandoned Alaskan latrine. Elandra Marriott Solemar doesn’t like to be shown up, but…

Yeah.

She’d be jealous. I can imagine the way her eyes would narrow as she wonders what she has to do to show the person up.

A silver Mercedes S560 four-door sedan sits parked in the driveway. I’m already feeling inadequate rolling up in my three-year-old Subaru. One of the few nice things my mom’s done for me, handing down her used car to me and paying for my car insurance and registration, since I earned a full scholarship. That, in addition to a very small monthly stipend from her that’s barely enough to cover my cell phone, gas, and a few other expenses, like laundry. The additional living expense allowance from my scholarship takes care of the rest, which is why I’m careful with my money.

Except I pay for my mother’s largesse in many painful ways both large and small, trust me.

Last year, I picked up a few extra dollars here and there tutoring students. With my own increased class load this year, I’m not sure if that’s going to be an option.

Susa greets us at the front door as we make our way up her walk. She’s changed into loose shorts and a USF Bulls T-shirt that hangs off her and hides her form. She’s barefoot, so now I can tell she’s probably around five-four.