Page 24 of The Underachiever’s Guide to Love and Saving the World

brYCE

I didn’t know how long I’d been asleep, but when Courtney moaned my name beside me in bed, I’d never been more awake.

And yet a large, majestic, throbbing part of me did not care.

For the hundredth time that day, my brain replayed the hug.

Earlier, I hadn’t thought about it in a sexual way.

For one, my brain was busy thinking things like Oh my god, a giant spider .

For two, it didn’t feel like that kind of hug.

It was the sort of hug that made you realize how long it had been since you’d been hugged at all.

The kind of hug that set off quivering, tight feelings in your throat and chest.

Now, though, my body remembered her warm curves.

With one touch, each of my muscles committed the feel of her to memory, as though us touching was a skill long practiced—so deeply ingrained, it would always feel right and natural when returned to again.

Like riding a bike. Only I wanted to be the thing being ridden.

“Mmm, Bryce,” Courtney groaned in her sleep, and something tugged at my gut.

Fuck. Sheets shifted as she tossed and turned.

Itchy sweat broke out in hot waves across my skin.

Images of my own dreams flickered behind my eyelids.

Everything below the belt tightened. Aching pressure creeped in, threatening to destroy my common sense.

I slid to the far side of the bed because I feared, if her skin brushed mine, I’d simply die.

“Bryce, you idiot.” She sighed thickly, seemingly still asleep.

Damn it, why was that hot? I clenched my fists in the sheets.

Her eyelids twitched back and forth, thick lashes fluttering, barely visible in the dying firelight. “Just like that,” she murmured. “Perfect, oh, oh . You sex master. There has never been one so proficient in the art of pleasuring a woman, nor will there ever be one after.”

Okay. That was highly specific, and there was no way Courtney was capable of such flattery, even in sleep. She was messing with me and making no effort to pretend she wasn’t.

I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of telling her to knock it off because then she’d know it affected me.

Instead, I lay there and listened as the phrases she uttered “in her sleep” became so specific and filthy that every cell in my body nearly shattered.

It was torture, and I hoped she’d never stop.

As I lay there listening to her panting breaths and shallow moans, the way forward became clear. It was all I could think about. I just had to channel a bit of brave Dream Bryce.

“I have a plan,” I said the next morning.

Two could play her game. If I had to see her in this new, horny light, she had to suffer the same fate until the sight of me gave her hell, exactly like the sight of her did to me. It was a sexy game of chicken, and I was sure she’d back down.

Courtney squinted her eyes open, morning sunlight turning the dark irises mahogany. She’d finally washed the last of her makeup off, and she looked—still pretty unapproachable, if I was being honest.

“A plan?” she mumbled.

I sat up. Her little sex-dream stunt was going to get her more than she bargained for. I would call her bluff—if it was a bluff.

It had to be a bluff.

“Yes. A plan,” I said. “A plan to get magic.”

She perked up. “I’m all ears.”

I bit my lip, anticipation pulling at the corners of my mouth. “All we have to do is like each other .”

She shot up, her blue hair haloing around her head like cotton candy. “ What?! ” she exclaimed, like she hadn’t had the same idea herself.

I ran my thumb over my bottom lip, trying to get my thoughts in order.

Noticing her watching the movement, I paused.

Channeling irresistible Dream Bryce, and feeling a bit like a douchebag, I gave her a slow wink.

Her eyes darted away. A thrill of exhilaration went through me.

I couldn’t help the smile curving my mouth.

Her cheeks were flushed, which was fascinating and surprising—and could this actually be working?

Innocently, I raised my brows. “As long as we find, say, two qualities we don’t totally despise, then we’ll have some Charisma.”

“Like, one single Charisma. I’m pretty sure you need more than one person to like you to be powerful enough to overthrow the Evil One whenever they arrive.”

I leaned in and let my voice go husky. “We’ll like our two qualities, really, really hard.”

She gave me a sideways look. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to loathe whatever you’re about to say?”

I held back a smile. “I think we should have sex.”

She made aggressive gagging noises, shoving the blankets away.

“Hear me out.”

“Nope.” She hurried for the door.

“Would it help if I told you that day you were super into brushing your teeth, it made me really want to brush my teeth, too?”

That made her pause. “You’re lying.”

I actually wasn’t, but I’d let her believe that.

She’d sounded unbearably hot that day I’d shipped her a sex toy, and imagining what she was doing to herself on the other side of the wall had nearly driven me to…

well, needing to brush my teeth. But brushing my teeth at the same time she was brushing hers felt slightly icky when she didn’t know I could hear her, and so I resisted.

For a day.

When I finally caved and brushed my teeth, it was frantic and depraved, and I definitely did not make it the recommended two minutes.

“Look,” I said, “I’m just saying there’s no point in denying that we don’t find each other totally repulsive.”

Courtney started for the door again.

“I’m not saying we have to like each other’s minds,” I called after her. “That would be ridiculous. We can work the system. All we have to do is like each other’s bodies. I think you’d like my spectacular pulsating manhood, and I’d like your—”

The door slammed.

I burst out laughing, falling back onto the pillows and slinging a hand behind my head.

Idly, I picked up the pebble she’d given me off the bedside table and turned it over in my fingers.

Hopefully, my planting that little idea meant she’d spend the day tormented with the same thoughts plaguing me.

She’d be so angry I used her own game to get under her skin, she’d never try it again.

Which was a shame, because it was her most intriguing game yet.

It filled me with the same exhilarated curiosity I felt as a child when I contemplated sticking my finger in a light socket just to see what would happen.

In both situations, my fingers were best kept to myself.