Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake Read Free Book Online Page B

word
panties.
“Just stop. I want him, all right? I want him so bad, I accidentally moaned a little during Government today when I imagined his Speedo slipping off when he dives into the pool.”
    I laugh so hard I snort. “You
moaned?
”
    â€œI was quiet. At least, I think.” Her face is full-on scarlet now, and she picks at her bottom lip, trying to glare at me. “I actually like Rob, you know.”
    I nod slowly. Yes, I know. Romance, true love, yadda yadda.
    I’m still laughing when my phone rings. I grab it from my pillow and nearly fall off the bed when I see the name flashing on the screen.
    â€œOh. It’s Sam.”
    â€œSam? The new guy? You know him?”
    â€œYeah. I’m paired with him for that Shakespeare project in English.”
    She jumps onto her knees. “You didn’t tell me that! He’s in my Government class. He’s sort of hot.”
    â€œDid he hear you moan too?”
    She smacks my leg. “Answer it!”
    I stick my tongue out at her and slide my finger over the surface of the phone. “Hello?”
    Silence.
    â€œHello?” I say again.
    â€œHadley?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œIt’s Sam Bennett.”
    â€œHey.”
    â€œHey. So, listen, I need to change our plans for tomorrow.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œI was wondering if you could come here.”
    â€œTo your house?” Kat’s mouth drops open. “Wouldn’t the library be easier?”
    â€œNot for me. Is that a problem?” His voice sounds weird. Not that I know his voice really well or anything. It just sounds . . . strained and sharp. In class, he sounded so relaxed, so amiable.
    â€œIs everything all right?” I ask, my heart suddenly hammering.
    â€œYeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”
    â€œI’m not sure. You just sound . . . funny.” Kat raises her eyebrows at me and Sam clears his throat.
    â€œI’m fine. Can you come here tomorrow after school or not?”
    â€œUm. Sure, that’s fine.”
    â€œGreat. I’ll text you the address.”
    â€œOkay, see you—”
    Click.
    I flinch and stare at my phone.
Sam B. Call Ended.
    â€œWhat just happened?” Kat asks.
    I manage a weak laugh. “I’m not sure, but apparently I’m going over to his house tomorrow to work on this project.”
    Kat frowns and then releases a colossal “
Ohhh.
”
    I look at her. “What do you mean, ‘
Ohhh’?
”
    â€œUm. Nothing.”
    â€œUh-uh. That ‘
Ohhh’
was not a nothing kind of ‘
Ohhh.’
It was a very loaded ‘
Ohhh.’
”
    She blows some air into her bangs. “It’s just—You were supposed to meet in the library?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œYou set that up before the whole locker thing?”
    Nod.
    â€œWell, I mean . . . He’s new and doesn’t really know anyone, but then he saw the locker. So what if he thinks . . .”
    â€œ
Ohhh.
You think he wants to hook up with me?”
    She shrugs. “I don’t know. You said he was acting weird on the phone.”
    â€œHe was, but it’s not like I’m acquainted with his normal MO.” My stomach somersaults as I think back to English. “Crap, he was talking to Josh before class. And after class.”
    â€œI heard he’s a baseball player.”
    â€œUgh.” I drop my head into my hands. Did Sam really change the place so we could hook up? Not that I consider myself particularly alluring, but it is suspicious considering the whole locker debacle. I run my fingers over the top of my hand and feel suddenly nauseous. He just seemed so different. Like when I looked at him, I saw something I recognized and could understand. I’m not even sure what it was. Something about him was just . . . familiar.
    â€œHadley, I hate to tell you this, but this is kind of your own—”
    â€œDon’t. Don’t say