I couldn’t answer. He was circling his thumb around my clit and sucking my nipple even harder.

“Should I take your silence as a yes?” He slipped a finger inside of me and I barely managed a nod.

His eyes met mine and he smiled, not asking anything else.

He took a pillow from his side of the bed and positioned it underneath my lower thigh. Pressing his lips against my forehead first, he slowly kissed his way down my body—teasingly darting his tongue against every inch of my skin.

When he made it to my stomach, he spread my legs apart and blew warmer kisses against me. Then he suddenly pulled me forward and buried his face into my pussy.

My hands immediately grabbed his head, trying to push him away, to fight it, but he paid me no attention. He sucked my clit into his mouth—flicking his tongue against it repeatedly.

In utter bliss, I writhed against his mouth, and he held me still—not letting me get away.

“Carter…” I murmured. “Carter…”

He didn’t answer. He released my swollen clit from his lips and slipped two fingers in and out of me—pushing them deeper each time I said his name.

“Come on my face, Ari…” he whispered and I leaned back against the pillows—shutting my eyes and letting another orgasm rip through my body.

I kept my eyes shut until I could feel my legs again.

When I finally did open them, I saw Carter looking at me with an “Are you okay?” expression on his face.

I nodded and a slight smile crossed his face. He got another washcloth and wiped between my legs. Then he stared at me for several minutes, not saying anything for a while.

“I’ll be right back,” he finally spoke, disappearing into my bathroom.

I heard the water turn on, heard him brushing his teeth, and I rolled over before he came back.

Fully sated, I smiled—still in utter disbelief about

1) How good that fucking felt and

2) That I’d just slept with my best friend.

“Goodnight, Ari,” Carter whispered into my ear, rolling me over to face him.

Or, so I thought.

He rolled me on top of him and then to the other side of the bed. “You hate sleeping on the right side, remember?” he whispered, and then, with one arm wrapped around my waist, he told me to go to sleep.

It was much easier that time…

Track 11. I Knew You Were Trouble (1:55)

Shit…

Tenth Grade

Subject: Basketball tryouts.

I think I’m going to try out for the practice squad next week. If I get selected, they say I won’t be eligible to play varsity until my junior year. You think I’ll make the cut?

Sincerely,

Carter

Subject: Re: Basketball tryouts.

Yeah. From what I recall, you’re pretty good, although I think your ego is already big enough. Do you really need any more attention from the girls at our school? … You may also have to explain those two tattoos you have on your arm when you get your uniform. (Still can’t believe your mom took you, a minor, to get them…)

Wait a minute…Isn’t the reading of your dad’s will today? (It’s rude to email during stuff like that…)

Hoping you’re okay,

Arizona

Subject: Re: Re: Basketball tryouts.

I already told the coach I have tattoos. He said that if I’m any good, most people won’t care, and that I wouldn’t be the first high school basketball player to have tattoos. (I still can’t believe that she acknowledges she’s a “mom.”)

My dad’s will reading is over. (It’s rude to leave your only son and cheat on your wife…)

I’m more than okay.

Sincerely,

Carter

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Basketball tryouts.

Where are you?

Still hoping you’re okay,

Arizona

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Basketball Tryouts

In my room.

I told you I was okay already. (Trust me.)

Sincerely,

Carter

I put my phone on silent and leaned back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Today had been one of the worst days of my life, so I was lining up things to make tomorrow better: I was going to have sex after school with my girlfriend if she wasn’t still upset with me for not telling her why I hadn’t been to school for the past three days. (I refused to talk about my family with anyone.) I was also going to go back to my favorite sketchy tattoo parlor and get another tattoo on the inside of my arm—some type of tree so I could add onto it for years to come. Then, I’d probably need to spend some time with Arizona at the end of the day. Being around her always made things better for some reason.

I grabbed my white earbuds from the nightstand and placed them into my ears, shutting my eyes and drifting to sleep.

Or, so I thought.

Just as my favorite album began to play, one of the earbuds was ripped from my ear, and a blur of pink and purple crawled over me and took over the left side of my bed.

Arizona.

“What the hell are you doing?” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Did my mom let you in?”

“You really think that?” She dangled a silver bracelet in front of my face. “I told you I made a copy of your house key in shop class months ago. Your mom is passed out on the couch…”

“Of course she is…” I said. “Well, I need to be alone so I can think. So, no offense, but I don’t really want your goddamn company right now, and since you had to literally break into my house to even see me, I’m going to ask you to leave.”

“Okay.” She stared at me, blinking. Then she put my left earbud into her ear and reclined against my pillows.

“Did you hear what I said, Arizona? Do I need to repeat it?”

“I heard you perfectly,” she said, motioning for me to lie back down next to her. “You said you were going to ask me to leave because you don’t want my company. So, when you actually ask me to leave, I will…”

Her eyes met mine and I knew she could tell that I was far from okay, that I was an emotional wreck today, and that I did really want her to stay.

Instead of fighting the facts, I lay next to her and put the other earbud in my right ear. “You being here today and seeing me like this didn’t happen.”

“It never does…”

Track 12. The Moment I Knew (4:09)

I stood in Arizona’s kitchen the morning after we’d had sex, brewing a fresh cup of coffee. Two of her roommates, Jenny and Heather, were standing across from me—waiting for the timer to sound.

“You know you can technically get coffee as it’s brewing right?” I asked, noticing that they were staring at my chest.

“I’m aware.” Jenny blushed. “Just waiting like you are…”

“I actually did not know that…” Heather stepped forward and held her mug under the coffee machine. “Learn something new every day. Just in case I don’t see her today, will you tell Arizona to pick up some dish soap when she wakes up? It’s her turn.”

“I will.” I nodded.

The timer went off and Jenny stepped forward, deliberately rubbing her mug against my chest before holding it under the coffee machine. “Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.” She laughed.

“Anyway,” Heather said, ignoring Jenny. “In addition to the dish soap, could you also tell her to get us some more coffee? It’s her turn for that, too.”