Free The Hook Up (Game On Book 1) by Kristen Callihan Page B

said it at all. What happened was… I don’t even know how to describe it, but I know it belongs solely to me. And to Baylor. No one else is getting details. At least not on my end. Hell, is he telling his friends? I try not to squirm in my seat.
    Iris squeals. “Was it good? What am I talking about? Of course it was. You two are obviously hot for each other. Oh, this is so awesome!”
    At the sound of Iris’s enthusiasm, a few eyes glance our way. Suddenly I can’t breathe properly. Iron hands of fear grip my spine, push down on my lungs. My hands go numb. “Okay, stop.” My tone is harsh, deadly serious, and both Iris and George gape. I tried to remain calm but can’t. The cold within me is making me quake. “This goes no further than this table. No one can know. No one. Ever. “
    I can’t handle it if people know. I just can’t. Not that. Not the speculation that would arise. Drew Baylor banged that ? It’s bad enough that I’ve been waiting for the realization to creep into his eyes, that he’s made a mistake in pursuing me.
    A growl works its way up my throat. What the fuck am I talking about? I’m better than this. I’m not some hag. I shouldn’t be ashamed. Cursing myself for my panicked knee-jerk reaction, I press the hot tips of my fingers against my eyelids until stars dance in the darkness. Shit, I haven’t thought this badly of myself since I was fifteen.
    And I can’t go there again. Despite the crazy thoughts of us dating that are running through Baylor’s head, there’s no chance of a girl like me being with a guy like him. I’ve spent too many years and dealt with too much pain climbing out of that pit of doubt and insecurity for me to be pulled back down now. My overeager libido is just going to have to take a cold shower.
    I take an unsteady breath. My friends are looking at me as if I’ve grown two heads. “Are we clear?” I ask.
    “Crystal,” George says, slowly, frowning at me. “But you should already know that.”
    A twinge of remorse plucks at my insides, but not enough to truly make me regret my words.
    Iris appears just as thoughtful. “I won’t tell. I wasn’t going to…” She stops as if pinched and looks at me closer. “Oh my God, you did it twice!”
    It’s my turn to flinch. So much for calming her down. And what the hell? Is she psychic?
    Iris laughs at the obvious horror in my face. “That hickey is fresh. And I know you hooked up with him during the party. You both went upstairs at the same time. And,” she points an accusatory finger at me, “you both did the walk of shame back down them.”
    “I didn’t realize you paid so much attention,” I reply. “What with having your tongue down Henry’s throat all night.”
    George makes a noise of disgust. “Why do I hang out with you two? Can we please stop with the details?”
    “Fine by me,” I say. “I’d love it if we talked about something else.”
    Rolling her eyes, Iris snags a fry. “Of course I paid attention. I was waiting for it to happen.”
    I sit up straight, my hands slapping down on the cheap Formica table. “Wait. What? Did you…? You knew he’d be there, didn’t you?”
    Unrepentant, Iris grins. “Well, duh. It gets around what parties the football team plans to attend. And for as much as you denied it, I knew you were into him. You just needed a little push in his direction.”
    “You little weasel.” I’m half-pissed, and more than a little impressed. She has Machiavellian depths that I never considered.
    She shrugs and grabs another fry. “Pretend to be outraged if you want, but you obviously liked hooking up with the boy if you did it twice. ”
    “Do me a favor,” I say scowling, “and restrain yourself the next time you feel the need to help me out.”
    “Fine. My work here is done anyway.” She pops a fry into her mouth and chews with exaggerated vigor.
    I’m tempted to chuck a fry at her head, but they’re too good, and I’m hungry.
    “Two times,” George