Free The Academy by Emmaline Andrews

blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration. “God, I can’t believe they put such a naïve little pipsqueak in here with me.”
     
    I bristled. “I am not a pipsqueak!”
     
    “I don’t see you denying the naïve part, though,” he said dryly. “What I’m trying to tell you is this is something you’re going to have to watch out for. Remember what I told you earlier about there being too many guys and no girls around here? Well, some guys are going to think you’re…you’re…”
     
    “I’m what ?”
     
    His face got red. “ Pretty , all right?”
     
    “Pretty?” The word sent a shock of fear through me. As a female it was a compliment—as a male, it was an indictment .
     
    North sighed. “I’m sorry but really, no other word fits. Not with your eyes and mouth and…anyway, I’m just saying some guys are going to like the way you look and they might come after you like Wilkenson did. All right?”
     
    I felt ill. “Am I going to have to be suspicious of everyone I meet? Anyone who tries to befriend me?”
     
    “I didn’t say that. I’m just telling you to be careful, that’s all.” He ran both hands through his hair. “God, I don’t even know why I’m bothering telling you this—it should be obvious . Just do what you want.”
     
    Shaking his head, he went back to his side of the room and started taking off his uniform jacket. But he didn’t stop with just taking off the jacket. Next came the crisp, white shirt he wore under it, revealing broad shoulders and a bare back that led to a narrow waist. I watched, mesmerized and unable to look away. When I saw him starting to unfasten his pants, I finally found my voice.
     
    “What…what are you doing?”
     
    He turned his head toward me briefly. “Getting ready for a shower. You’d better hurry if you want one too—DLO was five minutes ago and RLO is in another ten.”
     
    A shower—how I wanted one! The thought of all that steaming hot water flowing over my tired body and refreshing my grimy-feeling skin almost drove the fact that North was undressing in front of me out of my mind. However, the sight of his naked buttocks, as he pushed down his uniform pants and under breaches, brought me back to reality. His backside was firm and muscular—the exact opposite, in fact, of what I had seen while Broward was being paddled. There was no covering of coarse brown fur either, apparently not all males were hairy everywhere. Well, that was nice to know.
     
    Suddenly I realized what I was doing—studying a naked man’s behind as though it was perfectly normal to do so. And now he was completely naked. What was wrong with me?
     
    “Oh!” I looked away just in time as he turned toward me.
     
    “What’s wrong with you?” North sounded incredulous. “Are you seriously going to tell me you’ve never seen another guy naked before?”
     
    I thought of Broward’s flabby, hairy buttocks. “Not very much,” I admitted, still looking firmly away. “Would you mind…putting on a towel?”
     
    “Fine.” He wrapped a fluffy white towel around his waist. “But you’re going to have to get over the whole modesty thing if you want to make it around here. Or if you ever want to get a shower, anyway.” He nodded at the door. “Are you coming or not?”
     
    There was no way I wanted to see even more of my fellow cadets naked so I opened my mouth to give him a firm ‘no'. Then it occurred to me that I might be able to hide in one of the stalls and wait until everyone else had gone to their rooms. Then I could sneak a quick shower myself, couldn’t I? It was a dangerous plan, but a tempting one.
     
    North seemed to mistake my hesitation for fear. “Don’t worry about Broward, he won’t mess with you as long as I’m around.”
     
    I nodded. “All right.” Running to the closet, I got out a towel and a pair of Kristopher’s old pajamas I had brought with me. “I’m coming. I’ll undress