Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 60

(No Control - 60. Illusion)

I'm awoken the following morning by Jess's phone vibrating.

"I have to go back to my own bed," she whispers in my ear, but I reach for her and pull her close to me and she snuggles against me and gives a deep sigh.

I jolt awake again when she sits up quickly, and decide I'll walk her to the bedroom door, in an attempt to be gentlemanly.

I'd better put some underwear on, I suppose.

I grab my boxers off the floor and stand up to pull them on, and catch Jess staring boldly at my crotch.

"Enjoy your eyeful?" I grin at her, and she nods seriously at me.

"Definitely," she affirms.

I can't believe we're having to resort to sneaking around like a couple of underage teens. And I can't believe we've pulled it off.

"You're amazing," I whisper, feeling a sudden rush.

She really is. She's funny and cheeky and feisty, and she knows what she wants.

"You're more amazing," she whispers back, with a shy smile.

"Yeah, I am, aren't I," I joke, and she pulls a face at me before opening the door and peering out.

We're good to go. Mission accomplished.

I put my arm around her and give her a quick kiss, but a movement to my right sends a sickening jolt through my body. Looking up I see Calvin standing in the doorway to his bedroom staring at us, his eyes wide and furious... but wait - what's this?

A tall girl I've never seen before walks out of Calvin's room and I realise with a barely-concealed smirk that he hooked up last night, and the result is staring back at me with her jaw almost on the floor.

Oh fuck. I'm probably the last person she expected to see here.

Please don't be a fan.

Please don't scream.

"Oh my G...," she starts to say, and all three of us cut her off with a loud, "Shhhhh!"

Calvin looks ready to cause me some serious harm, but to my surprise Jess stands on her tiptoes to kiss me right in front of him and crosses the hall to her bedroom door, whispering some excuse about having needed the toilet.

"Oh my God it really is Harry Styles," Calvin's girl says, clearly still in shock.

I'm very aware I'm standing here in a pair of tight black boxer shorts, and nothing else.

"Hi," I wave awkwardly.

"I'll see you in a bit, Squidge," Jess whispers, and opens the door to her bedroom.

Squidge.

What the fuck?

Calvin steps forward and the floor creaks noisily, causing everyone to scatter like insects. Calvin and his girl scurry past me, Jess leaps into her bedroom and I duck back inside my room, shutting the door behind me and getting into bed quickly.

A minute later Calvin comes back upstairs but goes straight to his bedroom and I breathe a sigh of relief, and quickly fall alseep.

I'm vaguely aware of the sounds of Jess's family moving around from around eight o'clock, and a gentle tap on my door permeates my light sleep. I roll over to see Jess standing in the doorway with one leg bent behind her. I can't help but smile. Just the sight of her gives me butterflies in my stomach.