Chapter 21

Across the lounge, Mark laughs. Thad sees Mark watching him, watching them, and shoots the drum major a withering look. “Don’t,” he warns.

“Don’t what?” Mark asks.

Seth turns to see what’s going on, and even Peter spares them a quick glance over his shoulder. Jamie looks around at his friends, then turns to Thad. “What?”

“Nothing,” Thad mutters, embarrassed. Don’t say anything,he wants to say to Mark, to them all. Let me have this, please.

This—Jamie’s body against his, no matter how innocent the touch.

7: Mark

The freshmen finish their essays before noon, but Seth and Mark don’t bother getting started until after lunch. Or rather, Seth wants to get started, but Mark spies the sign for the hotel pool on their way back from the dining room and jokes, “We should blow off the rest of the afternoon and go swimming.”

Peter glares at him as they wait for the elevator. “Don’t you think you’ve gotten us into enough trouble already?”