Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) Read Free Page A

down my signature, write my full name, address, and phone number, and then finally leave the hospital.
    ***
    When I get home, the apartment is quiet as the grave. Draven and Nathaniel must either be in bed or still out partying. Yes, I share a place with two men now. I still live in the same apartment, but with two new roommates ever since Camille moved in to Delsin’s beach house with him, and Hailey and Logan moved to Delsin’s old place. But both Draven and Nathaniel are really nice, and they’re much less messy than either Cami or Hailey. I switch my phone back to normal mode, and one glance at its clock tells me sunrise isn’t far off. I’m tired and irritated. All I want to do is go to sleep, but then I notice the many texts and WhatsApp messages I’ve received.
    “ My goodness, don’t they have lives of their own?” I mutter.
    With a sigh, I open the first chat window. Camille.
    Where are you? I hope you didn’t fall victim to some rapist! Let me know when you’re home, doesn’t matter what time it is. I’m worried!
    Next up is Delsin.
    Caramel is worried. Please let her know you’re ok, so I can go to sleep. She’s keeping me up! Have a heart, Thally, call her. And a crying emoticon.
    I open Avery’s window. More of the same.
    Where are you??? Sweets is driving us all crazy and is keeping us up in their living room! Dale fell asleep on the couch. Please, Thally. Call her before she calls the brute squad!
    I giggle in spite of myself.
    And finally, Hailey.
    Use your damn phone and call one of us. All we know is that you picked up a hitchhiker, and now none of us can reach you! Thally, I swear, if you got yourself into trouble, I’ll give you extra trouble!
    I roll my eyes. Great. Everyone is upset when I drive someone to the hospital, but they can’t care enough to throw me an awesome party, I think, somewhat unfairly. I decide to call Avery’s number, because he’s probably the least emotional of the bunch. He’ll understand. He’s sort of the guardian angel of our circle, after all. He can be a jerk at times, too, but the angel part is stronger.
    “ Finally,” he says when he picks up.
    “ Hi, Ave. How are you? I’m fine, too, thanks for asking.”
    “ Sorry, Thally, but I only just managed to get Dale to bed, and Sweets is still running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Have you made it home yet?”
    “ Yes, I have, and I’m okay.”
    “ Is that her?” I hear Cami’s voice in the background.
    “ Yes,” Ave replies.
    I can hear static, and then a loud rustling sound, and finally: “Have you lost your mind? That hitchhiker could have strangled you and buried you in a ditch!”
    “ Cami, relax! He was injured, and he convinced me his hobbies are not murder and mayhem, okay? I took Linden to the hospital and then came home. Can I go to sleep now, please?”
    She snorts, not completely mollified yet. “Yeah, yeah, good night. But call me again when you wake up, okay?”
    “ Will do.”
    “ I love you,” she adds, more placated now.
    “ Love you, too. Let me talk to Avery again, please.”
    “ Yeah. One moment.”
    More rustling and static. “Yes? Thally?”
    “ I’m sorry she kept you all awake,” I say. “I’ll forgive you for that craptastic party if you forgive me now, too. Okay?”
    “ Sure. And, by the way … ” he added in a whisper. “That was only a pre-party, one might say. We’ve planned something bigger, but you didn’t hear it from me. Are we clear?”
    “ Oh. Okay, yeah. Good night, and tell Delsin, Dale, and Hailey that I’m sorry.”
    “ Sleep tight, Thally,” he says, and I can hear his smile.
    I press the end call button and drag my ass into my bedroom. Utterly exhausted, I undress, slip my sleep shirt over my head and lie down. I can brush my teeth tomorrow. Ugh. As soon as my tongue moves over my teeth, I force myself to get back up and run into the bathroom. No matter how sleepy I am, I have to brush them.
    I also quickly wash my face