I'm sitting on our bed, flipping through Physiology flashcards. Exams start next week, and I'd lie if I said I don't feel anxious.

Kitten enters the bedroom, carrying two mugs with coffee.

"Thank you, baby," I say as I take one from her hands.

She sits on the bed next to me and leans her head on my shoulder. "How's it going?"

"Good, I think. It's not hard; it's just a lot to memorize."

"It'll be okay. You've been studying like crazy."

I circle Leah's waist with my free arm and peck her forehead. "Yeah, I guess. What about you?"

"I'm going out with Tara and Annie later," Kitten says. "We're going to buy Christmas gifts, and I need some things for our trip."

I squeeze her hip. "I can't wait."

"Same," Leah whispers as she moves to straddle my lap. I rest my mug on the bedside table and wrap my arms around her, pulling her body to mine so that our chests touch.

Leah's lips trail soft kisses down my neck. I put my thumb under her chin and lift it to kiss her.

She tastes like chocolate candy and feels warm and soft. My eyes close when the tip of her tongue grazes mine. I drop my hands to Kitten's cute little ass and squeeze it.

I did more than squeeze last night and the night before that, but I can't get enough. The more time I spend with her, the more I crave her body and her closeness. She has me under a spell. Watching Kitten move around our apartment in nothing but one of my shirts doesn't help my case. I'm in a state of permanent neediness, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Leah's thumbs stroke my cheeks as she presses her forehead to mine. "You should get some rest. I don't want you to burn out."

"I might go to the gym," I say, kissing her once more.

It's been a while since I worked out the way I used to. Leah's right; a break will do me lots of good.

A quick text to Bast later, I'm changing into my workout gear. Leah gets dressed and ready to leave, too. We exit the apartment building together.

"Text me if you need anything, okay?" I say.

Kitten kisses me. "Sure. Have fun."

She rushes to Tara's car, and I hop on my bike and ride to the gym.

Everyone's already there. Nash and Drew are doing pull-ups, and Bast is running on a treadmill.

He nods when he spots me. "Weights?" I ask him after warming up.

"Let's go." Bast pants, wiping off the sweat with his towel.

We hardly speak for the next half an hour, focused on lifting. Crazy as it may seem, my body relaxes the more exhausted I get.

Drew and Nash join us by the bench. "How's it going?" Nash asks me.

"Cool. You?"

Nash smiles. "Can't complain. Are you going to stay here?"

"Drew wants to grab something to eat," Bast says instead. "Will you two join us?"

I reach for my bottle of water and twist off the cap. "Sure. I'll stretch, and we can go."

"And you?"

Nash runs a palm over the back of his neck. "Sorry, can't. I have a date."

Bast wiggles his brows. "A date? Alright."

Drew high-fives Nash, whose cheeks are flushed now. I'm happy for the guy. It also proves he has no feelings for Leah, which makes me even more content.

It's in the middle of my stretching routine that Chad enters the gym with a couple of guys from our class. Bast glances at me and rolls his eyes.

I smirk. After talking to Jim at our housewarming party, things changed. I stopped giving a damn and ignored Chad, but I didn't keep quiet in class. I answered whenever I had something to say and acted like other students who cared about their results. That doesn't mean the little shit shut up about my grades or my brother, but not giving him the time of day felt liberating.

Chad walks toward us and stands by my side. "Hey."

"What's up?" I say.

"Stressed out over the exams," the guy huffs. "I wish I had it as easy as you."

"Yeah, it'd be great."

Bast coughs into his fist to conceal his laughter.

I grab my towel and wipe the sweat off my temples. "Well, good luck with your workout. We're leaving."

"Wait," Chad says, and exchanges glances with the other two guys. It can't be good.

"What?"

"The guys and I made a bet, but the only person who can give us an answer is Dr. Creighton."

"Ask him whatever you want in Physiology tomorrow." I shrug. "What do I have to do with it?"

"You could help me since you're his favorite," Chad says.

"Alright."

Bast's eyes widen as if telling me I'm crazy, but I'm way too tempted to find out what the dumbass wants.

"We want to know if it's possible to break a dick. I say no, the guys say yes."

The fuck?

Laughter bubbles in my chest, but I swallow it. "Okay, I'll ask him."

The shit didn't expect I would agree with his dumb plan. His eyes look panicked, but he regains his composure fast.

"Thank you, Brian. By the way, tell your girlfriend I said hello. We chatted at the bar some weeks ago."

All the heat from the recent workout leaves my muscles, turning my insides to ice. When did that happen? Leah didn't mention anything to me. He might be lying, but if he is, he's even dumber than I thought.

"She's stunning," the fucker says. "You're lucky, man."

Chad and his buddies go to the ellipticals, and I take a few deep breaths. My jaw hurts from the way I clench it.

"I would've kicked his ass for that sentence alone," Drew says. "Your self-control is admirable."

"I'm gonna shower real quick," I tell the guys. I need some cold water to cool off my anger. Kitten would never look Chad's way, but he has no business approaching my girl at bars when I'm not around. He has no business chatting her up or saying she's pretty. Fucking asshole.

My calm goes away. Instead of enjoying dinner with the guys, I sulk and push my food around the plate.

"The more you ignore him, the more confident he gets," Drew says when I grow quiet yet again. "It's time you put him in his place."

"Agreed." Bast looks at me. "That break a dick thing was the most stupid immature shit he could've come up with. Why the hell did you agree, knowing how strict Dr. Creighton is? That ass only did it because you're in Creighton's good books."

I swallow a fry that tastes like cardboard now. "So are you."

"But it's not me Chad fucks with."

I have nothing to say about that because Bast and Drew are right. Chad's relentless, and the lines he crossed are too many.

We finish our food, and I ride home. Kitten isn't there yet. I smile at the sight of her things all around the apartment - her clothes and her makeup and the framed quotes about love and motivation we hung on our bedroom walls.

Leah's key turns in the lock half an hour later. She spots me in the hallway and rushes to hug me.

"Hey." I rub her back and press a kiss on her cheek. "How was shopping?"

Kitten lifts a bag with the gifts she bought. "All done. Your gift's inside, too, so don't snoop. I also bought cupcakes. Would you like one?"

"Sure. I'll make coffee."

I fix the drinks while Leah hides the gifts. She has no idea I bought hers a while ago. Christmas has always been important in my family. It's when all of us get together, and I can't wait for Kitten to be a part of the family reunion this year.

We sit at the table in the kitchen. The moment is too sweet to ruin it, but I won't sleep if I don't discover the truth.

"Baby," I begin. "I ran into Chad at the gym. He said he saw you at a bar some weeks ago."

Leah bites off a small piece of her chocolate cupcake and nods. "Yeah. I forgot to tell you."

"What did he want?"

"To buy me a drink. Of course, I said no."

The fucker forgot to mention that tiny piece of info. I take a sip of my coffee to stop myself from cussing at the asshole.

Leah smoothes the crease between my eyebrows. "Don't worry. It was nothing. The girls went to the bathroom, and he approached me, but I didn't even talk to him, just said I was there with someone, and Tara asked him to leave."

I sigh. "I'm not jealous, okay? I know you love me. I just don't like it when he does shit behind my back. He knows you're my girlfriend, which makes it worse."

"I don't like it, either," says Leah. She hops to her feet and sits on my lap.

"I love you," I whisper, burying my face in the crook of her neck.

***

I'm fuming like an overheated engine as I sit in the lecture hall next to Bast the following day.

Chad had the nerve to remind me about the question I had to ask the professor. I nodded and kept quiet.

Dr. Creighton strolls to the podium and greets us while he's firing up his laptop. As soon as he's ready, I raise a hand.

Chad smirks; Bast covers his face with his palm.

"Yes, Mr. O'Brien?"

I look at the professor. "I have an anatomy-related question, Sir."

The guy's brows rise a tad. "Go on."

"Can you break a penis?"

My classmates' laughter and cheers fill the air of the old hall. I raise my hand to calm them down.

"Awful wording, my bad. I didn't mean you specifically, just in general. I'm asking on behalf of a friend. Mr. Scott's worried about his manhood."

Bast snickers under his breath. I avoid looking at Chad, but knowing him, he must be blushing a hundred shades of crimson.

Dr. Creighton's mouth falls open, but he recovers fast and looks at Chad. "You need to have your manhood looked at, Mr. Scott. As for your question, Mr. O'Brien, what do you think?"

"I think you can, but it's rare. And it's not the same kind of fracture since there aren't any bones in a d-...manhood."

"That's right. Be careful, boys. Penis fractures are painful." The professor's eyes land on Chad again as he adds, "Very."

If everyone laughed before, that was nothing compared to the cackling and guffawing around us now.

"Remind me not to fuck with you." Bast chuckles when the laughter subsides.

I look at Chad. His face is red, and there are no traces of amusement on it.

I wink at him and refocus on the lecture.