Read Online Winter Jacket: New Beginnings by Eliza Lentzski - Free Book Online

amused laugh. “We went to bed at like 10 last night. Is this what I have to look forward to when I get old like you?”
    The seemingly innocent comment about my age rattled me. I removed the pillow from my face and glared. “Don’t you dare do anything for my birthday today,” I warned.
    “Ellio, we’ve been over this,” Hunter replied with an innocent smile. “I’m not going to.”
    “Good,” I stated stubbornly. I was annoyed that another birthday had snuck up on me.
    Hunter chuckled good-naturedly and ran her palm over my stomach. “Are we going to have a repeat performance of this conversation every year?”
    “Unless you can figure out a way for me to stop having birthdays.”
    “Sounds very vampire-y to me. And no offense, but even if you sparkled in the sunlight, I’m not into necrophilia.” Hunter grinned, showing off her deep dimples.
    “I’m trying not to judge you for having read those books.” When I’d found the paperback trilogy among Hunter’s personal library, some works of fiction, but most of them books for school, I’d been horrified.
    Hunter smirked. “Doesn’t matter,” she breezed. “I know you’re not in love with me because of my massive brain.”
    I quirked an eyebrow. “And why exactly am I with you?”
    “ Because of my ass, naturally,” she returned, batting her eyelashes comically.
    I rolled my eyes. “You’re an ass alright.” I laid still in bed for a moment, but realizing the morning wasn’t going to pause itself just because I wanted an extra hour of sleep, I started to roll out of bed. “I should get ready for work,” I sighed.
    Hunter remained in her place in bed. “I’ve never heard of anyone working on their birthday,” she replied with a yawn.
    “That’s because they don’t know it’s my birthday,” I reminded her as I picked up my clothes from the previous day off of her bedroom floor. “Academica is different from a regular work environment. No one pays attention to things like that. Besides, I really don’t want anyone to make a big deal over it. It’s not worth it.” I narrowed my eyes slightly. “So if you’ve got something planned…”
    Hunter held up her hands as if retreating. “I swear. I t’s just gonna be a normal Friday night tonight.”
    “Good,” I said, satisfied that she was telling the truth. “I don’t have any classes today, but Penny called an emergency meeting of the Women’s and Gender Studies program for some reason. I shouldn’t be home too late.”
    “I’ve got a full day at the hospital today,” Hunter noted. “But I’ll meet you at your house later?”
    “Sounds good,” I confirmed. “We can order in so neither of us has to make dinner tonight.”
    “Want some company in the shower?” Hunter practically purred. Her lips curled into a smug smirk. “I could scrub all those hard to reach places.”
    I laughed. “As tempting as that sounds , I can’t be late for this meeting; you’d better stay in bed.” We’d just had a WGS meeting a few days ago, but Penny’s email had sounded urgent.
    Hunter gave me a lazy smile and stretched her arms above her head. “Okay,” she conceded. As she stretched, the cotton sheets slipped further down her body, r evealing more of her toned, smooth skin. “But you don’t know what you’re missing out on.”
    Although I should have been immune to the sight of Hunter’s naked body by now, I felt my willpower rapidly diminishing. My eyes unabashedly drank in the sight of her tight body.
    I scampered out of the bedroom before I got unnecessarily distracted. Oh yes I do, I wistfully thought.
    +++++
    Penny, the director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, looked around the room. We were in a conference room in the Humanities building; our usual meeting room in the Library was booked, a conflict with the hastily scheduled meeting. “We’re just waiting on Kathy, but let’s get started.”
    No sooner had she called the meeting to order when the door