Stacia walks straight past me, swinging her hips and heads for the kitchen. “Trey, make me a drink, hun,” she says, luring him after her.
I hate how she thinks men are at her beck and call. Shit, they usually are, but that doesn’t make it okay. And Trey’s an easy target. He’s just horny enough to follow. Asshole.
That was Stacia’s big complaint of me when she and I dated. I wasn’t attentive enough for her. Her word, not mine. She doesn’t want a boyfriend; she wants a pu**y-whipped fool at her beck and call to spoil her rotten. Maybe I’ll feel that way about a girl someday, but not Stacia. She’s already spoiled enough. For the right person, I’ll want to do those things, not be guilt-tripped into them.
Even after Stacia leaves the room, Avery’s stick-straight posture tells me she’s still uncomfortable. I want to get back to our easy banter. “I think it’s time for your next challenge,” I whisper near her ear, my lips rubbing against her skin.
Avery relaxes in my arms and turns slowly to glance at me, a slow smile forming on her lips. “What’d you have in mind?”
If I tell her what’s really on my mind, I’ll get slapped. “I want you to go talk to that guy over there.” I look pointedly at one of my frat brothers, who’s picked up Sloan’s acoustic and is butchering the simple notes.
“Done and done.” She smiles and rises from my lap.
As soon as her warm weight is gone, I’m regretting sending her away. But watching her confidence grow is a thing of beauty. I’m riveted watching Avery spark up a conversation with Jared. Maybe this was a bad f**king idea. He continues strumming the guitar, glancing up at her only occasionally, and only to give the briefest of replies.
A few seconds later, she slides back into my lap with a huff. “Well, that was a letdown. He practically ignored me.” She pouts. “Aren’t these little challenges supposed to be good for my self-esteem?”
I can’t help but smile. Maybe it was cruel to send her over there, but it was just a stupid dare to see if she’d actually do it. “Sorry babe. I didn’t know you’d actually do it. Jared’s one of my brothers and he’s seen you in my lap all night – he’s not going to make a move on you. He values his face too much.”
“What?” Her confusion is adorable. “So you chose someone you knew wouldn’t talk to me?”
I shrug. “I can’t have another guy touching something I want for myself.”
Her mouth drops open. “Oh.”
We’ve been pretending that we’re friends, because it’s all she’s ready for, but she has to know I want more. I consider asking her to kiss me. Her mouth is right there, inches from mine, looking f**king delicious, but I can’t. I can’t bear to hear her turn me down. I glance up and spot a safe-looking target across the room: a guy who looks like he was raised on whole milk and Flintstone’s vitamins. Safe as white bread. I wonder if she’ll do it. At least it’d be easier to hear her turn him down. “That guy…over there.” I point and Avery’s eyes reluctantly leave mine to seek the target. “Kiss him.”
Her confused gaze meets mine. “No kissing. I told you I’m not ready.”
Shit. Now I feel like a dick. “Fine. Go talk to him then.” I hold her eyes, wondering what she’ll do.
Avery surprises me by glancing his way, and then walking toward him without another word. Something twists inside me.
They strike up a deep conversation, and I silently curse myself. This was my grand f**king plan…to drive her into the arms of another guy? I should punch myself in the face.
I sulk on the couch and watch them. I haven’t seen the guy around here before. He actually looks like he’d be a decent guy, but that’s beside the point. Avery tosses her hair over her shoulder and laughs at something he says. God damn it, she’s actually flirting with him. My stomach clenches. He smiles at her, and I have the sudden desire to knock that smile off his face. I grab another beer and down half of it in a single gulp.
Chapter 12
Avery
Jase is helping me break free from my shell in ways I didn’t think were possible. I need to thank him for last night. After his little dare gave me the shove I needed, I talked to Mitch for over an hour at the small party. And since Jase got pretty drunk, Mitch even drove me home. I had to give myself a little pep talk, convincing myself that Mitch was a safer choice. That despite my growing feelings for Jase, his reputation and whatever’s still going on between him and Stacia means I need to spread my wings a little. Jase and I are just friends and that is for the best.
I exchanged contact info with Mitch and we may be going out next weekend. We’ll see if he calls me.
I dress casually in yoga pants and a fitted long-sleeve tee, throw my hair into a ponytail and set off in search of coffee. I pick up an extra cup for Jase, who’s no doubt hung-over this morning, and begin the twenty-minute walk to his house, just off campus. I sip my coffee, letting the sunlight warm my skin. The leaves are changing, bursting in pretty oranges and shades of gold. I’m struck by the notion that the leaves are evolving just as I am.
I daydream as I walk, imagining it might be possible to move forward once and for all, when the images of that night creep into my psyche. Me, posing topless for the camera, with a seductive open-mouthed smirk, my hands and mouth on a certain part of Brent’s anatomy, making it obvious who I was and not-at-all obvious who he was. It started off as innocent, and I trusted Brent. Completely. Which was dumb. Beyond dumb. He had a reputation when I met him, but I believed he had changed.