by Blair Holden
“My throat is still burning—you’re diabolical.”
“It’s coffee, a hot drink that you’re supposed to let cool before inhaling. Would you like me to examine your throat, though? With my tongue, perhaps?”
“Would you like to tell me whatever it is that you’re hiding from me?”
His playful expression had hardened and I felt him close off. I had been worried that he would send me my merry way, but he hadn’t. Instead he’d leaned closer and whispered in my ear.
“I don’t like losing, Shortcake. I will tell you when I’m ready, if I’m ready, but this game? I’m not losing.”
“It’s not a game, Cole, I need to know.”
“You’re the one who turned it into one when you said you wouldn’t let me touch you until I told you whatever it was that I was hiding. So now we’re playing.”
I’d been terrified by what I had gotten myself involved with. Playing with the master player? It wouldn’t end well, not when he knew exactly which buttons to push, how to get me to submit.
“You’re underestimating me. You think it’ll be so easy for you to win, that I’m so weak?” My voice becomes deeper, huskier. I shift so that my neckline dips and my cleavage becomes a little more apparent. The dress pushed up, exposing a little more thigh, and Cole noticed everything.
“Uh…” His voice became so raspy, I could practically see the lust fogging up his brain.
Yeah, I still had some power over him.
I continued playing with fire, placing my hand over his thigh, slipping it slightly upward. “Let’s see who gives in first. But if I win, you spill it, understand?”
His cheeks were flushed, his breathing uneven, but before I could slide my hand any further, he had grabbed my hand and tugged me into his lap.
Pulling the hair at the back of my neck, he angled my face until our lips were barely an inch apart. And it had taken everything for me not to attack his mouth, because it had honestly been too long since I had touched him and the temptation was great, so great.
“You could end it right here and we’ll no longer have to torture ourselves, Tessie. Kiss me, I miss you so much.”
The rawness in his expression made me want to forget all about our little contest, the game. But as I shifted on his body and the slight wince on his face, perhaps of pain, and of the knee that was the elephant in the room was like having a bucket of cold water poured over me. He had to head back to school way earlier than I had to, for conditioning. I didn’t have a lot of time. If he continued being stubborn, in denial of what was a very serious problem, then he’d continue playing and it could permanently damage his knee, never mind ruining any chances he had of ever playing professional football. At this point I wanted to drag him to the nearest hospital for an examination but he’d lash out, get mad at Cassandra for telling, get mad at me for going behind his back, and conflict was the last thing we needed.
So while I wanted to take a hammer to my head for what I was about to do, I did it anyway. Cupping his cheek as I pulled away, I told him what I firmly believed.
“Secrets aren’t going to do us any favors, and I’m not taking chances here. We’ve fought so hard to make it, and I’ll do whatever it takes to not risk that. Even if it means not being with you tonight.”
I’d jumped out of his lap and raced out of the apartment like my life depended on it. It was only after I was in the secure confines of the elevator, heading to a room only two floors up, that I realized that he hadn’t chased me.
Maybe he wanted me to win.
***
“Girl, you’re not going to win.”
I relay my plan to Cami and to my two other best friends, Megan and Beth, the next day. They don’t know why Cole and I are playing this little game, but apparently they don’t need to know the reason to decide that I’m not going to win. Oh ye of little faith.
“I agree, Tess; you’ve never been very good at resisting him. That’s kind of how he made you fall in love with him,” Megan chirps, and I can make out Alex in the background, joining in with a loudly spoken “Yup.”
“Whoa, give my girl some credit here. It’s not like she fell into his arms the moment he sauntered back into the hallways of ALHS. She made him sweat a little, she made him wait, and my favorite part? She tripped over her own feet for the guy’s brother! Nothing makes a man work harder than knowing there’s competition, and the brother plot is classic.”
“Thank you, Beth, for not being a Brutus.”
Since we’re FaceTiming, I can see that Beth’s regained some color back in her face. She’d looked so defeated and stricken the last time we’d talked, in that diner before she left for Boston. I’ve been keeping tabs on her so I know that while she’s better, she’s still not ready to talk to Travis. My brother, on the other hand, is devastated, so heartbroken that I nearly let him know where he could find Beth, but as an exemplary demonstration of my self-control, I did not give in. He knows she’s okay and he knows she’s safe, but he also knows that he broke her heart and that she needs time.
It’s been a week and a half since I got here, it’s been nearly three weeks since Beth left, and I think it’s time to give her a little shove in the right direction. But I’ll save that for later.
“Whatever it is that’s on the line, remind yourself of that every time he turns those sexy bad boy moves on you, Tess. Be a soldier, guard your panties.”
“Guard her panties? How’s that supposed to keep the goods under lock and key?”
“Okay, I’m officially out of here.” Alex comes into the frame. “But Tessa, you should know, it’s not that hard for you to win. Cole’s putty in your hands.” He winks and, I assume, leaves.
“He’s right,” Beth chomps on her carrot stick, “that boy can’t say no to you. So make him fall to his knees and do me proud.”
“Dobby will do the best he can, master, I live to serve.”
“Don’t be a smartass, you nerd. Go put on some tight clothes, killer heels, and get a blow out, he’ll never know what hit him.”
“Oh, I know, we could go shopping. I saw the cutest dress the other day but I couldn’t buy it since Lan saw it first, and I wouldn’t want him to think I was buying it for him.”
Dear lord, Cami has thrown herself to the wolves.
“Lan? As in Cole’s Lan? Are you guys hooking up?” That’s Beth screeching, and I hear that Megan’s annoyed because she’d wanted to set Cami up with her cousin, but I leave him as they discuss the scandalous development and fortify myself for the day. Last night was a narrow escape, but I need to be stronger if we’re really playing this game.
Stronger, tougher, meaner, and I might as well buy that lock and key.
***
“You’re throwing a party? Why are you throwing a party?”
Lan shrugs as he dawdles at the doorstep. His eyes examine the entire space behind me, but he’s about to be disappointed. Cami has left for the day to meet friends in the area, and she said she’s not coming back until she finds me the hottest, shortest, tightest, most Kylie Jenner-like dress that has ever been made. I think it’s going to take her some time.
“Cole suggested it, actually. I don’t know what you did to him, but he’s a changed man. Not only did he not touch the six-pack I bought yesterday,” I glare at him as he tells me this, “I was about to hide it when he found it, and he didn’t even ask for a can, I promise.”
“Continue.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“So as I was saying, he’s in a much better mood than when he came here, and he said he wants to make it up to me by hosting a party at my place. He’ll pay for the booze, the food, and he’d clean up the next day. I wasn’t going to refuse that.”
“And let him near all that alcohol? What part of cold turkey don’t you get, Lan? We can’t have him in that kind of atmosphere. He’ll relapse.”
“Actually, I won’t.”
A shiver goes up my spine as the man himself appears on my doorstep. Holding one hand to the top
of the door frame, he leans against it and crowds my personal space.
“You don’t need to worry about a thing, Tessie. The strongest thing I’ll be drinking tonight is a Gatorade. But on to more important topics, what are you wearing?” He waggles his brows and I resist punching him in the stomach.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea, and I do not condone this little event. I’m not coming.” Huffing, I attempt to shut the door in their faces, but given their size and the fact that both men outweigh me by about hundred pounds means that they block my efforts and barge right in like they own the place.
Right, okay, so Lan does own the place.
“Come on, Tessa, it’ll be fun, and I take the personal responsibility of our resident lush. Not a single drop of alcohol is going down his throat tonight.”
“The lack of faith would hurt me if I could actually remember everything I said or did a couple of days ago. But since I don’t, I can’t defend myself. Feel free to vilify my character.”
I snort. “Drama queen.”
As I walk into the kitchen, the two of them are hot on my heels like puppies and it’s kind of adorable. They trade reasons between the two of them, explaining why it’s mandatory that I be in attendance and none of them catch my attention until one word, or rather a name.
Kimmy.
“No way,” I whirl around, “she’s going to be there?” I glare at Lan, who looks a little scared, and Cole, who looks triumphant.
“I’m sorry, I tried everything. But I had to ask my dad if we could invite some people over since he nearly had a coronary the last time I threw a party. So obviously he thinks it’s okay to force Kimmy on us. She’s already on her way.”
Kimmy, unfortunately, is Lan’s stepsister, and he’s just as miserable about it as we are. More importantly, Kimmy is a former hookup of Cole’s, and the girl’s definitely got some attachment issues.
“So there’s nothing you can do? Ban her? Tell security not to let her in? Maybe let a certain institution know that she’s prone to hallucinations and sees dead people?”
Cole looks like he’s fighting a laugh. “No can do. Since it’s his dad’s place, we need to play by his rules. He wants Kimmy here.”
“Well, you don’t look too broken up about it. How about it, Stone? Are you looking forward to having her here?” I take a threatening step toward him, growling my words.
Curling an arm around my waist, he tugs me into his chest. “No, but I am looking forward to you protecting me from the wicked witch of military school. You’ll need to guard my body very, very closely.”
I’m this close to telling him that I’ll pass because I see what this is, an elaborate play on his part to make me cave. Because when there’s a Kimmy the hoe involved, I’ll never want to leave him alone with her. Not because I don’t trust him around other girls but because that bitch is crazy, and I don’t trust her to not take advantage of the situation.
Because, ladies and gentlemen, we have been there, done that, and I am not prepared to go through the same kind of hell again.
“Fine.” I nearly stomp my foot. “I’ll be there, but only because Kimmy’s going to be there.”
“Never thought I’d hear those words together in one sentence coming from you,” Lan quips, but I think my glare scares him into silence.
“And you,” I shove a finger toward Cole’s muscled chest, “don’t think for a second that I can’t see what you’re doing. Making me jealous isn’t going to work. I can keep an eye on you from ten feet away.”
He chuckles. “Who me? I’m not doing anything, completely innocent here.”
“Sure you are. I’m going to add that to my collection of the ten most sincere quotes I’ve ever heard. It’s not going to beat Bill’s ‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman,’ but I’ll give it a spot or two below it.”
“Ouch, your girl’s on fire today!” Lan whoops and Cole punches him in the shoulder, hard.
“So, I’ll see you tonight?”
I sigh in defeat. “Yes, you will.”
“And bring Camryn! If you haven’t noticed already, we get on pretty well. She’s a cool girl.” Lan shrugs as though trying to be cool, but Cole and I see right through him, and I give my boyfriend a devious grin.
“I would but I think she has a date tonight. In fact, she just left to go see the guy before they meet up again tonight. Can’t get enough of him.”
I watch Lan’s face drop, and his expression contorts into one of jealousy and anger. He doesn’t do a good job of faking it and sounds pissed. “Who is it?” His voice is so dark, I fear for this imaginary date.
“Parker.” It’s the first name that springs to my mind, and I don’t even think about the consequences of throwing Cole’s teammate under the bus.
“Oh yeah, you know Parker?”
“That meathead you introduced me to last time? You do realize he flirts with everything that has boobs and a vagina?”
I wince; I’d recently found that out too.
“Cami’s going out with him? No way.”
“She’s going to come back, uh, soon.” I look at my watch. “You should talk to her then. I agree, Parker’s a questionable guy.”
“Right,” Cole draws out the word, “maybe you should persuade her to stay.”
He eyes me skeptically but I know he’s in on the joke. “But she likes him, like really likes him, so you better give her a good reason.”
“Damn sure I will. The guy’s slimy, Camryn shouldn’t be anywhere near him.”
I notice how he uses her full name, and it’s so adorable, I could cry.
They don’t stay long, or at least Lan doesn’t. He stomps out of the apartment, like a man on a mission, and that leaves me and Cole. He lingers in the doorway and I hide behind the kitchen island as if it’ll fortify me against any moves Cole might try to put on me.
“You don’t play fair. Kimmy? Really?”
He puts his hands in his pockets and rocks on the balls of his feet. “Would you believe me if I said I had nothing to do with that? I did plan the party, but Kimmy coming to it is just really bad luck.”
“Huh, guess I won’t be finding any four-leaf clovers today.”
“You don’t need them, Shortcake. Kimmy doesn’t matter.”
“Last time I saw her, she tried to suction your lips off your face. I’m not leaving anything to chance.”
“Hey, if she tries to pull something like that again, you could always just sic Cami on her.”
We both laugh—that’d be a sight.
The distance between us would have been awkward a couple of days ago, but after last night it seems like a wall’s been broken down between the two of us. So even though we’re standing in opposite corners, I feel a closeness to him that’s been absent for some time, so I take hold of the moment with desperate hands.
“Tell me what’s wrong, Cole.”
His mouth tightens in a flat line, the humor gone. “Not today.”
“You can’t hide forever. We’ll have to go home at some point, face your parents.”
“Not today, Shortcake, just not today.”
I don’t try to push him too hard. Our peace is still fresh, delicate, and deserves to be treated gently.
“Fine, but fair warning. I’m going to try and crack you today.”
A wolfish, almost predatory look crosses his face. It’s so hot, my knees start to wobble. “Looking forward to it.”
***
Maybe one of the perks of hosting a party in the building your father owns is that no one’s going to bother you about the loud noises. So while Lan’s not blasting music like he’s at a rave, I can still feel the vibrations two floors up, or rather my butt can feel them since I’m sitting on the floor.
Sitting on the floor as dress after dress slaps me in the face while Cami’s emptying her closet.
“I can’t believe you did this! You meddled—you never meddle. You, Tessa O’Connell, are not a meddler, nor are you a matchmaker. What prompted
this?” She huffs, still going through the wardrobe.
“My favorite Jane Austen book is Emma. Why would you assume I’m not into matchmaking?”
“Oh, because she was so good at her job. She’s like the Victorian equivalent of Tinder.” Cami shudders and pulls out a cobalt blue sleeveless sheath dress. “If I wear this with a belt and some combat boots, it would scream she’s classy, but say the right things and she can be the wildest experience of your life.”
“If you can express that thought through an outfit, I should give you an award.”
“Oh definitely, just you wait. I’ll have Lan dead on the floor the minute he sees me. That’s not my concern here. I’m trying to decide what look you should go for.”
“Maybe ask me as I sit here and drown in clothes?”
“Nah, you would probably gravitate toward the sack of flour in the kitchen. Let mama do her thing.”
I roll my eyes and heave myself up from Clothes Mountain. “Just remember, I want all the vital parts covered. I’m not an exhibitionist.”
“Sure, yeah, whatever.”
Telling her about Kimmy is turning out to be one of the many stupid decisions I’ve made in life.
To balance the crazy in the room, I check in with Megan. I’d been thrilled to find out that she and Alex were driving up for the night. With the amount of volunteer work she does and Alex’s internship at his father’s firm, it’s not easy for them to skip town without notice. But I’d been so happy and relieved to know that I’d have some good old common-sense present in the form of the only person in my life who has her life together, Megan.
Yup, Megan would stop me if I tried to tear Kimmy’s hair out. Cami would stand on the sidelines and cheer, while Beth would jump in and pummel her for me.
I love my friends.
Speaking of friends, another person on their way up here is Jay. Of course I’m surprised by Cole’s gesture, considering the newest development in their family saga. But Jay doesn’t seem to know about the real reason that Cassandra and Sheriff Stone argued with Cole, and that’s enough to get him a free pass. I’m happy that he’s coming; whatever differences that he and Cole may have, it’ll be easier to talk about him to someone who is family. I also strongly suspect that Cassandra’s told him everything.
