chapter Twenty
The night after the pool party, we met for our weekly house meeting. I’d barely made it downstairs in time after getting myself stressed out over some econ concepts that were on my next test. I figured a break from the books would help. Turns out econ was the least of my problems.
“Girls, we need to talk.” Morgan paced the front of the room. She’d taken control of the meeting before the president could even call the meeting to order.
“About what?” Danielle asked, settling into her usual spot on the couch. She was one of the seniors, and they got first priority on the good seats for meetings.
“It’s come to my attention that one of you may have been doing something inappropriate in my father’s garage last night.” She looked at all of us, and my stomach dropped. Did she somehow know? Had Claire told her? I hadn’t told anyone about what happened with Colt and I, and I wasn’t planning on changing that.
“What’s the big deal?” Jana asked. “So someone had a good time.”
“The big deal is my parents get back from their cruise in a week.”
“So?” Cara looked up from her cell phone. From the expression on her face, Aaron had sent her a dirty text.
“So? I told them we were only having girls at the party. They are going to flip.”
“How would they know?” I hoped the answer was they wouldn’t.
“Do you realize how expensive my dad’s car collection is?”
“Not exactly…” I sat up a little straighter. I was getting a bad feeling.
“Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Which is why the garage is under constant video surveillance.”
What? No way. She couldn’t be serious.
Morgan sighed. “So if anyone was stupid enough to fool around anywhere near the cars, I’m in serious trouble.”
“Then just grab the discs or whatever. Delete the drive. If the sister doesn’t fess up, we’ll find out anyway.” Claire had no idea how unhelpful she was being. Or maybe she did. She had been all about finding us.
“That’s the problem.” Morgan balled her hand in fists. “I can’t get access to them. Dad has it all set up in some complex system.”
My stomach dropped. I was so screwed.
I could barely pay attention to the rest of the meeting. We discussed some upcoming social events, and I excused myself as soon as I could. By eight o’clock, I was hiding under the covers.
“Uh, Mallory?” Cara asked quietly. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to decide how much worse my life can get.”
“I knew it.” Juliet sat by my feet.
“Knew what?” Cara asked.
“She’s the one who hooked up in the garage,” Juliet whispered.
“No way. She wouldn’t have done that.” Cara’s voice was strong and didn’t hold a hint of disbelief.
I lowered the blanket.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Juliet pressed. If it was anyone else, it would have annoyed me, but she wasn’t trying to give me a hard time.
I nodded. There was no point pretending.
“You did Colt in the garage?” Cara grinned.
I looked at the closed door. “What am I going to do?”
Juliet leaned over me. “First, you’re going to explain to us why we’re only hearing about this extracurricular activity now.”
I groaned. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t tell you. It was too embarrassing.”
Juliet laughed. “I told you about when I hooked up with Reed in the kitchen at Al’s. How is this any worse?”
“It was a garage. That’s worse.”
“A garage full of gazillion dollar cars. That makes it different.” Cara smiled.
“Okay. I should have told you.”
“You should have, but first were you near the cars? Morgan made it sound like the video was limited to that area.”
I covered my face with my hands. “We did it on the hood of a car.”
Cara busted out laughing. “Wow. I’m kind of impressed.”
Juliet got up and paced. “Okay. Damage control time. The important thing is we have to delete that footage.”
“But how? Morgan is going to flip if I fess up. She already hates me.” I must have flirted with a guy she liked or something, because she always gave me an attitude. She was the only girl in the house I didn’t get along with, and it irked me. Of course the mess had to have happened at her house.
“She doesn’t hate you.” Cara tied up her hair.
“Yes, she does. She totally does.” Juliet laughed.
“I have no idea why, but it’s just going to make things worse.”
“We have to ask Reed for help.” Juliet said it like there was no other conceivable possibility.
“No way!”
“He’s good at this kind of thing.”
“He’s good at breaking security systems?” I raised an eyebrow. I knew Reed was resourceful, but this would be a stretch even for him.
“Trust me. He’ll figure something out.”
“This is going to involve telling him, right?”
“Telling him it’s you. We don’t have to tell him what guy it is if you don’t want to. But I doubt he’s going to do it for just anyone. He knows you’re important to me.”
“When do we talk to him?”
“Now?” Cara suggested. “It might take time to plan.”
I sighed. “It’s not like I’m going to be able to sleep with this over my head anyway.”
***
“To what do I owe this honor?” Reed looked up from his book when Juliet pushed open the door to his room. It was pretty orderly for a guy’s room other than some books laying out. I assumed we had Juliet to thank for that.
Juliet walked in first, and we followed right behind her. “We need your help.”
Concern crossed his face. “What happened?”
“It’s not about Juliet…It’s me.” There was no reason to let him get worked up over nothing.
“Good.” He visibly relaxed. “Not that I don’t care about you too, Mallory.”
I laughed. “Save your breath, Reed. I don’t care why you do it, but I need your help.”
“Okay. But tell me, does this have anything to do with Tanner? I know about what he did last night, and I’m sorry I even suggested you go out with him.”
“Uh, what are you talking about?”
Reed paled. “Oh. That’s not what this is about?”
“Talk, Reed. Talk.” Juliet took his arm and towed him over to his bed. Cara took his chair and I sat on the floor since I was the reason we were there.
Reed exhaled sharply. “Damn. Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me?”
“What?”
“Being the one to deliver bad news.”
“What’s the bad news?” I crossed my arms. His room was insanely cold, and I had no idea what was coming.
“Tanner went out with some girl he met over the summer. He brought her home…”
“What’s the bad news?” I asked.
“That is the bad news.”
Juliet and Cara started laughing.
“Considering Mallory had her own hook up last night, we’re fine.” Juliet patted Reed on the shoulder. “Plus they stopped seeing each other weeks ago. You know that.”
“Whoa. Slow down. Who did Mallory hook up with?”
“That’s not important.” Juliet pulled up her leg so that it rested partially on Reed’s lap. “What’s important is that it somehow ended up on film.”
Reed grinned. “You’re taping your sexual exploits now?”
“No! It was a total accident. The garage was under surveillance. Now we have to get the security footage deleted before Morgan’s parents get back.”
“And I’m supposed to somehow help you with this?”
“Yes. You can always figure things out.” Juliet stoked his ego.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence, babe, but breaking into a security system isn’t my expertise.”
“Is anyone in the house good at it?” Juliet asked. “Someone has to be.”
“I don’t know of anyone off the top of my head. Maybe a pledge?”
I jumped up. “No. No pledges!”
A slow smile spread across Reed’s face. “Busted. It was Colton. You hooked up with Colton.”
I buried my face in my hands.
“Why didn’t you just admit it?”
“She thinks people will think less of her for dating a pledge.” Juliet didn’t bother to hide her distaste, but I was glad she didn’t mention any other excuses. Although Tanner wouldn’t have been a bad one.
“Well, at least he’s pledging the right house.” Reed smiled.
I sat back down with the sudden need to defend my decisions. “You know that’s not the only reason.”
Juliet sat down next to me on the floor. “And what are the other reasons again?”
“I already told you about how I dated his brother and he broke my heart into a million pieces.” I sighed. “I can’t get serious with another Gasden boy.”
“Do you want me to leave?” Reed looked torn. I could tell he wanted to say something but he didn’t want to overstep some invisible boyfriend rules.
“No. You already know.”
He looked me square in the eye. “Then can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why does the brother thing matter? If he hurt you, why do you think he’ll care if you date Colton?”
“I don’t think he’ll care. That’s the whole problem.”
“Do you girls understand this? Am I crazy?” Reed looked back and forth between Juliet and Cara.
“She’s scared.” Juliet leaned her head on my shoulder.
“No. I just don’t want to be sucked back down into that damn town. I’m better than Gasden.” I stood up. “If you can’t help, I’ll find someone else.”
“Want me to ask the pledges?”
“Sure. But please don’t tell them why.”
Reed nodded. “I won’t unless someone volunteers to help.”
“Thanks.”
“But, Mallory?” He looked over at me.
“Yeah?”
“Give Colt a chance. He seems like a pretty cool guy and he cares about you. And you never know. Maybe he’s better than Gasden too.”
I nodded. “Thanks. I‘ll see you guys later.” I walked out of his room and down the stairs. I didn’t get far.
“Mallory, hey.”
I groaned. Now Tanner. Seriously?
“Hi.” I turned.
He looked at me nervously. “Can we talk?”
“Sure.” I figured I might as well get it over with.
“Can we do it in private?” He eyed the guys sitting around the room.
“How private are we talking?”
“Out back?” He gestured toward the back of the house.
“Sure.”
We got some questioning looks as we headed outside.
Tanner opened the door, and I walked out, carefully taking a seat on an old chair.
Tanner pulled up a chair next to me. “Listen. First, I just want to say I really like you. I was attracted to you as soon as I met you, and I do really think we work well together and should give it another shot.”
“Tanner—”
“I’m guessing by the look on your face, you already heard. But please give me a chance to explain first.”
“There’s no need to explain.”
“There is. I shouldn’t have taken Kim home. I know we were taking a break, but after telling you how I don’t randomly have sex with girls, my actions make me look like a total hypocrite. I’m sorry, and I hope we can move past this. She was just in town for a few days for work, and it happened.”
“Tanner. I don’t care what you did.”
“You have to care. Don’t play this down. I don’t want you holding in these feelings and then taking it out on me after we’ve been dating six months or something. I’d rather you just yelled at me now.”
“I had sex with someone too.” Honesty was easier than I expected.
“You what?” His eyes widened and his whole body tensed.
“There’s no reason either of us shouldn’t be seeing other people. We went out a few times. That’s it.”
“Who did you have sex with?” He leaned forward. “I heard you were at that pool party last night.”
“I was, but who I slept with is none of your business.”
“Of course it is. And it was Colt, wasn’t it? You aren’t over him.” He sneered.
Something snapped in me. I was done playing games. I was done with it all. “Yes. Okay. I had sex with Colt last night. And you know what? I enjoyed it.” I stood up, but Tanner grabbed my arm before I could walk away.
“Maybe you’d enjoy sex with me too. Ever think of that? You haven’t exactly given me the chance.”
“You just slept with someone else last night. Don’t pretend you’re even interested in me anymore. The other girl left so now you want me again.”
“There’s no again about it. It hasn’t stopped.” He leaned his head back.
“We both slept with other people. Let’s accept that and move on. Friends?” I didn’t really want to be friends with him, but I knew there would be no avoiding each other for the rest of the year.
He looked at me and smiled. “This is perfect. We both slipped up, so they can cancel each other out. Let’s wipe the slate clean.”
“Wipe the slate clean?”
“Yeah. We can go back to how things were. Let’s go out. Start fresh right now.”
“I can’t.”
“Tanner?” Aaron leaned out the back door. “Reed just called the pledges over to talk to them about something. Just a heads up.”
Tanner turned around to look at him. “Do you know what it’s about?”
“No, but I think Mallory does. It sounds like my girlfriend is involved too.”
“That’s what we get for dating the crazy ones, huh?” Tanner laughed.
“We’re not crazy, and you’re not dating me.” I started toward the back door.
“Wow. Trouble in paradise again?” Aaron asked.
“There was never a paradise.” I stormed back inside just in time to watch a group of pledges walk in. The group included Colt.
His eyes lit up when he saw me. I wanted to run to him, but I couldn’t. Throwing it in Tanner’s face would just make pledging hell for him.
“Mallory, wait up!” Tanner caught up with me at the front door.
“What?”
“We’re not done talking, are we? You never answered my question.”
“What question?”
“Want to go somewhere? Get a drink or something?”
“No, thanks.” I spoke quietly, trying not to make a bigger scene than I had to.
“Why? You’d rather just go around f*cking a pledge behind my back?”
No freaking way. He had not just gone there.
“First of all, it wasn’t behind your back. And second of all, I can have sex with whoever the hell I want. And he’s not just a pledge, he has a name.”
By this point, all of the pledges had arrived and were staring at us. Some were laughing but more were looking around at each other.
“Yes. Here we go. Might as well just shout it from the roof tops. I’ve had sex with Colt. Not just once either. And you know what? I’m hoping it happens again.”
I heard clapping and glanced at the stairs. Juliet and Cara walked down.
Oh jeez.
“I guess we’re going public then, huh?” Colt grinned.
“Hell, I might as well save Reed from asking this himself. Any of you guys know how to break into video security systems?”
“Yeah, but why?” a pledge I was pretty sure was named Tom asked.
“I need to get the video footage of Colt and I from the garage at the pool party.”
“Footage?” Colt stepped toward me. “Why is there footage?”
“Oh yeah. I didn’t get a chance to share the great news. Morgan’s dad has his garage under video surveillance.”
All color drained from Colt’s face. “So everything we did last night was recorded?”
I tuned out the hollers of the other guys. “Yup. But on a good note, I think we probably put on one heck of a show.”
Juliet about fell over laughing. I must have lost my mind.
“You’re Tom, right?” The pledge who’d volunteered nodded. “Will you help?”
“Ah, sure. But does that mean I get to watch this video?”
“Not a chance.” Colt shot him a warning glance. “That is unless Mallory feels like sharing it.”
I nudged him.
“This is insanity.” Tanner groaned. “Not only did you hook up with a pledge, but you also got yourself caught on camera?”
“Yeah… I’m a piece of work, huh?”
Colton grinned. “You are. But you’re my piece of work, aren’t you?”
“I guess I am.” I took his hand.
“What do you need to break into the system, Tom?”
“Just my computer to start.”
I nodded. “Do you need time to plan this?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll be back later.” I pulled on Colt’s hand.
“Where are we going?” Colt gave me a questioning look.
“To your dorm.”
“We’re going there because…” He grinned.
“We went public. I think I should at least get sex out of the deal.”
“I think I might be able to help you there.”
I led him out of the house. “I’d hope so.”
***
“Are you trying to kick me out again?” Joe asked.
“Yes. I need Colt, preferably naked, and I don’t think you really want to stay around and watch.” Had those words just come out? I was seriously out of my mind. It was like I was on a high.
“Well, if you’re going to be naked too, I wouldn’t mind.”
“I mind. Get out.” I pointed to the door. I’d been right about the perv part.
“Okay, okay.” He grabbed his laptop and walked out. “You owe me, Colt.”
“I know I do, but right now I don’t care.” He smirked.
“I don’t blame you.” Joe arched an eyebrow, watching me as I closed the door in his face. I locked it.
“That was pretty intense. You really want me that bad?” Colt stepped toward me.
“Hmm, it might be better to show you.” I pushed Colt back down on his bed before pulling off my tank top. He watched me with an amused expression as I slid off my skirt.
“I swear you get hotter every time I see you.” He reached toward me, pulling me onto his lap.
I happily straddled him, pulling off his t-shirt. “I’m glad you think so.”
“I know so.” He unhooked my bra and tossed it aside. His hands were cold on my breasts, but I didn’t mind. I needed him touching me.
“I don’t know what made you finally decide to go public, but I like it.” He grinned.
“I’m done hiding. I’m done pretending. The only time I even like myself is when I’m with you.”
“Then you just need to be with me more.” He moved me so I was lying down on his bed. He quickly pulled off his pants and boxers and lay down next to me.
“I do. But I also need to be that person even when I’m not with you.”
“Where did all this wisdom finally come from?”
I kissed his shoulder. “Promise not to laugh?”
He hooked a finger on the side of my panties. “I’m not laughing.”
“Tanner told me he hooked up with another girl.”
“That made you want me?”
“I didn’t care that he did, but then I pictured it was you telling me the news. That made my stomach turn.”
“I’d hate hearing you were with anyone else. It was hard enough watching you with Jack before. Now that I know how amazing you are, it would be much worse.”
I rested my head against his chest. “I don’t want to be with anyone else. I want you. I really don’t care what anyone else thinks, and right this second, there is only one thing I want.”
“And what’s that?” He gave me a teasing look, slowly pulling down my panties.
“You.”
“Hmm. I don’t know if I can arrange that.” He trailed kisses down my body.
“Yes, you can. That’s kind of your job as my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend? Wow, are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”
I moaned, responding to the sensation of his lips against my skin. “Don’t you want me as your girlfriend?”
“I’ve considered you my girlfriend this whole time. You’re the one so concerned with terminology.”
“Well, then, boyfriend of mine. I hope you’re going to start clearing more time in your schedule.”
“I’d clear it all for you.” His eyes locked on mine, and I knew we weren’t just talking about sex. Colt was right from the beginning. Sex and friendship was completely different from a relationship.
“I think I’m ready for you to give me what I asked for.”
“I know you’re ready, but the question is whether I am.”
I grabbed him, stroking him gently. “I’d say you’re ready.”
He got up and grabbed a condom from his desk.
I waited impatiently for his return, feeling surprisingly comfortable in his dorm issued bed.
“You look really good in my sheets, pumpkin.” He hovered above me.
“Do I? Then why are you still so far away?”
“Far away, huh? Are you getting impatient? Normally, I’d think lack of sex would build up your appetite, but apparently when you get a little, you want a lot.”
“Are you trying to make me feel bad?”
“No. I like it. I also happen to like this feeling of power I have right now.”
“Power?” I tried not to whimper I wanted him so bad. He looked so good, and I was beyond ready for him.
“Yeah. You’d probably do anything to get me right now.”
“Oh, is that it? You’re on a power trip?”
He grinned.
“Colt, you’ve got about five seconds to get to work before I’m out of here.”
“Are you threatening to leave?”
“Yes.” I had no intention of following through with it.
“I really don’t like leaving you waiting.” He thrust into me. “Especially when you’re so good at welcoming me back.”
I wrapped my legs around him, keeping him close. He correctly deduced I wanted it hard and fast. I could barely contain myself as he moved.
Right before I reached the edge, he rolled us over so I was on top. I happily took over. I was in that position when the door burst open. We’d been so in the moment that I’d missed the sound of the key turning.
“Damn it, a*shole,” Colt hissed as I tried to cover myself.
“Sorry, I forgot something.” Joe grabbed something off his desk and left.
I rolled off Colt and hid under his covers. It was like a splash of cold water. What was I doing? Was I really ready for an actual relationship with Colt? The doubt set in again. I thought about my dad’s warning which only put me less in the mood.
“Where were we?” Colt slipped under the covers next to me.
“Nowhere.” I rolled over.
“Uh uh. No way. You can’t go from being on fire like that to icing me out.”
“You can thank your roommate for that.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to barricade the door next time.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “Come back over here.”
“I’m not in the mood.” All the fear was back. I’d been on such a high, could I really be right back where I started again?
“I can fix that.” His lips went to my neck and then moved down. I rolled over, giving him access to my body.
Within moments, I was right back where we were before the interruption. Colt had this uncanny ability to relax me. He was also impossible to resist. “I’m getting back on top.”
“Be my guest.” He smiled, happily rolling onto his back and easing me down onto him. “I happen to love this view.” He rested his hands on my hips, moving me. I leaned my head back. I was so free with him, so willing to try new things. He brought out a side in me I didn’t know I had.
I yelled out and he held onto me tighter. He released, and I fell down on top of him.
He stroked my back. “And to think you were worried I had a small dick.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I kind of assumed some things ran in the family.”
“Wait. Are you trying to tell me Jack…”
“Yeah. Don’t tell him I said anything, but I kind of assumed that’s just how it was.”
Colt laughed. “He was always such an ass to me when you guys were together.”
“He knew how I felt about you. I get that now.”
“Really? So you’re admitting you liked me before?”
“Oh yeah. I had such a crush on you.” I left tiny kisses on his chest.
“But Jack was older.”
“And he asked me out. You didn’t.”
“Because I didn’t think I’d have a chance.” He kissed my shoulder.
“Think of all the drama we could have avoided if you’d just gotten up the nerve.”
“Like you would have said yes.”
“I would have.”
“So all this crazy no younger guys stuff is since college?”
“Since Jack.”
“Okay…”
“He dumped me because I wasn’t good enough. I needed to feel good enough.”
“Because good enough and dating a guy a few months younger have something to do with each other? And besides…” He stopped.
“Besides what?”
He shook his head. “Never mind.”
“No. Tell me.”
“I can’t.”
“Colton.” I pushed his arms and rolled over so I could look at him. “Tell me.”
“No. I’m not ruining this. I’m not ruining tonight.”
“Why’s it going to ruin anything?”
“Because it will.”
“Not telling me will ruin it too.”
He nodded as though he was thinking to himself. “How about this?”
“What?”
“I’ll tell you next weekend if you still want to know.”
“What’s next weekend?”
“Fall Fest.”
I sighed. “Oh. Can’t we skip that?” Colton and I were finally making a go of things, and going home could ruin it. Jack hadn’t come home for the town festival the last few years, but what if he decided to? How could I face him? Would it be awkward for Colt?
“No. We have to go. My family is expecting me. Yours is too.”
“You can go without me.” It would be easier for everyone.
He gently rubbed my back. “No, I can’t. You’re my ride.”
“You can just take my truck.”
“Nope. We’re going together. I always dreamed of going to Fall Fest with you on my arm.”
I nudged him. “You’re full of it.”
“It’s going to be good for us. Just trust me on this.”
“Fine. I’ll go.”
“Good. Now how tired are you?”
“Not very.” Colt had done an amazing job waking me up.
“Even better.”
“What are you thinking?” I asked even though I had a pretty good idea about it.
“Give me a second.” He pushed a bookshelf in front of the door. His completely naked body was a sight to watch. He looked so damn good.
I was out of bed before I knew what I was doing. I put my arms around his neck and he picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist.
“Missed me that much?” He leaned his forehead against mine.
“Yeah. Kind of sad, huh?”
“Kind of awesome.” He carried me over to the bed and lay me down. “But you don’t have to miss me anymore tonight.”