Avoiding Temptation

by Van Dyken, Rachel

I hopped over the couch and went toward the fridge just as a knock sounded on the door.

  Tatum frowned. “You guys got any clients tonight?”

  “No, Finn cleared the next three days, and the new trainees took the rest so that he could take off.” I walked over to the door and jerked it open.

  “Hey.” A guy I didn’t recognize leaned against the doorframe. He had a dimple on his chin.

  I hated him immediately.

  “Hey.” I crossed my arms. “You need something?”

  “Tatum.” He ignored me and called her name. “A bunch of us are going to the lake to party. You want in?”

  “She has a curfew,” I said through clenched teeth as Tatum’s hand grabbed the door and opened it wider.

  He looked ready to eat her alive.

  Who the hell was this dick?

  “Um, sure yeah, I just need to change.” She shrugged, “Text me directions?”

  “I can wait for you.” He looked eager.

  “I have pink eye.” Yeah, that’s what I went with. “Wouldn’t want to expose you.”

  He frowned, “Yeah okay, settle down,” An amused laugh. “I’ll see you there, Tatum.”

  He walked off.

  I didn’t realize I was clenching my fists until my hands started to hurt.

  And then I realized I was totally alone, seething.

  “Tatum!” I stomped toward her room. I thought she didn’t have any friends. What the hell? “Tatum.” I jerked open the door and saw nothing but a black thong and a black sweater as it pulled over her braless body.

  I groaned. “You’re not leaving this house without wearing a bra.”

  “Who died and made you my dad?” She grinned. “And I know you’re not supposed to notice that sort of thing, but I have really perky tits. I’ll be fine.”

  I groaned into my hands. “Is God punishing me?”

  “Wait, would that make me your punishment?” She frowned and then showed me her ass as she bent over and grabbed a pair of skinny jeans.

  “You’re not going,” I rasped, ignoring the way my body pulsed with the need to just shut the door and shove furniture against it, trapping us inside. “I forbid it.”

  She burst out laughing. “Oh man, I wish Finn could see this. You forbid it? Who are you? King Triton?”

  “Huh?”

  “Ariel, he’s all in a booming voice, ‘I forbid you!’”

  “Cool, you sounded just like him.”

  Her eyebrows shot upward. “Really?”

  “No, you sounded like you have a bad cold that forced you to adopt a Texan inspired British accent.”

  She stuck out her tongue, then turned and sprayed on some perfume.

  “I thought you didn’t have friends.”

  “Henry—” She pointed to the door. “—isn’t a friend. Does he look friendly to you? Like someone you’d borrow a cup of sugar from? Someone who’d hold you while you cried?”

  I snorted. “No, actually he looks like someone who struggles with how to spell cat and dog and may at times utter ‘me hungry.’ Why?”

  Tatum pulled her gorgeous dark hair back into a low ponytail and then patted my cheek with her right hand. “We met at new student orientation, exchanged numbers because he’s in my same major, and that’s all I know.”

  “THAT’S ALL YOU KNOW!” I roared, earning a wide-eyed reaction from her.

  “Sorry, too much caffeine,” I said quickly. “And for the last time, you’re not going.”

  “Then you’re going to have to chain me to the bed.” She crossed her arms, wearing a pleased look that hit me straight in the groin.

  “Damn it, well played.” I wagged my finger at her again. “Fine, then I’m coming with you, I’m not chaining you to shit, because your brother will have my head and both balls and I need those to procreate.”

  “Good to know you put actual thought into sex,” she said soberly.

  I waved her off. “I need to change. It’s by the lake, so it’s going to be cold. Two drink maximum. Otherwise, I’m saying it’s your time of the month, and you forgot a tampon, agreed?”

  She gasped. “It’s almost like you know exactly how to be the worst big brother ever!”

  I felt my entire body sway as I looked down at my feet. “I was.”

  “What?” She touched my shoulder, her voice softer, questions in her eyes.

  “I said I was.”

  “I highly doubt that, Slater.”

  I snorted and jerked away. “Tell that to my very dead sister.”

  And just like that, the mood snapped. I wasn’t thinking about how much I wanted Tatum or how pissed I was. All I could focus on was protecting her the way I hadn’t protected my own family.

  Funny how lust cools when you realize you’ve been given a second chance and can’t fuck it up.

  “Slater—”

  “Give me five minutes,” I grumbled, and then I quietly shut the door behind me, ignoring the sting of tears in my eyes as I stomped into my room and grabbed warmer clothes.

  Chapter Eight

  Tatum

  I felt horrible the entire drive to the lake. As promised, Henry had texted me directions, and what I assumed was going to be a small gathering, was clearly not even close to being small if the crazy amount of cars and loud music were any indication.

  Slater was quiet.

  I hated it.

  Especially since I was used to either messaging him or verbally sparring with him.

  I’d had no idea he’d had a sister.

  Furthermore, had I known she was dead, I wouldn’t have teased him. And that just reminded me how much I didn’t know about him—when he, without realizing it, knew everything about me, including my past.

  He killed the engine to his brand new Jeep.

  For some reason, I saw him as more of a sports car kind of guy, but the white Jeep was a nice change of pace, even if it was fully loaded.

  I assumed all the guys who worked for Wingmen had money to spare, considering the amounts they charged and the stock options they got.

  Then again, they had a talent.

  Slater stared straight ahead. He’d put on a jean jacket that was lined with warm puffy material around the collar, and he’d kept his white tee on along with a pair of ripped black jeans and burgundy boots he still hadn’t tied.

  “Hey,” I rasped.

  “It’s fine.” He flashed me a small smile. “I’m sorry for snapping.”

  “It’s okay to snap,” I offered. “All things considered.”

  “Maybe.” His eyes darted toward the front of the car as he watched people walk past us and disappear down by the shore.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked in a hopeful voice.

  “No.” He said it quickly, in a tone that brooked no argument, but he wasn’t snapping. “But thanks.” His green eyes met mine, and suddenly the Jeep felt too small; the space between us too big. I leaned over the console.

  He cursed and gave his head a shake. “We should go meet Henry. I hope to God he’s roasting meat over the fire like the barbarian he is.”

  “Why is meat roasting barbaric?”

  “Because he seems just stupid enough to forget to kill the animal before roasting it,” Slater said with an easy grin.

  And just like that, we were back on even ground as we both got out of the Jeep and started walking slowly down the trail that led to the beach.

  It was chilly, and I instantly regretted not bringing a coat.

  Around seventy college students were scattered around the bonfire, another thirty were down by the beach, and I didn’t even want to imagine how many were off hidden in the shadows getting sand in places they were unlikely to get it out of.

  “Fun party.” Slater looked around with a grim expression.

  I elbowed him. “Come on, you really don’t party?”

  “Used to…” His eyes fell. “Before.”

  “Ah.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Is it my imagination, or do I keep making your
night worse?”

  He barked out a laugh. “It’s not your fault you don’t know me.”

  Guilt nagged. It actually was. I could have asked a dozen times when we’d messaged, I could have confessed—I needed to tell him, so it didn’t turn into this huge thing that kept us from at least being friends, if not more.

  And then Henry came barreling toward us with a hot dog in his hand.

  Slater flashed me a grin that said, Told ya so.

  I narrowed my eyes with a smirk then faced Henry. “Hey!”

  “You made it!” He pulled me in for a side hug then gave Slater the once over that I’m sure Slater was used to. “Thought you guys didn’t party much.”

  Slater just shrugged. “I’m not really on Wingmen duty tonight.”

  “Good to hear it.” Henry grinned. “Means she’s not one of the ones you’re trying to push away from all of us single guys.”

  “I think you misunderstand what we do,” Slater said, somehow making Henry sound stupid without even trying. “But that’s okay, you kids have fun.”

  Wait, he was leaving me?

  I opened my mouth to say something when Slater winked. “I’m off to find something to drink that’s not beer.”

  “He’s loads of fun, isn’t he?” Henry squeezed me tighter and then thrust a red Solo cup into my hand. “Here, you can have mine.”

  Something about drinking what felt like lukewarm beer after knowing he’d just bitten into a half roasted hot dog made me feel less than thrilled to take his drink.

  “That’s okay,” I pushed it back into his hand. “I’ll go find my own.”

  “Keg’s over there.” He pointed beyond the bonfire to where a small table was set up with cups and what looked like several Costco-sized pretzel bags.

  Yum.

  I thought it would be a good idea to get out, to get away from the temptation that was my suitemate. Instead, I was wondering why I was freezing my butt off in order to drink gross beer and eat stale pretzels when I could have had pizza, the Voice, and Slater. All to myself.

  I smiled, and then just as quick as the smile appeared, it went away altogether.

  He wasn’t mine to smile about, was he?

  I took a deep breath and went over to the table, grabbed a cup, and filled it to the brim with beer.

  “You like beer?” Came Slater’s voice scaring the crap out of me and making me jump. Some of my beverage slopped over the rim onto the sand.

  I turned and then lifted the cup to my lips and took a big gulp. I was right; it was warm. A skunky bitterness splashed over my palate and hit the back of my throat. Somehow, I choked it down. What lingered after tasted like someone else’s burp. I managed to stifle my instinctive gag at the rank flavor of decaying yeast on my tongue, turning it into a mild wince. “Love it,” I rasped, smacking my lips.

  “Liar.” He laughed and then lowered his voice. “You know you’d trade that for one of my Diet Cokes any day.”

  My eyes narrowed. He so had me there. A quick glance around told me that probably the only drink available to wash down the rancid beer was… more rancid beer. “Maybe, but your stuff always seems to come with strings attached. You know, favor for a favor, that sort of thing.”

  “You’re complaining?” His eyebrows shot up.

  Damn it, don’t look into the hypnotic green eyes, don’t do it, Tatum.

  Too late. I was too late. We locked eyes; so many things passed between us in three seconds, whispers of longing without words.

  And a look of warning. Uneasiness sent a chill down my spine.

  “Never.” I broke eye contact. “Not complaining, just trying to save your life, you’re welcome.” I lifted my cup in salute.

  “I have self-control, thank you very much,” he grumbled, earning major side-eye from me. “What? I do!”

  “Really?” I burst out laughing. “You do not!”

  “I feel a challenge coming.” He grabbed my beer and set it down on the table. “All right, test me.”

  “Are you five?”

  “Are you worried?”

  I let out an annoyed sigh. “Fine, let’s go.”

  A grin broke across his face. As we passed a very sad-looking Henry, Slater gave him a middle finger salute, earning a smack in the chest from me.

  “Was that necessary?” I asked.

  “One hundred percent. He wanted you to touch his hot dog.”

  “Ewwwww!” I shoved him and stumbled forward while he laughed. “Are you trying to give me nightmares?”

  “What? His dog doesn’t do it for you? I bet it’s smaller than your favorite lipstick, maybe even worse. Oh God, imagine the girth, I mean I’ve heard things.”

  I made a face. “Congrats, you’ve officially turned me off Henry, not that I was ever pointing my girl parts in that direction.”

  Slater wrapped an arm around me as we kept walking toward the shore. “Can one point girl parts? I mean, I know what I’m capable of… Something you wanna tell me?”

  I tripped him, and he stumbled forward a few steps, almost flying into the sand. I laughed, and next thing I knew, he was picking me up and tossing me over his shoulder and jogging toward the water.

  “How are you this strong?” I beat his back and then his ass.

  “Born this way,” he called back and then set me on my feet right in front of the shore, where the water met sand, where it was easy to walk and freezing as hell.

  I shivered. “So, I’m just standing in front of Lake Washington, waiting for you to prove to me that you can handle temptation, oh brother, dearest.”

  He barked out a laugh that warmed me from head to toe. “Are you trying to provoke me into action?”

  “That depends.” We shared a smile. “Am I forgiven for being insensitive earlier?”

  His smile fell. “I already told you that you were.”

  “The promise still stands… to talk… if you ever want to.”

  Slater tilted his head. “I’m going to preface this with—this isn’t a line, but God’s honest truth—sometimes when you talk, I feel like I’ve known you for a while, something about your voice sounds… familiar.”

  I swallowed the lump of guilt in my throat. “Maybe because I am.”

  “Hmmm, something you’re not telling me?”

  My eyebrows arched, “Well, you did say you wanted to fuck me out of your system, so it’s quite possible I’m holding my cards closer to my chest now.”

  His face fell. “Fair.”

  “Also, standing in front of the water proves nothing, but nice try Slater.”

  He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me toward the water, the moon looked so big I’d have sworn I could reach out and cup it in my hands. Slater pulled me back against his solid chest, and his mouth touched my right ear. A tremor ran through my body as the heat of his skin seemed to press through his shirt. “There really isn’t any comparison, a beautiful woman standing in the moonlight, with the stars reflecting off the water, any man would be tempted beyond all reason. The way the light hits your face, the smell of fresh air mixed with your perfume right here.” He dipped his head low and inhaled. “Fucking perfection.”

  I gulped.

  “So yeah, I’m proving a ridiculous amount of restraint, because like this, you’re irresistible.”

  “Oh.” I let out a rough exhale as my heart pounded against my ribs.

  “That all you got, D?” His chuckle was intoxicating as he held me tighter, his arms wrapping around my waist as if he was claiming me as his. I wanted so desperately to turn around for our mouths to meet in a frenzied kiss. Instead, I nodded.

  “That’s all I got. You’ve managed to shock me. And stop calling me Delilah.”

  “When hell freezes over.” He laughed. “Now, have you gotten all the partying out of your system? Because I’m freezing my balls off, and I had my eye on another piece of pizza.”

  I grinned. “Moment ruined. You talked about freezing balls and pizza right after saying the most romantic thing a g
uy has ever said to me.”

  “What can I say?” He reached for my hand and kissed it. “I’m a man of many talents.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Let’s go, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for you losing both balls. I mean, I’m amazed you even still have them, all things considered.”

  His lips twitched. “You know full well what I’m packing. Need me to demonstrate again?”

  “Play any closer to the flame, and Finn’s going to kill you,” I said in a sing-song voice.

  “Danger’s my middle name.”

  “Okay, Avenger towel, okay,” I patted his arm, “Let’s go!”

  We bypassed sad meat-eating Henry, and I realized, as we drove away, that I didn’t want to be at the party. I didn’t want to be anywhere but where Slater was.

  And that was a very serious problem.

  Or would be if the way my heart skipped in my chest was any indication. I really liked him.

  A lot.

  We fought over the Sirius Radio the entire way back to the dorms, and for some stupid reason, I wanted to just shove him against the wall and race to the elevator.

  Maybe he was bringing out my playful side.

  Huh, I knew each of the guys had a job when it came to Wingmen.

  I frowned as he pressed the up button.

  “What’s your Wingmen job?”

  “Ah, so now she asks.”

  “She’s curious.”

  “Of course she is. She’s wondering if it’s real.”

  “Actually, I hadn’t thought of that, but thanks jackass, for making me feel even more insecure about every single exchange we have, truly, awesome ending to our night.”

  He threw his head back and laughed as the elevator doors closed and we started moving. And suddenly, I was reminded of the cruel words he’d used, right after touching me, making me orgasm.

  “I thought it was an easy guess, but maybe not,” he finally said as the doors opened again.

  More silence settled as we made our way to the room, and when we stepped inside, I stared at the weird pillow fort that we’d built, then at the open box of pizza.

  It had been fun.

  I’d had so much fun with him—oh, hell!

  I smacked Slater in the arm then punched him in the same spot for good measure.

  “What the hell!” He jerked away. “Why are you hitting me?” I hit him again, “Why do you keep hitting me?”