Shark Bait (The Grab Your Pole Series)

by Cooksey, Jenn

  “Ahh, several things actually.” He stopped to clear his throat and then continued. “First, I certainly wouldn’t call you a prude…that would be just as ridiculous as it is completely untrue. And as far as my expectations go…well, you’ve already exceeded them so you can quit stressing. I’ve been waiting for somebody like you for a really long time and I’ll be damned if I let myself screw this up by wanting more than what I’ve already been given.”

  I’m kind of stunned. I mean really, that was very touching and I’m finding myself actually holding back some tears… I did however take note of the fact that he hadn’t mentioned anything about my candidacy for having a white wedding. And yes, now Billy Idol’s voice has replaced Danny Elfman’s. You know, my head is like a freaking disco sometimes. Maybe I should think about hanging a sparkly ball in there.

  Anyhow, Tristan had said several things were going through his mind but he only told me two. And well, since we’re talking...

  “You’re editing again, what didn’t you tell me?”

  He chuckled.

  My face started to heat up.

  “I think God has a wicked sense of humor, Camie.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, don’t you find it just a little bit twisted that He made a ah…promiscuous reprobate and a chaste ingénue rather perfect for each other, threw them together without warning and then for kicks, He tossed in an inordinate amount of sexual attraction and tension into the mix? It’s like He’s created His own warped version of Thunderdome. I’ll bet He’s even got Himself a bag of popcorn.”

  I couldn’t help laughing at the truth of Tristan’s description and in case you didn’t grasp what he just did there, I’ll explain. He’s using his more than decent vocabulary and movie knowledge to be polite. Allow me to translate: Chaste = Virginal. Ingénue = Innocent or inexperienced girl. Promiscuous reprobate = Um, well…pretty much the opposite. Thunderdome = A Mel Gibson movie entitled Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in which two men enter a giant cage and fight until one of them is dead.

  “I can totally see that…but um…does my lack of experience bother you?” I’m kind of hesitant to know the answer to this but he’s right, there’s too much potential for awkwardness between us so we need to get this stuff out of the way.

  He chuckled again and his eyes grew one more shade darker.

  My palms started to tingle.

  “Honestly Camie, it really does, just not in the way you’re thinking.”

  “Explain please.” Damn. I knew it would bother him, but what I don’t understand is how it could bother him in any other way than what I’m thinking.

  “Alright, well first of all I’m sure you’re thinking I was irritated or disappointed or something to that effect by what you told me.” Right again…ugh. “But here’s the thing…I wouldn’t have had a clue I was the first guy to ever kiss you let alone all the rest of it if you hadn’t enlightened me. So was I surprised by what you told me? Definitely. Irritated? Hell no. Disappointed? Not in the least. Totally turned on? More than ever.

  “What I mean, Camie, is I don’t think you can truly appreciate how hot I find the fact that no one else has ever touched you…really, it makes me want you just that much more. And that’s why I know God must be laughing His ass off right now. Hell, He just watched me sign a damned contract that essentially guarantees I’ll be spending the foreseeable future being completely sexually frustrated and learning patience of all things.”

  Oddly enough, I don’t feel embarrassed or vulnerable anymore. I think what Tristan just gave me wasn’t just a verbal reassurance. He gave me power. Over him. And judging from his expression, he not only knows it, but he did it on purpose. He just willingly, albeit not in these exact words, told me that he’s completely at my mercy. And, he’s okay with it.

  I started giggling. A lot.

  Tristan turned the underside of his wrist over and checked the time on his watch. Then he hauled me to my feet and gave me a warning before shoving me into the passenger seat of his car.

  “Be careful, Camie… Lemme just remind you that I’m not without my own power over you. I remember perfectly well why you want the first base part of our contract and if you don’t play fair, I might be tempted to use your weakness to my advantage. Even though I’m gonna make a concerted effort to adhere to your guidelines, it’s not always the best idea to tease someone who knows the rules better…I’m just sayin’.”

  Well maybe he’s not quite as okay with it as I first thought, but still…

  “You wouldn’t…”

  “Try me.”

  “Tristan, I’m so not gonna dare you to seduce me.” I’d lose. In a big way, and in a hurry.

  “Ah well, see that’s a whole other game…wanna play?”

  I started laughing again because his eyes are back to normal and totally sparkling so I know I’m out of the woods. “Only if you’re cool with me choosing truth every time.”

  “Actually, I’m good either way…there’s something I’m dying to know, but I don’t want you freaking out, so…truth or dare?”

  Shit.

  So I’m either dared to do something I’m not ready for, but will probably enjoy, or I’ll have to tell him something that he thinks I’ll freak out about. What to do, what do to...

  “You’re a total pain in the ass…okay, truth.” Hopefully it won’t be that bad. I would’ve chosen dare, only to mess with him, but we’ll be back at school any minute.

  “So says the pot of the kettle.”

  “Just ask your damned question.” He actually just called me a pain in the ass as well, the big loveable jerk.

  “Alright, no freaking out… How did you know about the cheerleader?”

  Ah. Well I’ve totally moved past that so I’m in no danger of freaking out, but I think I’ll have a little fun with him. “I’ll tell you, but you have to tell me something first.”

  He started laughing and then gave me a grin that warmed the cockles of my heart. That’s right, I said cockles. “That’s my girl, already breaking the rules of the game…not that I’m gonna necessarily play along, but what do I have to tell you first?”

  “Well, I kinda feel bad calling her ‘the cheerleader’ so, I’ll tell you how I know about her if you can tell me what her name is.”

  “Easy.”

  “Tristan!”

  He started cracking up. “That’s not what I meant! It’s true, but totally not what I meant… Are you sure you wanna know?”

  “You’re the one who wanted to play…”

  “True. Alright, her name is Samantha. Now, how’d you know? Was it Jeff or Kate?”

  “What do you plan on doing to whoever it was?”

  “Umm. Nothing?”

  “Tristan…”

  “Okay, I won’t inflict any bodily damage, but can I at least shout at them?”

  “Fine by me. In fact, you’ll need to in order to be heard…”

  “Huh?”

  “Well, you don’t really know the person who told me.”

  “Explain.”

  “It was Derek’s friend, Brandon.”

  “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?”

  “Nope. I didn’t know you guys kinda know each other so I brought Derek to that game to torment y—”

  “Nice. It actually worked better that I did know him, especially after seeing you with him over the summer.”

  “Thanks.”

  I’m not ready to throw my cousin under the bus for having aided and abetted me in my scheme so that’s why I’m not telling Tristan that Derek had actually been in on the torment, and why I simply accepted his compliment without further explanation and continued.

  “Anyway, he brought Brandon along and when I mentioned your name, he told both Derek and me about your um...grand slam…you’re Brandon’s hero by the way.”

  “Beautiful. How did he find out? Because if memory serves, she didn’t want her boyfriend finding out…”

  “She’s a girl, Tristan. Girls talk to their b
est friends.”

  “Brandon’s her best friend?” For being as smart as he is, this just goes to show how dense guys can be sometimes…hilarious.

  “No, you dork. Sara is and—you know what, here… I’ll show you.”

  I pulled my phone out and brought up the infamous email that Brandon copied himself on, which he then forwarded to Derek, who in turn forwarded it to me without having been asked. Then I handed Tristan my phone after he pulled into the parking lot of school. Originally, I’d been too afraid to read it when Derek sent it to me, then there was that whole thing with invading Tristan’s privacy, and after that…well, I kind of forgot about it until now so all I still know is what Brandon blabbed.

  I watched Tristan’s face as he read what I’m assuming is a rather personal and detailed account of what happened and I had to seriously force myself to not laugh as his expression went from mild curiosity to astonished disbelief, and then, to being utterly horrified. Then, and without any warning, he started typing out something on my phone. I lunged to try to grab it back. I failed. Most of the time I love that he’s big and strong, but not when he’s being a snot.

  “Give it back!”

  “Uh-uh…not until I’m done.”

  “What are you doing?!”

  “Forwarding it to myself so I have the contacts, aaanndd there. I’m done.”

  He tossed my phone back and gave me a look I couldn’t quite decipher. But then when I looked through the email history, the message was gone.

  “Wait, I think you deleted it…”

  “Hell yeah I deleted it! Do you seriously think I want you re-reading that?”

  “I never read it in the first place, you ass!”

  He started laughing again while typing out a message on his own phone. “Thank God for small favors…”

  “At least tell me how you convinced her to get back together with her boyfriend.” I really was curious about that part.

  “Oh look, a butterfly…”

  I rolled my eyes at his attempt to distract me. “I wanna know!”

  “I’m sure you do.”

  “Come on, Tristan, please?” Begging can’t hurt. I can’t stand being told no; it totally grates and just makes me want to know that much more.

  “Maybe the next time we play.” He’s totally teasing me now, the brat.

  “Fine. I’ll just have Derek send it to me again.” Ha! Two can play at that game.

  “He won’t.” I don’t know how he can be so confident about that, but he sounds pretty damned sure.

  “Why the hell not? He sent it to me in the first place and I didn’t even ask!”

  “Guy code…I just sent him a text reminding him.”

  “So? He’s my cousin, I think that trumps your stupid code or whatever.”

  “Not when I can play the MaryAnn card, which I’m more than prepared to do and told him so.” That sneaky son of a bitch...he just blackmailed my cousin. And, he’s typing again.

  “Who are you texting now?”

  “Not texting, I’m emailing the person responsible for that serious infringement of privacy, not to mention the partial cause of that huge fuckin’ fight we had…I’ll let her take care of Sara and Brandon.”

  Ah. I think I get it now…he’s totally pissed, but knows he doesn’t really have the right to be. It’s kind of funny. And yeah, if I were Samantha, I’d be ready to murder both of them, so I’m sure she’ll respond exactly the way he expects her to.

  We were walking up to the office for our passes when he got a text—which he actually had the nerve to show me with an extremely smug and distinctly amused look on his face.

  Derek: done deal. but i gotta say…bravo man.

  “Whatever.”

  Apparently my irritation amused him further because he started laughing again.

  “What’s so funny?” Jeff asked from the office window.

  “Camie’s learning to play hard ball and she’s not thrilled about it.”

  “You suck.” I grabbed my pass and went to leave before Tristan caught me by the elbow, still chuckling at me.

  “Okay, I’ll make you a deal…I’m kinda bent about that whole thing and I don’t wanna talk about it right now but maybe another time, so if you want to, you can ask me something else and we can be even.”

  Hmmm. I’m thinking I might only get one more question out of him and I’m picturing the scene in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. You know the one…when Harrison Ford is trying to pick which goblet is the Holy Grail and the knight tells him to “choose wisely.”

  Ah-ha! I’ve got one… “Okay, who’s Phil?”

  “Phil? I don’t know a Phil…”

  “Umm, if I may interject something here?” We both turned to stare in question at Jeff who was grinning at us. “Dude, use your verbal photographic memory and think back to our conversation late Saturday night…”

  Tristan studied Jeff’s face for a brief moment and then rolled his eyes. “Oh shit.”

  In complete confusion, I looked back and forth between Jeff, who’s laughing now, and Tristan, who’s shaking his head.

  Tristan took his pass from Jeff, grabbed my hand and towed me away towards the lower quad. “So how much of that did you hear?”

  “Are you gonna tell me who Phil is?”

  “What, not who, and no, I’m gonna show you…”

  “All of it.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He stopped in front of his locker and gave me an unreadable look before he started to spin the dial, inputting his combination. “Tell your sister not to MacGyver the lock on the bus again…there’s a key hidden behind the spare tire on the back. Oh, you can also let her know she doesn’t owe me the box of Twinkies anymore either.”

  What the hell?! He’s the stupid boy she went to help? My sister is a goddamned traitor!! I mean, I love her for it, but, so not the point! I should’ve tailed her like Melissa wanted to! Oh and see what I meant about the little, blonde sneak’s true talent being counter-intelligence?!

  “You were the stupid boy calling in a favor?” I had to throw the stupid part in there…

  He laughed and pulled open his locker revealing a picture on the inside of the door…of the two of us at the beach…one that’s been blown up so you can really see our faces…one that was taken right at that profound electrical moment when he almost came unglued. It’s a very telling picture.

  “That’s a good one…you should see the others,” I commented, staring at the stark emotion captured in our faces.

  “After being the recipient of this ‘message,’ I figured there were more, but anyway, here’s your answer.” He pulled the picture down, flipped it over and handed it to me.

  On the back written in what looks like my sister’s handwriting are the following title she’d chosen for the picture, a short message and her cell phone number:

  A Water Warrior Saved

  Phil. 1:3

  Just in case…

  “OH! The picture and scripture from your argument with Jeff! I thought the picture he was talking about was the one on your phone, but I totally forgot about the scripture! What does it say?” My knowledge of Bible scripture really isn’t what it should be. (Again, sorry God.)

  “In light of what would’ve happened if you’d decided that you couldn’t forgive me, I’d say ‘I thank my God upon every remembrance of you’ was rather appropriate, don’t you think?”

  “Uh, yeah. She never fails to amaze me… You know, before she left that night she offered to make an example out of you.”

  “I don’t even wanna think about how she’d do that, Camie…”

  “Well, I think she was actually hunting for another kind of answer by asking that. I mean she would’ve totally done some major damage if I’d told her to go for it, but when I firmly told her no, I think she took it upon herself to drop little hints that would keep us together instead. Because I’m tellin’ ya, she would’ve never given you her number if she didn’t think you’d need it or tha
t I wouldn’t want her to help you.

  And I mean, look at this picture Tristan...anyone looking at it would know immediately how we felt, and I think it was her way of proving that we weren’t fooling anyone with the game we were playing except maybe ourselves. Oh, remind me to show you the message I got the following morning…although I gotta say, the stationary she used for yours is way better than what she used for mine.”

  “Huh... I didn’t think of it like that. I thought she was trying to tell me to be grateful for every moment with you. I think that’s what Jeff thought too and why he reminded me about the verse Saturday night when you were supposed to be sleeping.”

  “Oohh…is that what the memorizing was all about?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Hold on, I’m confused about something now…she gave this to you a week ago, right?”

  “Well, she didn’t give it to me directly, she left it and an I.O.U. in the empty box of Twinkies …she ate the whole damned box, Camie…but yeah, she left it sometime during that ill-fated party. Jeff found it the next morning when we were packing up the bus to go surfing.”

  “Then what did she do to help you yesterday?”

  “Oh. She told me an exceptionally annotated version of what you and your co-conspirators talked about when you got home. Although I could tell she really didn’t wanna tell me even that much…I swear it was like pulling teeth to get what I did out of her.”

  “Yeah, she can be uber-infuriating like that. Even though I love her, it’s not always easy having her as my sibling...”

  It’s true too. Having a little sister who’s so incredibly intelligent and whose brain functions on a wholly different plane than yours does makes living with her difficult at times.

  “Yeah well, she singlehandedly made me feel grateful to be an only child...well, not really but anyway... I got an idea of where you were at and then she helped me come up with my plan for this morning, but I wanted to keep her on the hook for the Twinkies in case it didn’t work and I needed more help.”