“So, coffee?” Mike says, his eyes pleading with mine.
I sigh, knowing I owe him after he helped set me up with Ben. I take Ben’s hand, squeezing it lightly. “Coffee.”
Ben tries to mask his disappointment, but he can’t hide it from me. “Let’s go.” He steps into the aisle and motions for me to go first.
“Always the gentleman,” I say, slipping past him.
He wraps his arm around my waist and leans in so his lips brush my ear. “Actually, I just enjoy the view from back here.”
I turn my head slightly. “Are you checking me out?”
“Always. If you looked in the mirror more, you’d understand why.”
I wrap my arm around his waist and tug him closer. “I’d rather look at you.”
“You know this is going to be the longest coffee outing ever, right?”
“Hang in there. We have all night.”
“Are you inviting me to spend the night in your room again?” His eyes light up.
“I believe I am.” I bump my hip against his.
“You’re killing me right now.” He pulls me closer, his eyes burning into mine.
“Do you two think you could lay off the groping until we’re through with coffee?” Mike says as we walk to our cars.
“Tell you what,” Ben says. “We’ll get it out of our system in the car.” He winks at me, but I know he’s completely serious.
Mike leans toward Ben. “This girl better be everything you say she is.”
“Okay, you guys are making me feel sick.” I widen my eyes at Kiera, who is walking awkwardly by herself and keeping her eyes straight ahead. “She’s right there, Mike. You are going to blow this big time.”
“Well, actually, I was hoping she’d—”
I put my hand up to stop him. “If you finish that sentence, I’m out of here, and from the look of it, you need Ben and me to fix whatever you did to screw this up.”
Mike’s shoulders droop because he knows I’m right. “I was just kidding,” he mumbles.
“Right, and I’m the Tooth Fairy.”
“You can visit me any night,” Ben whispers in my ear.
“Can we drive with you so there isn’t any awkward silence?” Mike asks.
“No!” Ben and I say.
“Thanks for the help.” Mike rolls his eyes.
“You’d wind up talking to me and ignoring her. I know you. If the girl doesn’t lead, you’re lost, and she doesn’t look like she has much left to say to you. No offense,” I add. This is why Mike was so into Julia. Julia is very outgoing. I’m sure she took the lead and Mike just followed. But he has to get over her because she’s moved on.
“So what do you expect me to do on my own?”
I decide to go with the tough love approach. Maybe it will freak him out enough to act. “Figure it out.”
“She’s into art and just about any kind of music. Stick to those topics and she’ll open up,” Ben says.
“Thanks, man.” Mike claps Ben on the shoulder before leading Kiera to his car.
“That was really sweet of you,” I say, turning to Ben.
“Do I get a reward?” He pulls me to him.
“What, are you my pet now?”
“No, but feel free to pet me.” His devilish grin is back. His mind has only been in one place all evening, and I’m right there with him.
I kiss him, running my hands down his chest and tugging at the waist of his jeans. He groans when I pull away and reach for the car door. “Later,” I say, as he steps around me and opens the door.
“It seems so far away.”
“You’re cute when you pout.” I smile at him, but it’s taking all my might not to pull him to me and bite his lower lip right now.
“Cute?” He looks hurt. “That’s what you call your cousin.”
“I’ve never called one of my cousins cute, but I’ll change my word choice anyway. You’re sexy when you pout.”
He leans down and nibbles on my earlobe as he whispers, “Then I’ll pout more often.” His breath sends tingles down my neck.
To hell with later. I grab his face and pull his mouth to mine. Once he’s kissing me back, my fingers crawl under his shirt, and I dig my nails into his back.
He pulls back just enough to look into my eyes. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”
“Who says I can’t finish it?”
He cocks his head and searches my face for an explanation. “What about Mike and Kiera?”
“What about them?”
He smiles and grabs the back of my head, pulling me to him for another kiss. Then he closes my door, runs around to the other side of the car, and peels out of the parking lot. We make it back to my dorm room in record time.
The second I lock the door behind us, Ben scoops me into his arms and carries me to my bed. He gently places me on the edge of it. Then he slowly removes his clothes, letting me take in every inch of his body. My heart pounds at the sight of him. I start to remove my shirt, but he stops me again.
“Let me.” He kisses my neck as he unbuttons my pants and slides them off. Next his hands find my shirt and lift it over my head. He holds my hands above my head and pauses to look at me. “You’re so beautiful.”
“You’re only saying that because you’re horny.”
A hurt expression washes over his face, and he shakes his head. “No. I’m saying it because it’s true. Mindy, I’m so crazy about you. All I want to do is make you happy.”
“You are. Being with you is so much more incredible than I ever could have imagined.” God, the sex alone is amazing, but Ben is such a sweet guy, too.
“I can do better.” His lips find my throat, and in seconds I’m moaning and arching my body into his. My legs wrap around his waist. He still has my hands locked in one of his above my head, and as far as I’m concerned, he can hold me prisoner like this forever.
Chapter Nine
Even though I didn’t think it was possible, the sex is better than ever. Ben kisses just about every inch of my body until I feel like I’ll explode, and when our bodies finally come together I can’t catch my breath. My heart races as Ben rolls off me and lies with me in his arms.
Before I fall asleep, he whispers, “Don’t ever leave me.” I want to answer him, tell him I have no plans of going anywhere, but I’m in a state of blissful semi-consciousness. He kisses the side of my head, and I doze off.
In the morning, I roll over, expecting to find Ben, but instead there’s a note on my pillow. “Had to take care of something. Call you soon. I love you.” I hold the note to my chest, breathe out a long, content sigh, and replay last night in my mind. Finally, after thinking about Ben for another twenty minutes, I get up and drag myself into the shower. I count the hours until classes are over for the day and I can be in Ben’s arms again.
I’m just finished getting dressed and fixing my hair when there’s a knock at my door. My heart leaps at the thought of Ben hurrying back to see me before classes. I race to the door and pull it open. But it’s Mike. I try to mask my disappointment, especially since I blew him off last night.
“Hey, Mike. Sorry about last night. We sort of figured you’d be okay after Ben gave you that advice about Kiera,” I blurt out. “Anyway, what’s up? I was just on my way out.”
“To meet Ben, right?” Mike scowls and shakes his head like that’s a bad thing.
“Not yet. I have classes first. Why?” I motion for him to come in because with the way he’s practically jumping out of his skin in the hallway, he’s bound to attract attention. I’ve been doing a bang up job of making scenes in the hallway with Ben. I don’t need Mike to add to it.
“I feel like the biggest shithead ever.” He paces my room, clenching his hands into fists.
“Why?” I grab his arm and force him to stop and look at me. “Mike, what the hell is going on?” Did something happen with Kiera? Oh my God! Did he cross a line with her? Mike’s a great guy, but he’s still a guy. He might have done somethin
g stupid and now it’s set in and he’s panicking.
“I can’t believe I helped him.”
Him? Okay, this isn’t about Kiera. “Who?”
“I should’ve figured it out.” He slams his hand into my closet door. “I’m such a fucking idiot.”
“Mike, who are you talking about?” If he doesn’t spill soon, I’m going to smack him for making me worry like this.
“Ben.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “What about Ben? What did he do?” I can’t imagine anything that would make Mike react this way.
Mike gestures to me with disgust. “This. He made you fall for him.”
I never told Mike how I feel about Ben. I didn’t think he’d understand the way I developed feelings for Ben so quickly. “You’re going to have to explain what you mean.”
“Ben Whitmore. I don’t know how I didn’t figure it out sooner.” He runs his hands through his hair.
“Figure what out? Seriously, Mike, what the hell?” I can’t take it anymore. He’s accusing Ben of something, and I want to know what it is.
“His father used to be a big name on campus.”
“I know. He told me.” What the hell does his dad have to do with anything?
Mike’s brow rises. “He told you?”
I shrug. “Yeah…sort of. He didn’t tell me why, though.”
Mike lets out a half-laugh, half-growl. “Figures he’d leave out the most important part.”
I grab his arms and stare him in the eyes. “I have no idea what you’re trying to tell me or what Ben’s dad has to do with anything. Just spit it out so I can piece this all together or I swear to God I’m going to—”
“His father started Ace’s frat here at Timberland.”
Ace’s frat, the one responsible for that sick Rush Week challenge. “Okay, but you can’t blame his dad for what those assholes are doing during Rush Week. He’s not still in the frat. I’m sure he has no idea what’s going on.”
“No, but Ben knows.”
“Yeah, and so do we. What’s your point?”
He shakes his head. “You really can’t connect the dots, can you?”
“Not when you’re being so damn cryptic.” I cross my arms, feeling really defensive, but more for Ben than myself.
“No, I’m not. You’re just too blinded by what you think is love. But it’s not, Mindy. He made you feel this way. He did this to you.”
“Well, yeah. He made me fall in love with him because he’s amazing. No guy has ever done such romantic things for me or made me feel the things he makes me feel.”
“Stop.” Mike crosses his arms and turns around, like he can’t even look at me. “I can’t listen to you talk like this. Not about him.”
Not about him? “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I grab his arm and yank it back so he turns to face me again. “What is your problem with Ben? He set you up with Kiera. Sorry if things didn’t go well after we left last night, but you can’t exactly blame Ben for that.”
“Kiera told me something about Ben last night.”
My stomach clenches as I imagine Ben and Kiera together. That must be it. He hurt her in some way and now she’s trying to get even by telling Mike lies about Ben so Mike will feed them to me. “I don’t want to hear any stories from a lover scorned.”
“They never dated. Never even kissed. It’s nothing like that.”
“Okay, then what?” I hold my arms out, unable to take this any longer.
“Think about it, Mindy. Ben’s dad started that fraternity. Ben is a legacy.”
“So? Just because his dad joined a frat doesn’t mean Ben’s going to.”
“Then why is he rushing?”
I jerk my head back as if Mike punched me. “He’s not.”
“Really?” Mike widens his eyes at me. “How do you know?”
“Because he’s with me all the time. I’d know if he was rushing. He’d have to be places to get hazed and all that crap.”
“No, you’re confusing Rush Week with Pledging. He’s not to the point of Pledging yet. This whole prank is about getting out of having to be hazed during Pledging.”
“He’s not rushing!” I yell, feeling my face getting red. “Why do you keep insisting he is? Have you seen him with any frat guys? No. Because he’s not friends with them.”
Mike reaches for my arm. “Mindy, listen to me. The guys aren’t allowed to be seen together this week. It’s part of the bet. They can’t let anyone know they’re rushing, especially the girls they’re using to try to win this bet.” His eyes are full of sympathy and his tone softens. “You know I’d never lie to you, so please think about what I’m saying. For just a minute, see if you can find anything that’s happened that might make sense with what I’m telling you.”
I shake my head, angry that he’d even suggest Ben was wrapped up in all this shit.
“Has he ever just had to leave without explaining why? Have you ever seen him acknowledge someone on campus without actually talking to them? Think, Mindy. Anything that might be even the least bit suspicious might clear all this up for you.”
I don’t want to entertain this idea, but my mind betrays me. I think of the note Ben left on my pillow. He said he had to take care of something. I assumed he had an early class, but then why wouldn’t he just say that? No, that’s not enough to pin all this on him.
“Who does he hang out with?” Mike asks. “Besides you, I mean.”
“I don’t know. He—” That’s all I can manage because a face pops into my mind. The guy I thought Ben was going to fight in the hallway. The one who heard me tell Ben that I love him. I know him! I’ve seen him before, and not just because he lives in my dorm. I’ve seen him with Ben. The day we met. He was one of the guys who clapped Ben on the back and encouraged him to sing that song. Realization sets in, and the ache spreading through my chest is consuming me.
“It was all a set up,” I manage to choke out.
“What?” Mike asks. “What did you think of?”
“We—” I have to stop because my voice is shaking too much.
“Take a deep breath. It’s okay. I’m right here, and I’m going to help you get through this.” He brings me to the bed and sits me down. “I’m not going anywhere. Screw classes at this point. Take your time and tell me when you’re ready.”
When I’m ready? How will I ever be ready to admit to what this is? To what Ben did to me? I still can’t believe it. “It all seemed so real.”
Mike rubs my arm, but doesn’t speak. He’s letting me get this out my way. “We were in the hallway yesterday and I said—” I inhale sharply, unable to continue. Mike’s hand moves to my back, rubbing large circles on it. “I told him I love him. God, he was happy at first, but then he freaked out because this guy on my floor…” The guy—he lives on my floor. “I have to go talk to him, find out if this is true.”
“Who? Ben?”
“No. The guy.”
Mike shakes his head. “Mindy, they’re frat buddies, or wannabe pledge buddies. He wouldn’t rat Ben out to you. It’s against the rules of Rush Week. They can’t sabotage each other because it’s,” he pauses to make air quotes, “‘unbecoming of a brother’. They wouldn’t be allowed to pledge after doing something like that.”
“But Ben was so freaked out when that guy saw us and heard me.”
“He must have thought the guy was going to screw things up for him because he interrupted the moment. You know like having an audience would make you change your mind or something.”
I stand up, unable to sit still with all the emotions welling up inside me. “Because that was the moment I won the Rush Week bet for Ben. The moment I took a huge chance and opened myself up to him. The moment I said I loved him.” My heart stops. No. Ben can’t be rushing. That would mean he lied about everything. That he doesn’t love me, doesn’t even care about me. “No. Mike, you have to be wrong.” I let my arms fall to my sides.
“Mindy, I feel awful. I told him all about you. I pus
hed you in his direction. I should’ve asked around about him first, but I didn’t. I’m so sorry. Look, we know the truth now, so this whole thing is over. You don’t ever have to see him again. I’ll make sure he stays away from you. I promise.” He stands up and pulls me in for a hug, and I’m thankful because I can’t support my own weight anymore. Not now that I know the reason Ben chose me that day at the social. He chose me to win a bet. I was never anything more to him than a way to win Rush Week and be the big shot of the pledge class so he could follow in his father’s footsteps.
Chapter Ten
I skip all my classes. Mike offers to stay with me, but I can’t face anyone, not even him. I feel like such an idiot for falling for Ben. I should’ve known guys don’t act like him in real life. He was too good to be true, but I kept telling myself to just go with it and be happy. Now look what it got me. A soggy pillow, red eyes, and a broken heart.
My cell vibrates with a text from Ben. Finally done for the day. On my way to your room.
I don’t respond. What I need to say to him, I have to say in person. Unlike him, I’m going to be honest. I’m going to tell him to his face what a complete dick he is. I run a brush through my hair and wipe the tears from my face. About five minutes later, Ben knocks on my door. I take a deep breath, preparing myself to face the guy who used me.
I open the door and see Ben holding a bouquet of flowers. With one look at my puffy eyes he reaches for my face, but I slap his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
“Mindy, what’s wrong?” Before I can stop him, he steps into the room and wraps his arms around me.
I can smell the flowers against my back as he holds me tight. My traitorous body leans into him for a moment, but then I come to my senses and push my hands against his chest. “Stop.” I pull away from him and walk across the room.
“I don’t understand. Did I do something?”
Tears are streaming down my cheeks again. “Why me?”
“What?” His footsteps sound on the floor behind me, but I whirl around and hold my hand up.
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