I can’t make myself turn around to face him, but I still say, “And you deal with it by being an asshole. I deal my way. One isn’t better than the other.”

              “Is that what you’re doing? Dealing with it by trying to prove that no one can leave you? That you’ll always move on and that you’re better than them?”

              Part of me wants to shut down. To deny what he says because that quickly, he sees me for exactly who I am. I don’t know how to feel about that.

Finally I make myself turn around. We’re close to the street, at the far end of the parking lot. There’s a light above us, but the night is black. It’s like all the alcohol has left my system. The anxiety too. I don’t have it in me to feel much right now. “Just like you try and show no emotions. You don’t feel anything. Like you hate the world.”

              It’s strange, having this conversation about appearances with him. This guy I don’t know…and don’t really like, yet I’m letting him see me naked—those dark hidden places inside me that I’ve never shown before. “Are you going to tell anyone?” I try to look him in the eyes.

              “No. Your business. Not mine.” Colt sighs. “I’m not easy to get along with. You’re asking for a long ass two weeks, Princess.”

              “I’m not easy to get along with either and I told you I’m not your princess.”

              “I need the money.”

              “I need…this.” Need to save face. Need to show I can move forward.

              He shakes his head and rubs his left hand up and down his opposite arm. The tattooed one.

              Then, he does the strangest thing. Colt grins. I’m sure it’s fake and it’s probably the one he uses to get girls into bed, but it’s so out of place here that I can’t help but study it.

              “Then come on, sweetheart. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t make sure my girl got to her room okay?”

~CHAPTER EIGHT~

Colt

              I feel like such a prick, which isn’t usually something I let myself worry about. There’s way more important things to think about than hurting someone’s delicate sensibilities, but when this girl admitted what she did about her mom—and I reacted like I always do—I felt like shit.

              Still feel like shit.

              But I still can’t believe I’m doing this. It pisses me off I have to do this. That after Mom’s spent her life trying to take care of everyone, she has to die and still worry about how she’ll pay the rent.

              And here I am practically selling myself by calling a truce with this girl and pretending to be her guy. I let out a small laugh.

              “What?” she asks.

              “I was just thinking this is one fucked up game of charades we’re playing.”

              She ignores that, but says, “Who’s Deena? I can’t do this if you’re with someone.”

              “I’m not. In case you didn’t notice, I’m not really the boyfriend type. We’ve hooked up. We hook up when we want to, but neither of us wants anything serious. There are no attachments.”

              “Is she going to be a problem?”

              I shake my head even though she’s not looking at me. “No, but I’ll tell her what’s up—”

              “No! You can’t tell anyone—”

              “That I’m selling myself to you?”

              “Ugh. You’re not. It’s not real. It’s not like anything is really going to happen between us.” She says it with a sneer.

              “Believe me. I don’t want you either. You’re too damn high maintenance.”

              “I am not!”

              “And I’m not going there with you. I’m tired, pissed off and done fighting. Let’s just get you inside so I can go.” It’s going to be a long ass two weeks.

              “Fine. Whatever.”

              We get up to her building and I open the door for her. She cocks her head at me, but then shakes it off. “What? Think I’m a fucking Neanderthal who doesn’t know how to treat a girl?”

              “No. Neanderthal’s have better mouths than you do.”

              A laugh jumps out of my mouth, surprising me. I can’t even remember the last time I laughed and it puts me on edge. I suddenly want to do the same thing to her. Let her see how it feels to teeter on that cliff.

              I turn and face her, taking steps toward Cheyenne instead of the door. She backs up and I move forward. When she hits the wall, I keep going. Each of my hands are on the wall, one on each side of her head. She sucks in a quick breath and I falter a little, before catching myself. Closer…I lean closer until my lips are right next to her ear. She smells a little like alcohol, but also like some kind of perfume too.

              “I think you’d like my mouth, Princess. I’ve never had any complaints. I promise, it’ll make you feel good.”

              She gasps and I suddenly want to make good on my threat. I want to suck the lobe of her ear into my mouth. Kiss the spot behind it to see if it drives her wild.

              “Colt…”

              “Yeah,” I inhale. Damn, she’s kind of sexy. I feel her body against mine and I want more.

              “If you don’t step away from me right now, your mouth will be the only thing left you have to make girls feel good with.”

              Her words snap me out of whatever trance I was in. No, I’m not going to go there with this girl, but I am going to have fun with her. “Why? Are you scared you won’t be able to keep your hands off me? Might want this to be a little more than a game?”

              I feel her breath against my face. My dick reacts to how close she is, but I’m still not moving away.

              “Does this usually work on girls?” Her voice is raspier than it was earlier.

              “It’s working now.”

              She makes almost a squealing noise and I know I’ve got her. She wants me—Cheyenne pushes me out of the way, catching me off guard. Turning she pukes all over the floor.

“Fuck.” I run a hand through my hair. How the hell is it a girl can seem fine one minute and she’s puking the next. “Can you walk?”

              Cheyenne looks at me from her bent over position, rolls her eyes and says, “Of course I can walk.” She stands and straightens her clothes. I have to give it to her for trying, but she makes it two steps before she’s grabbing the wall.

              I should walk out. I don’t have time for this and more importantly I don’t want to deal with it, but instead I step up to her. “Put your arms around my neck and don’t argue or I’m gone.”

              She does as I say and I lift her in my arms. We walk inside and don’t make it very far before a girl shrieks.

              “You’re going to get in trouble for being here. You’re lucky they’re not at the desk.”

              Sure enough there’s a big ass desk sitting there. Fuck. I forgot about all the dorm rules.

              “There’s no way I can help her upstairs? She likes me to help her get undressed,” I tease.

              “Asshole,” Princess mumbles.

              The other girl giggles.

              “There’s nothing I can do?”

              “I’m okay, I can make it,” Princess says.

              The girl standing there jumps in, “I’ll help her,” but she’s looking at me the whole time.

              I nod at her and wink. Seeing a pad of paper on the desk I grab a piece and a pen.

              I start to write her name, but scratch it out. If I’m going to play this game, I’m going to do it right.

              Babe,

              Call me.

              Colt.

              I leave my number below my name. I shove the paper in her hand. I stand there watching while the girl helps Cheyenne down the hall. I watch till they’re gone.