Bad Rep (Bad Rep, #1)(22)

Jordan leaned in close to me and put his lips to my ear.  “What about you, Maysie?  Are you game?”  His breath tickled my skin and I knew without a doubt that if I ended up at his house, my earlier resolve to stay away from him would be flushed down the toilet.  Because I was way too attracted to him for my own good.  And he was way too taken.

I pulled away from him and reached up to remove his arm from my shoulder.  “I think I'll pass. I have to get up early in the morning.  Second job,” I explained, looking up at him.  Jordan frowned.

“Come on, Maysie.  Just come by for a little while.  I'll make sure you're all tucked in tight early enough for you to go to work in the morning.”  His voice was like liquid caramel.  And I knew what I wanted to do with him.  I wanted no holds barred, throw-me-against-a-wall-and-pound- me-within-an-inch-of-my-life-SEX.

But that wasn't going to happen.  So, despite the aching desire to give into those delicious base urges, I shook my head.  “No can do.  I really have to get home.” I turned away from him before I could register the disappointment on his face.  I tugged on Damien's sleeve.  “Hey, can I get a ride?  There's no way I'm driving.”  Damien grinned.

“Sure thing.  Let me go get my stuff.”

Jordan made a noise from behind me.  I turned around to look at him and he was frowning.  “What?” I asked, confused.

“I could give you a ride home,” he offered, looking insulted that I hadn't asked him first.  He just didn't get the hint that I was trying to put serious distance between us.

“That's okay. You've got your party to get to,” I said flippantly, getting to my feet.  Jordan still looked bothered.

“Maysie.  Don't be like this,” he whispered so quietly that I wasn't sure I heard him correctly.

I was saved from having to respond by Damien's reappearance.  “Ready?”  he asked.  I nodded and picked up my purse.  I chanced one more look at Jordan as we headed toward the door but he had already turned away from me and I felt hollow as I left.



Chapter Six



The weeks started to fly by.  I couldn't remember the last time I was so busy.  Between Bibi's, Barton's and summer school I barely had time to breathe.  But I was excited about how much money I had been able to save up.  I had already sent $1,000 to my parents.

My mom had called when they had received the check in the mail.  She made it clear that she and my father were still disappointed by my choices but she was glad I seemed to be on the right track.  I hated talking to my parents.  Nothing I did was ever good enough.  Sometimes I really wondered why I bothered seeking their approval in the first place.

Summer school finally finished up at the beginning of August.  I was stoked when I received my grades and saw that I had gotten a solid 'B' in both classes.  I had just finished a victory dance around my living room when the doorbell rang.

I skipped over to the door and swung it open.  Eli stood on the other side, his guitar case in hand.  I hadn't really seen a lot of Eli over the last month.  We texted back and forth some and there was the occasional late night visit but our relationship had seriously cooled down.  So I was surprised to see him standing there.

“Eli!” I said, giving him a smile and holding the door open for him to come inside.  Riley was at her lunch shift at Barton's and wouldn't be home for a few hours.  Tonight was the first night in awhile that I didn't have either homework or a shift at Barton's.

“Hey, babe.  Haven't seen you in awhile.”  Eli leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips.  I returned the kiss, feeling a little guilty that I wasn't more concerned than I should have been that it had been so long since Eli and I had spent time together.

And it wasn't because of Jordan, either.  I was proud to say that I had held firm to my resolve to keep some distance between us.  We continued to work together most nights, but his flirtation had died down.  Probably because I didn't give him any sort of response when he tried.  He seemed to have finally taken the hint that I wasn't going to go there with him.   I could sense he still watched me while I waited tables, I could feel the heat of his eyes.  And there was still that undeniable attraction between us.  But for the moment, we weren't doing anything about it.

I had overheard Jordan talking to Lyla about Olivia last week.  He had been telling the other bartender that the president of Chi Delta was due home soon.  When Jordan had realized I was standing there, waiting for a drink order, he had immediately stopped talking about it.  He wouldn't meet my eyes and I couldn't help but feel the awkwardness between us.

Lyla had gotten my drinks as Jordan made an excuse to go the kitchen.  I really wish we had been able to build a friendship as opposed to this weird discomfort we felt when we were around each other.  But how do you move onto friendship when all you wanted to do was rip each other's clothes off?  And his girlfriend would be back soon.  So it was for the best we had minimal interaction.

Eli plopped down on my couch and pulled out his guitar.  He tuned it and started to strum the opening chords to the Beatles' Norwegian Wood.  I sat down beside him and listened for a bit.  I couldn't help but compare him to Jordan's musical talent and Eli was definitely lacking.  Not that he sucked but his ability was a bit more forced and put on.  It didn't flow naturally the way Jordan's did.