Make Me Bad(20)

One of his brows rises gently. There’s no smile or wave to accompany it.

I turn away right when Ryan returns with the bottle of champagne and uncorks it ceremoniously in the middle of our group. Everyone cheers and I know Ben is still glancing over here, watching—or maybe I’m just hoping he is. Ryan pours a hefty amount of champagne into a plastic cup for me. I guess I don’t seem fancy enough for a crystal flute.

“Cheers to Madison and Colt,” he says, and another friend chimes in, “He finally let her out of the house for a change!”

Everyone laughs good-naturedly, even Colten. I make a show of smiling even though it hurts to be the butt of the joke. We tap our cups and glasses together and then I take a gulp of champagne, aware of how badly in need of the liquid courage I am. Colten’s hand hits my arm and his reproaching glare sends a fissure of annoyance through me.

“Slow down, sis,” he says, loudly enough for our entire group to hear.

A few people chuckle and poke fun at how protective he is, but my patience is dwindling fast. I only came to this party because Ben asked me to, but there’s no way Colten will let me out of his sight long enough to actually have a chance to talk to him. Even if I did break free, there’s no way I’d be able to fight my way through his horde of admirers—not that I’d even want to. Maybe he only invited me here tonight out of courtesy, or worse…pity. I think back to the way I unloaded my life on him in the library. I rambled on, forcing an ultimatum upon a man I hardly know. My cheeks are two hot flames. I can’t believe I did that. At the time, it felt daring, like I was finally taking control and steering things in the direction of my choosing. Now, it feels silly, pathetic. What kind of person enlists a total stranger to help her lose her virginity?

Oh my god. The entire idea of it slams into me like a Mack truck. I need to sit down or throw up. I glance around, trying to find a piece of furniture within reach in case I need it, but Jake’s taken everything out of the living room so there’s more space for people to gather.

I’m stuck standing unless I want to try to lean against that fancy modern sculpture of a hand over near the fireplace. Where are the folding chairs?! The card tables covered in plastic tablecloths?

I tug on Colten’s arm. “I’m going to use the bathroom,” I announce, not waiting for him to protest before I break away from the group and turn down a side hallway. The line is ten people deep and I don’t actually have to go, so there’s no point in standing there. Besides, if I’m gone that long, Colten will assume I’ve been abducted.

I start down another hallway that looks promising, telling myself I have a good five minutes before I have to return to my overbearing chaperone. I pass a bedroom and a home gym. At the end of the hall, I peek past a doorway and am inspecting the inside of a library that makes my heart pitter patter with jealousy when a cool, hard voice speaks behind me.

“The library’s off limits.”

I turn and jump out of my skin, my free hand flying to my chest. I manage to save most of my champagne from landing on Jake’s polished black wood floors by absorbing it all into the front of my dress. Wonderful. I can see the outline of my lacy bra.

Ben is standing a few feet away, somehow here in this hallway with me even though he belongs back there in the crowded living room. The overhead light is off, a deterrent meant to keep people out of this area of the condo. I didn’t heed the warning, and apparently, Ben didn’t either. Without the lights, he’s half cast in shadow, watching me. We’re alone, and that knowledge sends my heart into a race I’m not sure it’ll win.

“I wasn’t going to go in,” I say hurriedly, embarrassed to have been caught snooping.

Ben is still standing there, the very edge of his lips barely lifted. His cheek wants to dimple, but he won’t let it.

“Shame,” he says before stepping forward, grabbing my hand, and tugging me inside. My body whirls after him. The door slams closed behind us. I stand stock-still near the entrance of the room while Ben continues inside, his hand releasing mine, leaving it cold and bereft. The sound of his boots against the wood floor is the only noise beyond the waves crashing against the shore. Like in the hallway, the lights are off, but with the large windows, the moonlight is enough to illuminate Ben as he wanders over to peruse Jake’s collection of books.

I watch him with bated breath. It’s comical that I thought we were alone a moment ago in the hallway because now we truly are.

I reach for the door handle behind me. “My brother—”

He glances at me over his shoulder, wearing a bored expression. “Is currently in the middle of a conversation with Norah Adler. She’s doing it as a favor to me.”

My eyes widen. “Why would you do that?”

He goes back to browsing the rows of books, his finger trailing along the spines as he replies, “Because your brother wasn’t going to let me talk to you. I had to get creative.”

The admission sends a thrill ricocheting through me. He wanted to talk to me. He wants me here. Then a realization hits me. I frown, worried for Colten. “You shouldn’t have done that. He really likes Norah.”

Ben nods, not at all shocked by the revelation. “It’s exactly why I asked her to occupy him. Anyone else and he might not be distracted enough to forget his role.”

“His role?”