Sex, Not Love(33)

She smiled. “Yep. That’s so funny. You said you were going to a frat party, and I said I was going to an off-campus party. It didn’t dawn on me that we were both talking about an off-campus frat party.”

My eyes fell to her lips. “I want to get out of here. Take you…I don’t know…anywhere but here. But my brother wants me to meet someone.”

“I have to meet someone, too. Maybe we can sneak out right after.”

“Definitely.”

As much as I hated to, I lowered Summer to the ground. The house was too mobbed with drunk people to maneuver while carrying her. I took her hand. “Come on. Let me introduce you to Jayce. Maybe his girl is here by now.”

“That’s funny. The guy I’m meeting is named Jayce, too.”

Sometimes you just know. Like the first time Mom fell down. I helped her up and asked if she was okay. But something inside of me was certain she hadn’t just tripped, even though that’s what she’d said.

I knew the answer before I asked Summer.

“Any chance your middle name is Pearl?”

She wrinkled her little nose. “How did you know that?”





Chapter 15


Natalia




I could barely concentrate on the game. Sex, not love. Those were the exact same words that Anna had said to me about having a relationship with Hunter. The two of them made it sound so simple. Maybe it was. Maybe I was making it out to be more difficult than it needed to be. After all, it’s what I’d have with Marcus if I slept with him. Although, I wasn’t quite sure that was the way Marcus would see it. Not that I was so full of myself to think Marcus had fallen in love with me already, but my gut told me he was looking for a relationship. Of course, some men took you out to dinner a few times and pretended that’s what they wanted just to get in your pants. I could be wrong, but Marcus’s intentions seemed genuine.

The part of me that wanted to sleep with Hunter justified its cause. Sleeping with Marcus would be wrong—you’d be misleading him. The honest thing to do would be to break things off and have a purely sexual relationship with a man who has the same intentions. Yet the part of me that didn’t want to sleep with Hunter—my brain—knew this man could break my heart. I was attracted to him, sure. Who wouldn’t be? But it was more than just physical. I actually liked him. He was funny, smart, outdoorsy. Not to mention he’d bonded with Izzy—a guy has to be something special to combat teenage revulsion. Could I go in with my eyes wide open and keep feelings from growing?

“You want something?” I heard Hunter say.

I turned to him with confusion written all over my face. “Hmm?”

“You didn’t hear one word I said, did you?”

“I heard you.”

“Yeah? What did I ask?”

“You asked if I wanted something.”

“Before that.”

“Oh.”

He smirked and leaned in. “Thinking about what I said earlier in the car, aren’t you?”

“I am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“How old are you? Because you sound like you’re seven.”

Hunter stood. “What do you want to eat? Because if you let me decide, I’m buying you a hot dog to watch you eat it.”

“I’m not hungry.” It wasn’t until my eyes followed Hunter down the bleachers that I even noticed the game had stopped. It was half-time, and I’d dazed for most of the first part of the game.

Hunter returned with a brown box holding pretzels and two ridiculously large sodas. He handed one to me. “So, what did you decide?”

“I guess I’m having a pretzel since you bought it for me already.”

“I meant regarding my proposal you’ve been fantasizing about for the last half hour.”

“I wasn’t...” I thought better of protesting again, which would lead to another round of immature am not, are toos, and instead, I came clean. Rolling my eyes, I said, “I’ve been going over the pros and cons in my head.”

He set his pretzel down, dusted off his hands, and turned in his seat to give me his full attention. “Lay ’em on me.”

“What? No.”

“Why not?”

“Well, for starters, this isn’t the appropriate place for it.” I looked to my left and right. Although no one seemed to be paying attention, I’d certainly eavesdrop on this conversation if I heard it in the stands.

“Okay. Then where is?”

“Somewhere more private.”

“My place after the game today.”

“No.”

“Why not? Can’t trust yourself?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll have Izzy, and I told her we would go shopping later this afternoon after the game.”

“Tomorrow, then?”

“Date with Marcus.”

Hunter made a face.

“When I told you I was going over the pros and cons in my head, I didn’t mean I wanted your assistance. I was just being honest.”

“Fine. But if you’re going to go over the pros and cons without me, I want to plead my case first.”