That Boy (29 page)

That's the problem with my mouth. Sometimes it talks before my brain can think.

“God, do I need to get a lawyer just to get you to agree to something? Here it is. JJ, YOU ARE LEAVING WITH ME WHEN I AM READY TO LEAVE. GOT IT?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

Jeez, he's my knight in shining armor, whether I want him to be or not.

Phillip and I walk into the frat house and are greeted by two pledges. They are sitting at a table in front of the door and matching girls with their pledge interviews. One of the boys takes a Polaroid picture (I didn't even know those cameras still existed!) of each girl and writes her name on it with a permanent marker. I get my picture taken, we head into the party, grab a beer and stand off to the edge of the party room, chatting and taking it all in. I keep catching a guy starring at me from across the room. Of course, being the terrible flirt that I am, I forget all of Phillip's rules and bat my eyes at the guy. I watch as another guy hands him one of those permanent markers.

What? Is he signing autographs later?

Across the way, I recognize two girls from my history class. A group of us have been whiling away the boring lectures by writing notes to each other about what kind of nasty things we'd like to do to the hot grad assistant. Due to my lack of experience in this area, I can easily say that I'm learning
way
more than expected in history class.

I glance back at the cute guy. Maybe it's time I get some of that experience.

“Don't look now, Phillip,” I order, “but who's the guy over there in the green Polo shirt?”

“Why do you care?” Phillip asks me suspiciously, in his snotty little boy voice. I swear sometimes I think he's twelve.

“I don't know,” I shrug. “He keeps looking over here. I just wondered who he is.”

Phillip does as he is told and waits a minute.

At least the boy can follow directions.

“Do you think he's cute?” he asks, before he looks.

“No, not really,” I lie.

Phillip rolls his eyes at me, glances over toward the green Polo and says, “Ah.” He nods his head up and down and frowns, “
That
is Matt Fuller. He's a senior and our Pledge Advisor.” He looks at me with squinty eyes and tries to read my mind. “He specifically asked me to interview you.”

“Really?” I smile way too big because now he totally knows I was lying about the cute part. “When? I'm pretty sure I'd remember him.” I look at Phillip quizzically.

“I don't remember
exactly
, but I
think
he saw me giving you a piggyback ride across campus.” Phillip shakes his head at me. “I really don't know
why
I let you get away with the stuff that you do.”

“Because I'm irresistible, Phillip,” I smile and shrug my shoulders. “You can't help yourself. Besides, you
didn't
go across campus, you only went about fifty feet before you pretended to have a heart attack from supporting my weight and collapsed on top of me in the grass.”

“Oh, yeah. I remember. I think you've gained some weight.”

I slug him in the shoulder.

He ignores it and continues, “Come to think of it, I think
that's
when Matt saw you.”

He gives me a big grin.

Like he just now remembered it.

“You probably didn't notice him because you were too busy rolling around on the grass with me.”

“I'm pretty sure I was trying to get you
off
me.”

“Well, it must've not looked that way to Matt because he asked if you were my girlfriend.”

“Oh, God. What story did you make up
this time
, Phillip?”

He smirks. “Oh, I just told him that even though you're
madly
in love with me,
I
don't want to be tied down, so we're just friends. Of course, what I should've said was
Please, just take her, she's more trouble than she's worth.”

I give Phillip the finger.

Then I turn my back on him and stare over at Matt. I'm intrigued and excited by the fact that he wanted me interviewed. That means he's at least somewhat interested. Matt is really hot. I'm guessing him to be about 6'2” and he's built like an athlete. In good shape, but not too big. He has thick, wavy brown hair and I'm not sure if it's his authoritative stance or the crispness of his oxford, but he looks like he grew up with a rich daddy. I can picture him driving a little BMW to the club for golf and tennis. He could probably be in an ad for the company that made his shirt. He would look right at home standing in the backyard of a big summerhouse on the ocean, playing croquet and holding a martini.

Not my typical rough around the edges guy. But hey, I'm at college to experience new things, right?

Phillip, who evidently has been successful at reading my mind again, says, “I really don't think you want any part of that, Princess. He has a playboy reputation and the rumors of his sexual prowess are of practically legendary proportions. All the pledges are in awe of him, or at least of the
stories
about him.”

“Everyone?
Even you
, Phillip?”

Phillip just shakes his head at me. I frustrate that boy, I think.

I smile though because I like what I'm hearing about this Matt. Hopefully it's not all hype. Maybe there
is
a bad boy under all that polish!

Phillip frowns, “Unfortunately, I think he has you in his sights. So be careful, or better yet, just try to avoid him.”

“Phillllllipp, I am
not
going to avoid him.” I glance up to see Matt looking my way again. This time, I catch his eye. I hold his stare for a second, smiling, until he looks away seemingly embarrassed.

Some playboy.

He is cute though. What the hell? He probably made up his own reputation just to impress the pledges.

I think
what the hell
has become my personal mantra. I may have T-shirts made up soon.

“Okay. Then at least stop giving him those eyes. You're making me sick.”

I ignore Phillip's eye comment. “I'm sure the rumors are exaggerated, and besides he's probably not that interested in me anyway. I bet he asked for
lots
of freshman to be interviewed. Plus he doesn't look like my type…”

“What? He's not an idiot?” Phillip interrupts, taking a cheap shot at my taste in guys.

I frown at him, put my hand on my hip and flash a little attitude. “You know what? Just for fun, I'll bet you five bucks, I can make him come over here
now
and talk to me.”

We'll test out some of my newly discovered powers of male persuasion.

“Really? And just how are you gonna do that?”

Like I can't.

Lets see, I have already smiled and given him the eye. (Apparently Katie and Lisa have taught me well.) Next step, make him worry that my availability is questionable.

I face Phillip and lean my body close to his. Really I pretty much just press the whole front of my body up against the front of his. I should probably mention, Phillip has an excellent body to be pressing up against.

“Well Phillip,” I whisper slowly into his ear, “I'm just going to whisper in your ear.”

“And rub up the front of me too?” he whispers back. “I think I'm liking this plan.”

“
No
, I'm not going to do that. I'm simply getting very close to you, telling you, I don't know,
something very private
.”

“Are you talking dirty to me?” He laughs and wraps his arms around me. That mind reading thing comes in handy sometimes because he totally understands my ruse.

“
Yes,
I am! So grin like you like what I'm saying.”

“Why don't you kiss my neck while you're there, just for good measure.”

“Good idea. You don't mind my using you, do you, Phillip?” I ask, as I put my lips onto his neck up by his ear.

I hear his breath catch.

I don't think he minds.

His neck smells really good. I love the way Phillip smells. All manly and musky and quite yummy. For a minute, I almost forget about that Matt guy.

“Not at all,” Phillip purrs, “although if it doesn't work really fast, I might be forced to drag you back to the dorm and have my way with you.”

I admit, I think it would be fun to let Phillip have his way with me, but we're just friends and we don't want to ruin that, so yeah.

I laugh and start to say, “Phil…” when he interrupts me.

“You're good,” Phillip says, surprised. “Here he comes.”

“Liar.” I don't even turn around because I'm sure he's teasing me. It couldn't have worked
that
fast.

But it must have because instead of answering me, Phillip switches me into one arm, leans around me and shakes Matt's hand. I turn around and am face to face with a Greek God.

He is even better looking up close. Because up close you can see he has these amazing emerald green eyes and a sexy five o'clock shadow.

“Matt Fuller,” Phillip says, introducing me. “This is my friend, Jadyn Reynolds.”

Matt holds out his hand to shake mine.

I put my hand in his, “It's nice to meet you.”

Matt shakes my hand then lowers his hand to his side,
without
letting mine go.

In fact, I don't think he has any intention of letting it go.

What is this boy up to?

He gazes at me with those smoldering green eyes and quickly gets rid of Phillip. “Hey Phillip, why don't you go get some beers. The lady's empty.” He clinks my empty bottle with his full one.

“Uh, sure,” Phillip says. He knows he is being dismissed, so when he gets behind Matt's back, he gives me a look that says
remember the rules
.

I look at Matt and then down at my hand. “So do I get my hand back?”

“I don't think so,” he says, literally oozing sex appeal out of every pore.

Now I would have thought this kind of bold move would turn me off a guy, but it seems to be having the opposite effect. I'm kind of impressed. It's goofy, but this is something I could see myself doing to make an impression.

“So I'll just have to stay here all night, huh?” I say innocently, but knowing the sentence has major innuendo.

'Well, at least until you get to know me properly,” he replies and blinks lazily.

“Oh, great,” I say, rolling my eyes in mock boredom, “next you'll ask me my major.”

“No, I already know. Engineering.”

Mr. Smarty Pants, huh?

“Well, either you read my interview, or you are psychic.”

“Guilty.”

Not only is he still holding my hand, but also, he is totally invading my personal space. It's making me slightly crazy. I'm having a very hard time trying not to look at his mouth. I fear if I keep looking at it, I might do something rash, like just start kissing it. I am also fighting a growing impulse to rub my cheek up against all those stubbles on his face.

“I did read your interview. In fact you might be interested to know that this fraternity house was built in 1957. It has some very interesting architectural details.”

Oh really? Let me guess, you want to give me a tour?

“You know, I've heard about this house practically my whole life. Phillip's dad and my dad belonged to this fraternity and lived here.”

“Well, in that case, I bet you would
love
a tour.” His gaze is predatory.

Now I do remember hearing that rule.
No tours
. I'm looking around for Phillip, hoping he'll return with my beer. I'd really like to have something to keep my mouth occupied.

“Maybe later,” I say politely, not completely refusing. “So this interview stuff, seems to me it's just a way for you guys to get the inside scoop on the new crop. Let me guess, tomorrow night you will sit around a fire and score the girls?”

He has an expression of surprise on his face that leads me to believe that is
exactly
what they will do.

“Who told you that?” he whispers, leaning in closer to me. I can feel his warm breath on my neck and I can smell him. He smells different from Phillip, more like soap, but still nice.

“You really do that?” I laugh in disbelief, yet I can totally picture it. It is so very much something boys would do.

I'm on a roll now, so I take another stab in the dark. “And the scores, are they based on looks or how, um,
friendly
the girls are?”

“You're not supposed to know about this,” he whispers in my ear again.

I really don't think it's a big secret. I think he's just trying to get to me.

It's working.

“I'd say we rank the girls on their ability to
make friends
,” he states, like a not so truthful politician.

“So hypothetically, let's say I kiss you tonight, what kind of ranking would I get?” I flirt.

“One star.”

I give him an insulted look, and then I try to make my face look sexy.

“What if I'm really good at it?”

“Still only one star,” he responds,
like sorry.

“I see. So what if I were to say, strip naked and dance on a table?”

He grins, “Although
that
is something I would very much enjoy seeing, I'm afraid it would net you no stars. It's kind of like the difference between a spectator sport and a contact sport.”