Stupid Girl(19)

Tessa plopped down onto my bed, and I sank and shifted a little with her weight. She looked at me, dark brows furrowed, then she rolled her eyes. A string of Spanish flowed from her lips. I could tell they were probably pretty decent swear words and it kind of made me wish I’d taken Spanish in high school instead of French. She looked at me again, and shook her head. “Why did he ask you out?”

My laugh was light, barely there, and a little embarrassed. “I don’t know. It’s nothing, really,” I assured her. “Probably the fact that I’m not falling all over him intrigues him?” I sighed. “Don’t worry. I insisted it would be on a friend-basis only, or I wouldn’t go. I made it perfectly clear I wasn’t falling for any of his wily charms or sex lures. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he cancelled.”

“Ha! As if. And what did he say when you said friends only?” Tessa asked. A slight growl was in her throat, and her blue eyes flashed. I almost laughed again. Tessa was definitely a formidable foe. Glad she was on my side.

I shrugged. “He said … okay.” I pushed up, crossed my legs, and leaned against the wall. Actually, he’d said he had plenty of friends, and that he’d hoped to change my mind, but Tessa didn’t need to know that. “Seems kinda harmless to me—”

“Why do you want to go with him?” Tessa interrupted. Her anger was palpable in the room, and part of me knew she was right. Had I lost my mind? I didn’t know Brax Jenkins. Not at all. “You could’ve just said no,” Tessa continued. “Or screw you. Something. Anything, other than yes!”

God, she was absolutely right. I could’ve just said no. Why hadn’t I? Was it because somehow Brax had put me at ease almost immediately? How had he done that? He was pushy and f lirty and definitely not my type. Did I even have a type? Either way, the last thing I wanted was for my roommate to think I was unstable. A baby. Incapable of handling myself, in any situation. I’d keep the fact that I was more than nervous to myself.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I did say no at first, but he convinced me it was just a friendly dinner. He seems all right. Funny. Different.” I held up my ring finger, and the band burned a circle where it sat, filled with lies. “Besides. He knows I’m out of commission.”

“Oh my freaking god,” Tessa said. “I’d forgotten about that.” She reached over and thumped my forehead, right in the middle of it. It took me off guard, and I blinked and jerked my head back. My toweled head hit the wall. “As if that will stop him? It probably eggs him on! That’s how he gets you! Charm! Olivia! Sincerely. Text him back and cancel.”

A sincere laugh popped from my lips and I rubbed my head where she’d flicked me. “It’s okay, Tessa. Really. I can handle myself.” I smiled and patted her knee. “Trust me. I cold-balled him when he crashed into me on the front lawn. He won’t mess with me.” I leaned back and looked at her. I pulled my knees up and locked my arms around them, forcing myself to believe the words I was saying. “Brax has a whole university of gorgeous girls at his feet, all willing to do God-knows-what with him. I’m sure he doesn’t see me that way. I’ve made it clear I’m not that way. Maybe for once he wants to hang out with someone who isn’t drooling all over him.” That was my rationale, anyway, and I honestly couldn’t believe it was coming out of my mouth. Was I nervous or confident? Which one? I couldn’t be both.

Tessa’s blue gaze narrowed and bore into mine. Several seconds ticked by. “That’s the most retarded thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Text him back. Cancel. Here, I’ll do it. Give me your phone.” She reached for it.

“No, Tessa, it’s okay. Seriously.” Palming my phone to keep it safe, I shook my head. Then I studied her, and gave a hesitant smile. “Have we known each other for less than a day, or has it been a lot, lot longer?”

A small hint of surrender tugged at Tessa’s mouth. “Seems like a lot longer.” Now she regarded me with a critical eye. “I still think it’s a big mistake. Epic. At the very least, please ask him for his medical papers. That famous dick of his has seen a lot of action, Liv. No telling where it’s been.” She frowned. “Cold hard truth: He wants in your bloomers. Ring or no ring. Game on. Nothing more.” She took in a long breath. “His brain … he thinks with his big, ole, egotistical wiener. All guys do. It leads Brax Jenkins around like a magical porn radar wand. It has now honed in on your virginal hands-off hootchie cootchie. Guard it well, chica. He’ll snatch it right out from under you like a fucking bandito if you don’t.”