Page 34 of Spring Break Fling

“Step two is emotional breadcrumbs,” she said. “Give him just enough to make him curious. Mention a fun story but don’t finish it. Say something cryptic and then change the subject. Drive him crazy wondering what you’re about.”

“Got it,” I said, my marketing brain loving the parallels to audience engagement strategies. “What else?”

“Step three,” Tara continued, clearly enjoying this tutorial. “Physical allure mixed with emotional distance. You want him to see you in a different light. Dress a bit out of your usual style—something that screams ‘effortlessly chic’ rather than ‘office appropriate.’ But while you’re drawing him in with your looks, keep him at arm’s length emotionally. Laugh at his jokes, touch his arm casually, but don’t give away too much personal info.”

I scribbled faster, the pen barely keeping up with her ideas. “That sounds doable. Anything else?”

“Absolutely,” Tara said. “Step four is to make him invest. The more he puts in, the more he’ll want to stick around. Make him plan dates, pick you up, even decide on the menu for dinner. Shift the balance of power.”

I paused. “He does have the power.”

“Nope, you do,” she assured me with confidence.

I didn’t believe that. “He marked me. I need him to fix my tattoo.”

“No, you don’t,” she said with a laugh. “Any tattooer can fix that. He knows it. I wouldn’t hesitate to remind him of that if he gets a little too cocky for his own good. You make the decision to be the one in charge. Just like that. You’re the boss. Be the boss bitch.”

I groaned. “I don’t know how to do that with a guy. I can do it at work, but he’s different.”

“It’ll intrigue him. Nikko strikes me as the kind who likes a challenge. He’s used to girls falling all over themselves for him. It’ll be a refreshing change if he feels like he has to earn your attention.” Tara sounded confident. “And besides, the harder you make it for him, the more he’s likely to respect you.”

“And if he calls my bluff?” I asked, a bit of anxiety seeping into my tone.

“Then he calls it. At least you’ll know where you stand, and you won’t be the one chasing after him. You set the pace, remember?”

“Right,” I muttered, still doubtful but knowing she was probably right.

“And finally, no physical stuff.”

I paused, pen hovering over the paper. “None?”

“None,” she said firmly. “Guys like Nikko thrive on physical connection. It’s their go-to move. You take that away, and suddenly, he’s the one who’s off balance. No sex.”

“Right. No physical stuff.”

In the back of my mind, I was not thrilled with that idea. I mean, let’s be honest, sex with Nikko had been beyond amazing. If I was in Miami for two weeks, why not enjoy it? And I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to resist his advances. Mostly, because I didn’t want to.

“Tara—”

“Nope. Stay strong, girl. You got this. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.” Tara spoke with a finality that made it clear she wasn’t going to budge on the matter.

I let out a sigh, half of me anxious about the games we were playing, the other half buzzing with the thrill of a challenge. “Okay, I’ll do it your way. But if this backfires…”

“It won’t,” Tara said confidently. “Just stick to the plan. Keep him guessing, keep him wanting more. You’re in control here.”

“Here I thought I just wanted my tattoo fixed,” I said with a sigh.

“Hannah, listen. Men like him? If you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile. And honey, I say this with love—you can’t go a mile with a guy like that. He’ll ruin you.”

I knew she was right, but I hated how badly I wanted to scratch that itch anyway.

When we hung up, Tara sent me a text almost immediately with a new group chat she’d created. She basically recapped our conversation, letting them know I was embarking on a trail of revenge. Rachel and Maddie chimed in quickly, promising they would have my back.

“Accountability queens reporting for duty,” Maddie wrote.

“Don’t let him win, Hannah,” Rachel added with a GIF of a woman power walking away from a burning building.

It was nice knowing I had reinforcements.