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Chapter 1
SONIA
"You failed the test," Joey squealed. "You're a genius. How the hell did you fail?"
"I just did. I needed an excuse for the extra tutoring. You know the college puts students who are on academic probation on the list before anyone else. It's been almost impossible to see him. The last time I was in a room alone with him without a bunch of college girls giggling like mad geese was six months ago at my brother's dissertation."
"Sonia, you're risking your future for what, some old dick?"
"He's only thirty, my brother’s age. He’s gorgeous. Have you seen him?"
"Yes. He isn't bad lookin', I guess, if that's your type, but can't you just ask Vance to hook you up? I mean, he did go to grad school with the man." Joey grabbed a book off the bed and tossed it on the floor casually, as if the floor was a side table or something.
"You guess?"
Joey shrugged. "He isn't really my type."
"Yes, I've seen your type: Jack and Phillip. How the hell are you gonna choose between them?"
"Who says you've got to choose?"
"Are you gonna play them against each other?"
Joey glided her hands over her body. "There is plenty of me to share."
I burst out laughing. "You definitely are a handful enough for two dudes."
"You avoiding my question?"
"What question?"
"Why don't you just ask Vance to hook up something?"
The idea of asking my older brother to set me up on a date was out of the question. The idea of even mentioning Tristen’s name to Vance could end up blowing everything up before it could get started. Vance would probably try to kill Tristen. My brother, a smart guy, wasn't exactly level-headed. After my dad’s death, he crowned himself the Matthew king, the master of everything, the protector of those who lived under him—my mother and me. There was no way on God's green earth that I was ever going to put myself through that kind of hell. I wish he’d actually find a girl so that he’d be too busy to worry about me, but Vance was too mean to attract a girl. If by a miracle someone actually wanted to be around him, she’d probably be locked up somewhere, controlled by him, the overprotective dick. Vance didn't trust anyone. That’s why I was a little shocked that he called Tristen a friend.
"I know. But seriously, Sonia, what's your plan? You walk into his office, and then what, present yourself on his desk like an all-you-can-eat buffet?"
"I really haven't thought about that."
"Maybe you should. You don't even know if he is interested. Professor Daddy seems a bit too stuck up to risk getting hot and heavy with a student."
"He isn't old enough to be my dad."
"What if this backfires?"
"What you mean?'"
Joey fiddled with a lace blouse that I'd thrown on the bed while I searched for the perfect outfit. "Well, what if he totally turns you down and then gives you an F? That would seriously blow."
My hand hesitated, as did my conviction. Hearing Joey say out loud my own fears made them real. Suddenly my plan didn’t seem as concrete as it was a moment ago, but if I didn’t try, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I'd seen the way Tristen looked at me. There was no way all of this was in my head. I wasn’t fuckin’ crazy. "It's worth it."
"You say that now, but you'll change your tune when you fuck up your life."
I shrugged. “Maybe, but I don’t want to regret my decisions. If I don’t try, I’ll never know. Besides, I don’t think Tristen would try to get me expelled. Worst-case scenario, I get put on academic probation and die of humiliation.”
“Or you’re wrong about him, and by doing this you fuck up your entire life.”
I rolled my eyes at Joey, continuing to thumb through my clothes. If I forced myself to actually listen to Joey’s words, I would chicken out. Instead, I focused on what to wear for when I finally confronted Tristen.
I had to wear something sexy but not too sexy. I needed to look so tempting that he wouldn’t be able to refuse, even if he wanted to. All I knew was that the time had come to make sure that Tristen Watt knew precisely what I was offering and what I wanted. I needed to tempt him, make sure the scales moved toward my side, and eliminate all the doubts he had in his mind. There was no way I was leaving that office without getting exactly what I wanted. I wasn’t going to offer him a choice. There was no choice. Tristen and I belonged together.
TRISTEN
The hallway outside the office was quiet. Typically you'd hear students talking or rushing from class to class, but I didn't want interruptions. I'd been waiting a long time to be alone with Sonia Matthew. Now here she was, sitting in front of me like a fuckin' Monet, priceless, completely captivating.
