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“I said it was a bop,” Jenny cuts in.
“Right, that.” Tatum nudges her inflated flamingo head against the unicorn inner tube she picked out for me. “You coming? We can bump and grind the flamingo and unicorn.”
“Is that a dirty euphemism?” I catch her around the waist and pull her back in for a kiss, toying with the loose tropical print fabric of her off the shoulder bikini top. It’s a close match for the board shorts I have on. Before we arrived, we took photos and posted them to our social media accounts. “You go on ahead. I’m going to chill over here. Have fun. I will, because I’ll be watching.”
She’s so pretty when she blushes. I wink before Jenny pulls her to the sandy dance floor the Kappa Sig guys set up in their living room inside an oversized kiddie pool. I lean against a fake tiki bar, enjoying the sound of Tatum’s laugh as she dances with her friend.
I’ve been thinking about my plan. So far I’ve been fine with letting things progress naturally.
Kayla is here. I saw her with the other Theta Pi sorority girls when we got here. She keeps walking by with a couple of them, pointedly glancing my way. I’m not playing her games tonight.
I'm well aware of what she's doing. Her skimpy bikini shows more of her body than not, putting her on display for everyone here to see. That won’t work. My dick is no longer interested when she flounces past me for the third time with her tits pressed out.
I feel nothing for her, no stir of arousal, no tug on my heart. It’s hard to believe I ever saw anything in her or believed what we had was real. I used to look at this girl and think this was it, this was the relationship I was craving, who I wanted to rely on me to take care of her.
What I have with Tatum is more real, and it's a completely fake lie. In her eyes, anyway. For now, until faking it becomes real. Part of me worries if she’s just going along for the act sometimes, but I think it’s my own nerves about screwing this up.
Frowning, I swig the last of my beer and put the empty in the bucket by the bar. When I look up to continue watching Tatum, Kayla is making a beeline for me.
“Great,” I mutter.
“Hey baby,” she says once she reaches me.
I nod with my chin, giving the signal I’m not really down to talk. She ignores it.
“I’ve missed you.” She pouts exaggeratedly. “I’ve hit up all the parties so far this semester, but this is the first time I’ve seen you out.”
My shoulder hitches as my focus drifts to Tatum. “I’m studying hard this year.”
“Studying?” Kayla laughs. “That’s not like you. I didn’t think you knew how.”
It stings, but I let it go. Her opinion doesn’t matter. Once Tatum showed me my strengths and the way my brain was wired, she figured out the best study strategies to help me retain the information.
“Anyway, I’m not partying as much.”
She tilts her head, frowning at me. “You’re so different now.”
I narrow my eyes. “I’m really not.”
I’m more focused, becoming who I want to be.
She moves closer, brushing her rack against my arm. It’s not accidental. I know how she likes to tease a guy into her pants. Or her tiny bikini bottoms in this case.
When I shift over so she’s not touching me, she huffs and closes the distance again.
“Kayla,” I bite out. “I’m done playing around. Can you not right now?”
“What do you mean?” She acts innocent, but the determined glint in her eye is clear to see. “You’re all alone over here. I’m just keeping you company.”
“No, you know I’m here with my girlfriend.” I point Tatum out. “See her over there dancing with her friend? So knock your shit off. I’m not interested in you. We’re done.”
“Cooper—”
She hates being ignored. Her bitchy tone is lost on me as I spot one of the frat guys flirting with Tatum. My teeth clench as the guy plays it off like he’s dancing with Jenny and Tatum, but when he switches from Jenny back to Tate, he grabs her hips and slides his hands all over her stomach, creeping higher. Tatum frowns, trying to get his hands off. Jealousy and fierce protectiveness rocket through me as I stride across the room.
Kayla follows, making an annoyed sound.
“Dude. Anyone can see she’s not into the way you’re grabbing her.” I shoulder him away, pulling Tatum behind me. “Do you not know how consent works?”
