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A blush rose up my cheeks.Fuck insecurities, I reminded myself. I forced a smile. "Hey," I said, "we're just here for theparty."
The guy's eyes flicked up to the three men at my back. I knew without even looking that none of them had eased their expressions. I forced myself not to roll my eyes. The guy in front of me frowned at them and then shook his head. "Sorry, darlin', frat members only." He lowered his gaze once more to the impressive length of leg I had on display. "And prettygirls."
He leaned harder into the doorframe. I couldn't tell if it was because he was too drunk to keep himself steady or if it was because he thought it looked cool. To be honest, I didn't care. The dress Marv had picked out made me feel hot, but there was cool air in places I was pretty sure there shouldn't be since those specific places needed to be covered. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that those places were covered because if they weren't Knix, Marv, or Grayson would have said or done something. That still didn't alleviate the paranoia that I was about to flash or moon someone at any second with nothing more than an innocentmisstep.
“So…” I blinked up at him, “does that mean I can come in?” Iasked.
“Yeah, but your buddies have to stay,” hesaid.
“What the fuck?” Grayson’s tone cut through the distant sounds of the outside fight behindus.
“Sorry, bro,” the guy shrugged—not seeming sorry at all. “Those are therules.”
“No fucking way,” Graysongrowled.
“I’m in the fraternity,” Marv said. My head whipped around as the red-haired guy straightened and narrowed hiseyes.
“Nice try, but I don’t recognize you. And I should know,” he said leaning back down into my personal space, “I’m thetreasurer.”
Is that supposed to impress me?I wondered. Judging from his tone, it was. I batted my eyelashes and the giggle that escaped my mouth—though it thankfully sounded genuine—was nauseating. I could feel the guys’ stares on my back, but we needed an in to this party. I could feel the slender outline of my phone tucked into my bra cup. All I needed to do was get past this guy, get in, and then I could call Texas and have him talk me through who I was trying tofind.
“I’m a pledge,” Marv said, sounding far more confident. “Of course you haven’t seenme.”
The guy had returned to eyeballing my legs, but at Marv’s words he sighed and dragged his gaze back up. “Pledges were supposed to be here for the setup hours ago. Where’ve you been then,pledge?”
I twisted my head to see Marv’s reaction to the obvious mock. Marv didn’t even bat an eye as he dropped his shoulders and turned his eyes downward. “I left early because I had to go back for my inhaler, man. I was told to come back as soon as possible. I’m gonna get in trouble if I don’t meet up with the rest of theguys.”
I stared at Marv in shock. Somehow, he had managed to go from incredibly sexy casual college boy, to demeaned, un-intimidating fraternity pledge underling in the span of ten minutes. The way he now held himself was discrete, but to someone like me—someone who knew why we were here and who he really was—I was impressed with his actingability.
“Jesus,fine,” the guy in front of me snapped. “Go, get back there with the rest of them and bring me another fucking beer.” Marv dashed off before he could protest, but as the redhead’s gaze came back to me, over his shoulder, I watched as Marv winked my way and then made a left, sprinting up a flight of stairs before anyone elsenoticed.
“You two, though, are out.” He reached to the side and effectively snapped the screen door shut. Grayson and Knix had no other choice but to back up or be hit. And though, I didn’t think the flimsy screen door would hold up against one of them, much less two, we were already drawing too much attention from the insidecrowd.
Already I felt eyes on my face, as the redhead slung his arm over my shoulders and gestured towards the house. “Shall we,darlin’?”
I faked another giggle. “I’m Harley,” I said, sliding back into the alias I knew and used so well in thepast.
“Kevin,” the guy said with a leer. “It’srealnice to meet you,Harley.”
I just bet itwas.
* * *
Thirty minutes—give or take. That’s how long it took for me to get away from Kevin the Creep. From the moment Knix and Grayson had been shoved outside—ungraciously refused entry—and Marv had disappeared somewhere in the Frat house, I had been fending off Kevin’s unwantedattention.
Oh sure, for the first ten minutes, I had certainly acted interested in his position as the Fraternity Treasurer—a position given only to those who could be trusted—insert eye roll—and how he had single-handedly won the organization’s annual battle of the brains. Debate teams. These guys were on debate teams. Not that debate teams weren’t cool, but with the way this guy went on, one would think that he could turn out to be a professional debater and make millions. Then again, maybe he could, he would just have to wait a while since the government seemed to prefer their members middle aged orolder.
The moment he had let one of his hands wander down from my shoulders, to my waist, I had wanted out of the conversation. Unfortunately, Marv was nowhere nearby and everyone else in the party was too absorbed in whatever they were doing—like doing a handstand while chugging from a keg or making out against the wall of the hallway. When I tried to squirm out of Kevin’s grip while still maintaining a smile, I noticed Marv crossing through the room behind Kevin, heading towards the back of the house. My brow furrowed as I watched him slide through the sliding glass doors and into thebackyard.
Noticing my distraction, Kevin began to turn his head towards where I was looking. “No!” I gasped, grabbing his face in my hand. I stood there for a split second as he stared at me inshock.
“No?” His eyes narrowed. “What—”
And I got the best idea ever. The most brilliant plan known to woman. When you can’t get away, don’t eventry.
“You’re not looking at another girl, are you?” I asked sharply. “Because I’m here. I’m with you. You can’t look at someone else. That’s likecheating.”
Kevin visibly paled and I did a mental fist pump. “Cheating?” he croaked, trying to take a step back. But I crowded closer, loving the feeling of my own new-foundpower.
