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“How did you know?” I ask as he slides his arms around my waist, and I relax against his chest.
“Kane has lipstick on his collar. His sunglasses are broken. And when you followed after her, he couldn’t hide the way he was tracking the two of you. Since he knows I would kill him if he touched you, I knew it had to be about her. So I straight up asked him.”
“And he admitted it.”
“Nope. He’s acting stupid. He’s liked her for years, you know. Almost as long as I’ve been in love with you, but Max put a ban on anyone getting involved with her. He didn’t want to piss Max off, but I don’t think that was the first time it’s happened.”
Turning in his arms so I’m facing him, I raise my eyebrow, intrigued at his admission.
“Freshman year. Winter formal. Things got out of control that night, which is why we haven’t had one since. Everyone was drunk, we were all underage, and the police showed up. They gave us all citations. We had to pay a small fine. There were only two people who weren’t around when the party was broken up. Kane and—"
“Cleo. I remember hearing about that. Gia was pissed. Mainly because they hosted the formal, and their president threatened to kick them out. Everyone except Cleo because she wasn’t busted. They were all pledges that semester.”
“We didn’t even realize Kane didn’t get a citation. He helped pay the fine. He did extra scut work like the rest of us as punishment. He didn’t let it slip until a year later when he was drunk that he didn’t get a citation.”
“So where were they?”
“Outside. Talking,” he states, using unnecessary air quotes. “They saw the police cruiser pull up and hid in the bushes.”
“And what? Pretended the night never happened?”
“See, that’s where I get confused.” Colt releases his hold on me, taking my hand in his and moving us toward our table as the caterers begin serving the first course. “I don’t think whatever is going on between them has ever stopped. It’s been going on under our noses the entire time. Tonight they fucked up and got caught; how many other times has one of them left a party early? Disappeared for hours?”
Thinking back on it, I glance in Cleo’s direction to find her watching me intensely.
“Is that why he wears sunglasses all the damn time?” I ask, pulling us to a stop before we reach our table. Kane will be seated next to Colt per the seating chart Cleo and I made. I’ll be on the other side of him, next to Gia. Our conversation will have to come to an end the second we take our seats.
“He wears them because I caught him checking her out a long time ago. He’s worn them ever since, so no one knows where he’s looking, or who he’s looking at. It’s a defense mechanism.”
“Or genius. He can observe the entire room without anyone being aware. Like right now,” I state, smiling up at Colt in case Kane is watching us. “Cleo is in his line of sight.”
“Exactly. And who would ever think he was staring at her?”
No one. That’s who. No one would even give it a thought.
No one except Cleo.
“Come on, caveman,” I say, giving his hand a light squeeze. “Let’s enjoy the rest of the night with our friends.”
“Right. Like I’m not going to be thinking about them together.”
“At least you didn’t see it,” I mutter as he pulls my chair out for me, leaning in close and kissing the side of my neck before whispering, “Thank God.”
“Put. Me. Down!”I holler as I beat my fists against Colt’s back. He’s really living up to his nickname tonight. The second we got back to the Kappa house he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and started up the stairs.
Squeezing my legs, Colt uses his free hand to smack my ass before opening his bedroom door. “Admit it. You like it when I manhandle you.”
“I like it when you hold me close, but this is a little excessive. I can walk, you know.” My words aren’t even close to sounding convincing, the laughter I’m trying to hold back escaping little by little.
Moving quickly, Colt kicks his door shut, twisting the lock, and then I’m sliding down his body.
“About time, caveman. I thought we were supposed to be celebrating.”
“We are. I enjoy carrying you around. It makes me smile.”
“Ha, ha.” Kicking off my heels, I turn so he can unzip the little black dress I chose for tonight. It’s the least sexy dress I own, and I wanted to look respectable for his meeting. I forgot how tight it was, though. Colt’s eyes were on my chest most of the night. “Are you excited?”
“Of course I’m excited. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. And the guys are going to shit themselves when I tell them about it.”
