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“I thought you wanted him to fall in love with me first.”
Aimee’s steely gaze flicks to mine, narrowing at the edges while I shut my trap and silently reprimand myself for speaking at all.
“You want this to keep going?” Her voice is sharp with suspicion.
“No, of course not.” I force a smile. “Initiation night, here I come. Woo.” I pump my arm in the air, feeling like an idiot. I must look like one, too, because more snickering skitters around the room.
Aimee’s unimpressed glare is stripping the skin from my body. I squirm beneath it but stand my ground as she approaches me. “Here’s the plan. Ethan will pick you up. You’ll play nice, pretending he’s your personal sex dream, and once you’re both comfortable at the party, you’ll start making out with someone else.”
“What?” I recoil, stumbling back on my heels.
“The girls will make sure Ethan sees it.”
“But—”
“He’ll be super pissed and humiliated.”
My chest starts heaving, and it’s an effort to pull myself into line. “I don’t want to go making out with some random guy.”
Aimee’s cutting gaze slices right through me. “What’s the problem? You’ve been making out with Ethan.”
I clench my jaw and force myself to nod. That’s right. I have. And they all think it’s been this chore on my part. They think I’ve been playing this role to get into this house, and I have to make them keep thinking that.
Shit!
Swallowing down my repulsion at the idea of this super-awkward and horrible plan, I force a smile. “Okay. So, who is this guy?”
“It’s a friend of Claudia’s.” She points at the girl who’s wiggling her eyebrows at me.
“He’s in my psych class. He likes to think he’s a bad boy, but that’s just to hide his nerdy side.” She giggles.
Fiona rolls her eyes but is fighting a grin. “His name’s Damien, and he’s happy to help us out.”
“Great.” I clear my throat and look back at Aimee, hoping she can’t see through my paper-thin veneer. “Well, thank you for letting me wrap this up tonight and not drag it out for the full month. I appreciate it. I seriously had no idea how I was going to get him to fall in love with me.”
She gives me a magnanimous nod, like she’s the queen of England and I’m one of her sniveling subjects who she’s kindly helping out.
Obviously, my jabs from the other day are getting to her and she’s changed her tune. Like my mother, Aimee seems hell-bent on keeping Jarrod happy. Shit, I probably am too. I did sign that contract, after all.
My stomach churns. The urge to bolt from the room and get the hell out of here is overwhelming. I want to flee, call Rachel, pour out my heart to my best friend, and ask her what the hell I’m doing.
But then there’s a knock at the door and it’s too late.
I’m in this now, and tonight is going to suck on every level possible.
“Hey, Ethan.” Claudia greets him with a sultry smile, leaning against the door and making my eyes burn with jealousy.
Yes, okay, a green devil is pecking at my shoulders right now.
Ethan’s hot and funny and gorgeous and… and tonight I’m basically going to slap him in the face. I’m going to intentionally hurt and embarrass him, and then some confident, sure-as-shit chick like Claudia is going to swoop in and have her way with the guy. My guy.
Not your guy, your target.
Keep your head on straight, Mikayla.
“Just here to pick up Mikayla.” Ethan’s deep voice makes my insides tremble, and I nearly roll my ankle trying to get to the door.
Stepping around Claudia, I stare up at him, my breath catching. Holy shit, he’s sex on a stick. Tall and handsome in his dark jeans and a shirt that’s tight enough to show off the contours of his muscles. His hair is intentionally mussed, and he smells like heaven.
