“If you would just let me talk to you, then we could fix this…fix us”
“There’s nothing left to fix!”
I start to tell him off, but Tate speaks over me. “Man, no one knew you had a steady girlfriend, not until she showed up at the yearend party. And after that, all you did was bitch about her.”
Shit, I wasn’t expecting to hear that. It stings but I’m not surprised really. Keith had me fooled way too long for me to care now. He hurt me, but he didn’t get the best of me. He’ll never get those pieces of me again. I’m saving them for a man who will love me, a man who will cherish me when the time is right. And now isn’t the time. I’ve come too far since I nearly blew it.
“Well of course, I wasn’t gonna get razzed by the guys about what went down.” He lets out an annoyed breath as if he can’t believe Tate isn’t with him on this.
Jerk.
“Learn how to treat women better.” Tate squeezes my waist, and I’m just wow, in shock right now. “Come on, babe, let’s get going.” He pulls me along, totally manhandling me in a protective manner. It’s kinda hot. I don’t want to like Tate. Despite his actions, he’s still a jock and a frat turd.
Once we are inside the building and away from Keith’s glare, I pull away. “That really wasn’t necessary but thank you. He’s been bugging me since our breakup,” I confide.
“He keeps bugging you…let me know. That guy’s an ass.”
“Sure, I guess. I figured Keith would be one of your followers,” I tease, wondering what his endgame is. Tate doesn’t seem like a guy who would do something for nothing.
“My followers?” He scoffs, rocking back on his heels with his fingers laced behind his head. His shirt rides up revealing those impeccable abs.
Yummy. I hope I’m not drooling.
We’re standing by the elevators and an audience is forming. Tate King is a guy who attracts attention wherever he goes.
I shake my head and push the call button for the elevator. “See.” I wave my hand around at the gawkers.
His cheeks redden as he catches my drift. Tate being bashful is endearing. Who would’ve thought?
The doors to the elevator open, and I step inside with him on my heels, only he doesn’t enter. He’s holding the doors open with a charming smile that has even me falling under his spell for a moment. He starts to say something but stops when a girl taps him on the shoulder, and he turns his attention to her letting the doors close.
“Tate King folks,” I say to myself, laughing under my breath with a goofy smile.
The elevator stops on my floor, and I walk the short distance to my suite, still grinning like a fool.
Shutting my door, I’m instantly confronted by Courtney. “You have some explaining to do! Were you just walking into the building with Tate mother fucking King!?”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, looks I’m like stuck with him for the next few months. He’s the guy they paired me up with.”
“Oh god, I’m so jealous!” She squeals clapping and jumping like an idiot.
“Calm your tits.” Her small boobs are bouncing out of her tank top. “Seriously, it’s not a big deal. He’s just a guy.”
She snorts. “Not just any guy, he’s the guy,” she stresses. “I swear, if I hadn’t known you’ve had sex before, I would totally think you were a lesbian or heck, a virgin.” She shudders at the thought. “Only you would think that Tate King was just a guy.” She’s shaking her head in disbelief.
“Can you not tell people about this, please? I don’t want random people trying to be my friend, or suddenly finding myself having enemies for having to work with him. Remember Julie?” I’ve seen it a million times on campus. My friend Julie dated Big Will, the starting forward for the basketball team and suddenly she was famous on campus. People went out of their way to crawl up her ass, and when they broke-up…they all dropped her. She became irrelevant, and Will’s new girlfriend was on cloud nine, soaking up the attention from Julie’s old friends.
“Always the party pooper,” Courtney grumbles quietly, sulking back to her bed.
She doesn’t get it, I’m trying so hard to have my dream, to work with the best, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like to have fun. I love fun, but the last time I had too much fun I ended up not getting to dance in the spring recital. That was the worst feeling I ever had.
“Okay, I will give you some details that prove I’m not completely immune to Tate King.”
She perks up instantly. Her face lights up like a kid getting candy. She’s so easy. “Spill the beans, woman. I’m dying here!” She insists, getting all up in my face and dragging me to the couch. “But first, I need popcorn.” She goes over the microwave in our small kitchen and pops a bag in.
“All right, all right, don’t stroke out one me. Sheesh.” I fold my legs under my butt. “So, he was late, and I gave him my spiel about being tardy. I was super pissed, but then he stripped down to his skivvies and that man has a body. One I’d like to lick, if it wasn’t attached him.”