Page 10 of Forbidden Fruit

“I know, Mia. I don’t think you get how bad it was, like I was an object to him. He didn’t care about me during sex. He didn’t give a fuck if he hurt me. If he wanted it and I didn’t, it didn’t matter to him. I need it to be different. I need to trust them.”

“And you trust DeLuca to be different?” Mia asks incredulously.

“Yes. I think everything would be different with him.” There’s not a doubt in my mind. Despite having the same air of cockiness and confidence as Julian, DeLuca’s eyes held something entirely different from Julian’s when he was looking at me–something unmistakable that set me ablaze every time he caught my eyes. Every time I held DeLuca’s attention, I felt like the sexiest woman in the room and like he would worship the ground I walked on.

"Babe, I'm with you. He's hotter than sin and he looks at you like you are, too–which you are. But you're gonna start growing cobwebs if you don't get that pussy popping."

"My God. Why are you like this?" I protest in mock disgust. Mia turns her head, smiles, then leans in close.

"Nathan's checking you out."

“Definitely not interested, Mia.” This time, there's nothing fake about my disgust. I am not a prude by any means, but the stunt in this week’s class was not attractive. It only felt cheap and perverse, neither of which were feelings I wanted to feel. While I don't mind being ogled, I do mind becoming the center of everyone's joke.

Too late. Nathan immediately cocks a self-assured smirk that makes me want to slap it right off of his face. He's classically handsome, like the all-American golden boy. There isn’t a blonde hair on his head out of place. His blue eyes light up when he regards Mia and me walking in his direction. He casually wraps an arm around my shoulder, drawing me in, and my skin crawls.

"Well, look who we have here," he says, more so to his friends than me and Mia.

"Hey," I offer while Mia gives them all a dazzling smile.

"I knew it was a matter of time before I got you out of class," Nathan says as he squeezes me impossibly tighter and I resist the urge to regurgitate the latte I had this morning.

"Consider yourself lucky, I suppose," I mutter and give Mia a piercing glare that would have Lucifer shaking in his boots.

"You're not very talkative today, Olivia. Cat got your tongue?"

"I'm just freezing, and this isn't necessarily my scene."

"Oh, I could think of some ways to warm you up." He practically jumps with glee. This is what I hate about dating, especially with men my age. You can smell the desperation a mile away and their banter always falls flat. Instead, they just say whatever stupid pun appears first in their Neanderthal brains and hope it sticks.

"I'm sure you can, Nathan." My forced laugh is entirely flat. Somehow, he still interprets it as flirting, only adding fuel to his fire. It only takes one look at him to know that he definitely couldn't find the clit, even if he was being held at gunpoint.

"Give me a beer, at least. I don't want to be sober," I sigh dramatically.

"Your wish is my command," he says over-enthusiastically, like he's a genie and he's going to grant all of my wishes just by being born. He hands me some craft beer from Vermont that I’ve never heard of, but it's an ale, so I give him a point. His taste in beer might be Nathan's singular redeeming quality, if he has one at all. Perhaps there's an endearing bone in his body that I don't know about.

"Thanks." Nathan's friends side-step when I approach, widening the circle. Mia is talking animatedly about why tequila is the perfect alcohol to get fucked up on. I nod and laugh, but there is nothing engaging about any of them at the moment. My eyes scan the parking lot, hoping for a way out. It's a sea of bodies laughing, a nauseating mix of foods and alcohol everywhere. A few pop-up tents away, I see my knight in shining armor. His black hair shines like a beacon as he wears a chef's apron, laughing and flipping hotdogs first thing in the morning like it's the most natural thing in the world. Although Brent and I aren't exactly close, we're friendly enough that he won't find me crashing his party weird.

"Brent!" I yell halfway to him. I'm hoping my voice sounds innocent enough to spare Nathan's pride and avoid him following me around for the entire weekend. Brent squints in my direction, nodding and beckoning me over when he sees me. I don't turn around to see Nathan's face, but I also don't feel or hear him behind me, so I'll take it.

Brent grabs a bun and throws a hotdog on it, then shoves it in my mouth without reproach.

"Forgive me, just doing my best Nathan impersonation," he says with deadpan delivery.

I try my best to chew, but the surprised laugh catches me off guard, sending me into a coughing fit. He pats his large palm over my back. I swallow and try to recover, still laughing.

"Brent, what in the actual fuck?" I manage between my laugh-sobs.

"I see you're his latest hyper-fixation project," he says, brow quipped, as he hands me a bottle of water.

"Thanks. Yeah, I'm not sure how I earned the honor. I had A&P on Monday and he randomly moved to the open seat next to me just before the class started, then asked the professor if he could sign his permission slip to suck my nipples," I say between bites, which is surprisingly pleasing despite it being nine thirty in the morning.

"Who do you have for A&P?" he asks, smiling as he hands some redhead, with a mountain of cleavage spilling out of her bra, a cheeseburger.

"DeLuca," I answer as an ironic bit of grease squirts out mid-bite and drips down my chin. I roll my eyes as I grab the napkin Brent offers me.

"Oh. Yeah, he can be tough. Definitely a cool dude, though. He's actually on the board of trustees for my frat. He'll probably be here soon."

"Here? As in with you?" I ask through a bite of hotdog, trying to stifle the butterflies forming in my stomach.

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