Page 19 of Reckless Temptation

Even though my sense of limbo about my life left me untethered and without direction, stuck between majors and no feeling of ever beinghome, I didn’t want Tiffany’s so-called ambition. She was obsessed with being the star student of her class and earning George’s approval. Being that infatuated with getting that intern spot was bizarre, not admirable.

After I showered and fiddled with some sketches for paintings in my room, I checked out the window that Tiffany and Rachel were gone. Night had fallen hours ago. George and my mom would be out late, as they usually were for those fundraising things.

Finally. My turn to have the pool to myself.

Glistening under the moonlight, the surface of the pool remained flat and unbroken, like a mirror inviting me to sink in deep. To escape. This restlessness would keep me up all night,and going for a late-night swim seemed like a decent way to while away the hours until Pierce might want to meet at the Cricket again.

I changed and headed down to the patio, glad that I had the whole place to myself.

The second I jumped in and let the water surround me, I felt calmer. Hidden. Buoyant. And not stuck in this rut that I couldn’t escape on land.

Like I always did, I shifted into a fast breaststroke. Laps of that led into the need to switch it up with a backstroke. Back and forth, I cut my arms and legs through the warm water, venting some of my frustration at the world through the exercise.

It was the closest I could get to peace.

But that illusion was shattered the second I surfaced and spotted Tiffany standing at the end.

Dammit.

With just a glance at her, I knew she expected something of me. That stance with her arms crossed, one hip jutted out, and the frowning expression of impatience.

But I didn’t know what she’d want from me. We coexisted with a rule of distance.

“What?” I asked once I surfaced, then shook my head to fling the water from my hair and face.

She cringed, stepping back once. “Ew.”

“It’s fucking water. What do you want?” I wanted her to leave me alone so I could go back to the laps and ride the endorphins from using my muscles this hard.

“I have a proposition for you.” She stepped back to the edge.

I rolled my eyes. “No.” Turning, I gave her my back.

“You want to hear me out.”

I hesitated, swimming again. “I doubt it.”

“I want you to make Sabrina Rosario look bad.”

I furrowed my brow, staring at the surface of the water.

That thought had already crossed my mind. When Diego and I were walking back toward the art building after getting the models a few drinks, I spotted Sabrina looking so… normal. Not high-strung but casual. Tired and messy, even. And when I gave her a closer study, checking out all those curves and her big tits hiding behind that band T-shirt, I resisted the fleeting urge to mess her up a little more. Like she wastoogood, and it made my life more off-balance.

“You’re the bad boy,” Tiffany said. “You can make her look like a dirty, stupid slut. Woo her. Fuck her. Humiliate her. Bully her and tease her. Make her miss class and fall behind.”

Without facing her, I realized she’d stooped to crouch on her haunches. Her voice was lower, closer. “Ruin her, Nick.”

It wasn’t like it’d be hard. When I first started college, I had enjoyed earning the reputation of being the partier, the womanizer, the fun-loving rebel. I hadn’t gotten any for a year now, but before things went downhill with my dad, I was that guy she described, the bad boy no girl would want to bring home to meet the parents.

Spinning to face Tiffany, I kept my eyes narrowed. “What’s in it for me?” I wasn’t considering it, but I was curious why she might think I would.

“You ruin Sabrina Rosario for me, and I won’t tell my dad that Leslie is cheating on him.” She didn’t flinch. Her flawless skin remained stiff and serious with a cool smirk.

Blood drained from my face. I felt the redirection of it as my heart thundered faster. In a pool of water, I experienced this kick of adrenaline in a strange fight-or-flight reaction. My limbs felt heavy as they floated. My skin prickled with more than the sting of over-chlorinated water.

“What?”

Tiffany nodded, rising to stand straight again. “Do you think you’re the only one who’s noticed how funny she’s been acting lately?”

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