Page 22 of Before I Deserved You
“What else would I be doing on a Saturday night? Besides, Natasha will be there, and I’ve been working on that girl for-fucking-ever. I’m not about to let some other guy swoop in and reap the rewards.”
“Are you interested in a relationship with her?” Megan asks, and I can’t help but feel sorry for my friend. I know all too well what it’s like to watch the guy you’ve been crushing on for years make a move on someone you know in your heart is all wrong for him while you can do nothing but stand by and watch the wreckage unfold. It sucks. Plain and simple. Carter gives an exaggerated shudder.
“Are you insane? Matty says she blew up his phone all day when they were a thing. I don’t need somebody tracking my every move.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t sleep with her then,” Jake suggests, glancing at Megan with a sympathetic look. Is my boyfriend, Mr. Oblivious, actually picking up on something Carter is missing? Unusual, but then again, Carter and Megan are close, and sometimes, being too close to something prevents you from seeing what’s right under your nose. What’s that old saying? Can’t see the forest for the trees?
“When have I ever been known to make smart choices?” Carter asks, and Jake chuckles. “Besides, nothing’s set in stone. I’m not opposed to other options. I’m an opportunist, after all.” A tentative excitement takes hold inside my chest at the sight of Megan’s anticipatory smile. Suddenly, I can’t wait for dusk to fall. I have a feeling tonight is going to be one for the books.
“I think it’s time for me to stake my claim,” Megan announces while we stare at our reflections in the full-length mirror. You can practically see the guilt stamped all over our features. Neither one of us has lied to our parents before, and even though we feel bad about the deception, it’s not enough for us to back out. One night. No rules. No curfew. Infinite possibilities.
“I figured as much when I saw the look on your face earlier.”
“Ugh. I just can’t stomach the thought of watching him suck face with Natasha. The last time I had to witness one of his drawn-out make-out sessions, it just about killed me,” she moans as she attempts to reapply her eyeliner for the umpteenth time. My friend is determined; I’ll give her that. I threw in the towel five tries ago. Who knew dolling yourself up could be so challenging? We’ve gotten so comfortable around our boys that we barely even wear lip gloss anymore, let alone a full face of makeup.
I’m not a girlie girl, and I’ve never really wanted to impress anyone other than Jake, who seems to prefer my natural look. But tonight isn’t just any old night. Tonight, I want to feel beautiful. Irresistible. I want to knock him on his ass and show him that I can easily compete with someone as ‘hot’ as Jessica Cartwright. And if I have to show a little cleavage to make it happen? Well … I’m not above playing dirty.
Megan simply wants Carter to notice her. She’s been into him for over three years, but he remains blissfully unaware. Carter is the sensitive and dependable member of our group. He’s the guy people flock to when they need a shoulder to cry on. He’s unusually observant for his age, often predicting who’s about to hook up before the couple themselves know. The fact that he never seems as surprised as the rest of us when a secret is revealed speaks volumes. It’s like he has a sixth sense, yet he seems to lack that intuition he’s so famous for when it comes to his own life.
Megan gives a frustrated groan and throws her hands in the air.
“Screw it. I’m never going to make this look good. I’ll just stick to the basics and hope it’s enough.”
“Trust me. You’re going to get his attention in a skirt and heels.”
“I just hope I don’t twist an ankle. I’m not comfortable walking in these contraptions on even ground, let alone in the fricking forest.”
Once Megan is done applying the last swipe of mascara, we stand back to survey the end result. I barely recognize the two strangers staring back at us. Megan is wearing a short denim skirt that ends mid-thigh and shows off herlong, toned legs. The light blue blouse she’s chosen exposes the swell of her breasts just enough to draw attention but not enough to look cheap and really makes her azure-colored eyes stand out. A pair of high-heeled sandals complete the look, and her hair falls around her shoulders in soft chestnut waves. She looks absolutely stunning, and I can’t help but smile as I imagine Carter’s dumbstruck expression once he catches sight of her.
My outfit consists of black skinny jeans, matching ankle boots, and a purple halter top that I’ve paired with the buttery soft leather jacket Jake gifted me for my sixteenth birthday. I’ve opted to wear a lace push-up bra to enhance my below-average-sized boobs and only applied a minimal amount of makeup. Megan complained my subtle choice wasn’t dramatic enough and insisted on torturing me with her curling iron. I’d reluctantly given in, but I have to admit it was well worth the effort. Never has my usually plain and stringy hair looked this voluptuous. The big corkscrews bouncing wildly around my face give me an edgy look that boosts my confidence. Something that I’ve always been sorely lacking.
When we arrive at the river, we find Jake and Carter by the fire, cheering on Chase and Ted, who are in the process of knocking back a row of tequila shots from two opposing sides. Sucked in by the excitement, we watch as Ted slams shot number seven onto a tree stump seconds before his cheeks puff out. His eyes bulge, and he slaps a hand over his mouth as everyone goes quiet. When he eventually slashes a hand across his throat to indicate he’s done playing, the crowd loses it while Chase raises his arms like a prizefighter and begins running in circles.
Once the show is over, Carter turns our way, and an awed expression takes over his face. He backhands his unsuspecting buddy in the chest, and the grin falls from Jake’s face as he drags his gaze down my front and back up again before it snatches onto my eyes. I try not to blush at the heat in his baby blues and watch him swallow hard before he lets out an appreciative wolf whistle.
“Wow,” Carter breathes once we’re within hearing distance. “You girls sure clean up nice.”
Megan’s cheeks heat under Carter’s approval, and Jake slings an arm around my shoulders, planting a kiss on the top of my head.
“You look gorgeous, baby,” he whispers, just loud enough for me to hear. His hot breath tickles my ear, making my stomach flutter. “You girls want a drink?”
“I’ll take a beer,” Megan replies, and I follow suit.
We’ve barely taken the first sip when Jessica Cartwright saunters up to our group. As usual, she’s showing more cleavage than a porn star and wears a fake smile I’d love to wipe off her face.
“Teresa, Megan. So nice to see you both. I hope you’re enjoying yourselves. We’ve put a little extra effort into ensuring this night would be memorable since it’s Gary’s eighteenth birthday and all. Jake,” she sings, laying a hand on his chest and looking at him like she wouldn’t mind eating him for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I grind my molars and fight the urge to forcefully remove her touch. “Are you going to play later? I don’t know if Chase will be of much use to us after that insane display, but I know most of us would enjoy some live music. I just love listening to you. You have such a beautiful voice. So talented.”
Jake shrugs before taking a long pull from his bottle. When he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, Jessica’s eyes instantly lock on his lips.
For God’s sake, she may as well be drooling.
“We’ll see. I’m just going to hang out and enjoy the party for a while. Gotta work up a little liquid courage first. You know how shy I am,” he jokes, giving her a cocky wink. Jessica throws her head back and laughs so hard her boobs quiver. Carter, who seems hypnotized by all that jiggling flesh, gives Megan a what-the-hell look when she jabs him in the ribs with a hard elbow.
“I’ll personally make sure you don’t run out of drinks. Don’t you worry about a thing, handsome.”
“Don’t overwork yourself, Jessica,” I snap, an icy undercurrent in my tone while I flash her a tight smile. “You’ve already done so muchorganizing. I can take care of my boyfriend, thank you very much.” Jessica finally takes the hint and moves on to the next group of people. But not before hitting me with a nasty sneer. Jake doesn’t look pleased in the face of my attitude but refrains from commenting further.
Once we get that out of the way, the rest of the evening actually turns out to be a lot of fun. Megan and I do a few shots ourselves and quickly feel the effects. We dance until we’re drenched in sweat and laugh at the boys, who are heavily slurring their words by now, thanks to a few rounds of beer pong. Even though he can hardly walk in a straight line, Jake somehow still manages to perform flawlessly around the fire pit. Everyone is mesmerized as the haunting sound of his acoustic guitar is accompanied by his signature, raspy voice.
