Page 9 of Get Even

I scoffed, “I don’tneed–”

Soft lips brushed against my ear and a hot breath sent shivers racing across my skin, “Okay, I’ll rephrase. Youwantmy help. Maybe you even want me.” He pulled back and his eyes roved over my face, dropping to my mouth and my head felt woozy. Was I still high? Was that why he was affecting me like this?

I cut through the sudden tension with a laugh and Ry pressed a finger to my lips, mouth twitching with amusement as if he could see me fighting the urge to pull the tip into my mouth.

“Why not?” he reasoned, stepping back at last and I sucked in a quick, desperate breath. “It’s win-win. You get your Professor off your back, get to have a little fun with meandyou get Aaron back for sharing that photo of you with everyone on the football team.”

I should have said no. I should have laughed him off like this was one big joke, but I’d never played it safe before – why should I start now? “This doesn’t mean I’ll sleep with you.”

“Of course,” Ryan said with what looked suspiciously like triumph coloring his grin.

I narrowed my eyes at him before nodding, glancing down at my phone and cursing at the notifications blowing up my socials. It made this decision even easier.

“Then let’s do this,” I said and held out my hand to strike the deal. Ryan slid his fingers between mine and tugged me closer. “Meet me at Cocoa and Rum at noon tomorrow and we can discuss the details.”

“Can’t wait.”

CHAPTERFIVE

IDFC - BLACKBEAR

Cocoa& Rumwas already packed when I arrived with the early lunch-time crowd but I easily picked out Ryan’s dark hair sitting at a table by the window. He looked up and grinned when he found my eyes already on him and I bit my lip, wondering for the millionth time if I was making a mistake coming here –yet another thing I had to blame Aaron and Taylor for. I’d never really been one to second guess myself. Never had the luxury, I’d always had to decide what to do on my own and just do it, letting the chips fall where they may. But now I found myself questioning everything – was this the right move? Was my top too low-cut? Was that guy on the street staring at me or just enjoying a stroll through town? Had I said the wrong thing to Liv at dinner last night? It was, frankly, beyond irritating that those two clowns had shook me up enough for me to have my confidence knocked. So I did the only thing I could: faked it.

Ryan had two coffees already sitting in front of him and I looked at them longingly as I slid out the chair opposite him. He pushed one over and grinned, “Here. You look like you need this.”

My lip twitched and I bit down on a smile, not sure if he deserved it yet. “Are you kickstarting negotiations by telling me I look like shit?”

Ry laughed, pushing a floppy bit of dark hair off of his face as he grinned from over his coffee mug. “No, I just didn’t want any drool to escape your mouth. I got it for you anyway.”

“Thanks,” I said, taking a long drag of the iced coffee and smothering a groan. It was warm-ish outside and the cold drink was sweating lightly around the plastic cup. I paused as the flavors rolled over my tongue and raised an eyebrow, “You know my order?”

Ryan shrugged but a small smirk played over his mouth, “You were over at the house all the time guzzling those things, it wasn’t hard to remember.” And yet Aaron never seemed to be able to. “So what exactly are we here to negotiate? I mean, I think I’ve already proved within like five minutes of your time that I’d make a great boyfriend.”

“Fakeboyfriend,” I stressed and he shrugged.

“Sure, if that’s what you want.”

I looked at him sharply and he smiled casually, like the words weren’t some kind of declaration. “I’m not going to sleep with you.”

“Sure,” he repeated and I huffed out an annoyed breath, taking another sip of coffee to give myself a second of composure.

“No kissing. Or touching.”

“Am I supposed to be your boyfriend or your brother?” he said pointedly and I nodded grudgingly.

“Fine, but only in public.”

A slow grin curled at Ry’s mouth as he sat back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head and drawing my gaze down to the small slither of skin now on display that hinted at hard muscles. My eyes flew back up as he cleared his throat lightly and I tried not to blush. “Does that mean you’re planning on being with me not in public?”

“Not if I can avoid it,” I said sweetly and he laughed under his breath, reaching out and tugging one of my hands away from my coffee cup and then holding it in his, heedless of the wet condensation from the drink. “What are you doing?”

“We’re in public, aren’t we?”

I frowned at his smirk and bit my cheek as his thumb began stroking taunting circles into my skin. “Yes, but we’re in the midst of negotiations still.” I tugged my hand firmly out of his and ignored the girl whispering too-loudly at the table nearest ours about whether I was trying to make my way through the entire football team.

“What else is there to negotiate?” Ryan asked, leaning forward again and staring into my eyes so deeply that I felt uncomfortable. Sure, I was attractive and not humble enough to pretend otherwise and so people sometimes liked to look at me, but this felt different. Like he was trying to peer inside my brain and see what made me tick.

“Appearances,” I said smoothly, blinking and taking the opportunity to shoot a glare at the perky red-head who had been gossiping to her friend about me. Actually, she sort of looked like one of the sorority girls Taylor hung out with, which would explain a lot about her dislike of me. “Parties, class, whatever. We need to be seen together.”

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