Page 66 of The Forbidden Freshman

“You're making a total fool of yourself,” she snips. “Ugh! You're not even supposed to be drinking. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Miss Snippy is loud and annoying, and I don't like her.

I grunt when she yanks me to a stop and pushes me against the wall. “Pull it together!” She snaps her fingers in my face.

With a slow blink, I start to realize that Fiona has her talons in me. “You have a job to do. Now, this is Damien.” She points to a guy behind her.

He's tall, but not super tall. Broad, but not super broad.

He's no Ethan Galloway, that's for sure.

Shit. Ethan.

I don't want to do this!

I figured if I got drunk enough and stayed away from him tonight, I could somehow get through this. But even downing three beers hasn't murdered my brain. My head is spinning, but I still know what I have to do, and the thought repulses me.

How do I hurt Ethan when he's only been nice to me? When he's sweet and funny and he told me he'd keep an eye on me tonight? His hand on my lower back felt so damn good, and I wish it was still there. I wish he could get me out of this.

“Hey.” Damien sidles up beside Fiona. She steps aside and says something I don't quite catch before disappearing. Now it’s just me and this total stranger I’m supposed to kiss.

Ugh! Kill me now.

I lean my head back against the wall to counter the wave of dizziness.

“Okay, so Fee told me the plan is to head out to the dance floor, make sure we're in sight of Ethan, and start going for it.”

“Don't want to,” I mutter.

“Come on. It'll be fun.” He snickers, stepping so close his body basically smothers mine. “We’ll go out there and get a little busy.” Hands slide down my body, rounding the curve of my butt and giving my cheeks a little squeeze.

“Hands off the goods.” I push him away.

He grunts, frowning at me, before trying again. Resting his hands against the wall, he boxes me in and leans down close enough that I can smell the liquor on his breath. He's been drinking straight spirits. I can't tell what, but my eyeballs feel like they’re burning.

My stomach roils.

“We need to put on a show. I’m doing you a favor. Stop being difficult and play along. I don't have all night.”

“I don’t want to do this,” I slur, holding on to thesand dragging it out to try and make my point.

“Whatever. I know the drill. Claudia and Fee told me everything. You want a place in the house, you need to prove it.” He grabs my hips and pulls me against him. “And oh, baby, I want to help you prove it.”

I growl and shove him back. The move catches him a little off guard, and he stumbles a step before regaining his balance. “It's supposed to be a little making out, not a shit ton of groping. Control yourself.”

He glances around, obviously checking this part of the hallway is still empty before he steps back into my space again. My insides pinch with fear for a second.

“We have to sell this,” he snaps.

“Don't want to.” I grit out the words, trying to sound tougher than I feel.

He huffs, letting out a string of expletives and a little accidental spittle on my cheek before barking, “I don't have to be doing this, you know. It's not like I need the money.”

What the fuck?

“They're paying you?”

He gives me a smarmy smile. “Guess they really want you in the house with them, huh?”

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