I face Phillip and lean my body close to his. Really I pretty much just press the whole front of my body up against the front of his. I should probably mention, Phillip has an excellent body to be pressing up against.
“Well Phillip,” I whisper slowly into his ear, “I'm just going to whisper in your ear.”
“And rub up the front of me too?” he whispers back. “I think I'm liking this plan.”
“No, I'm not going to do that. I'm simply getting very close to you, telling you, I don't know, something very private.”
“Are you talking dirty to me?” He laughs and wraps his arms around me. That mind reading thing comes in handy sometimes because he totally understands my ruse.
“Yes, I am! So grin like you like what I'm saying.”
“Why don't you kiss my neck while you're there, just for good measure.”
“Good idea. You don't mind my using you, do you, Phillip?” I ask, as I put my lips onto his neck up by his ear.
I hear his breath catch.
I don't think he minds.
His neck smells really good. I love the way Phillip smells. All manly and musky and quite yummy. For a minute, I almost forget about that Matt guy.
“Not at all,” Phillip purrs, “although if it doesn't work really fast, I might be forced to drag you back to the dorm and have my way with you.”
I admit, I think it would be fun to let Phillip have his way with me, but we're just friends and we don't want to ruin that, so yeah.
I laugh and start to say, “Phil…” when he interrupts me.
“You're good,” Phillip says, surprised. “Here he comes.”
“Liar.” I don't even turn around because I'm sure he's teasing me. It couldn't have worked that fast.
But it must have because instead of answering me, Phillip switches me into one arm, leans around me and shakes Matt's hand. I turn around and am face to face with a Greek God.
He is even better looking up close. Because up close you can see he has these amazing emerald green eyes and a sexy five o'clock shadow.
“Matt Fuller,” Phillip says, introducing me. “This is my friend, Jadyn Reynolds.”
Matt holds out his hand to shake mine.
I put my hand in his, “It's nice to meet you.”
Matt shakes my hand then lowers his hand to his side, without letting mine go.
In fact, I don't think he has any intention of letting it go.
What is this boy up to?
He gazes at me with those smoldering green eyes and quickly gets rid of Phillip. “Hey Phillip, why don't you go get some beers. The lady's empty.” He clinks my empty bottle with his full one.
“Uh, sure,” Phillip says. He knows he is being dismissed, so when he gets behind Matt's back, he gives me a look that says remember the rules.
I look at Matt and then down at my hand. “So do I get my hand back?”
“I don't think so,” he says, literally oozing sex appeal out of every pore.
Now I would have thought this kind of bold move would turn me off a guy, but it seems to be having the opposite effect. I'm kind of impressed. It's goofy, but this is something I could see myself doing to make an impression.
“So I'll just have to stay here all night, huh?” I say innocently, but knowing the sentence has major innuendo.
'Well, at least until you get to know me properly,” he replies and blinks lazily.
“Oh, great,” I say, rolling my eyes in mock boredom, “next you'll ask me my major.”
“No, I already know. Engineering.”
Mr. Smarty Pants, huh?
“Well, either you read my interview, or you are psychic.”
“Guilty.”
Not only is he still holding my hand, but also, he is totally invading my personal space. It's making me slightly crazy. I'm having a very hard time trying not to look at his mouth. I fear if I keep looking at it, I might do something rash, like just start kissing it. I am also fighting a growing impulse to rub my cheek up against all those stubbles on his face.
“I did read your interview. In fact you might be interested to know that this fraternity house was built in 1957. It has some very interesting architectural details.”
Oh really? Let me guess, you want to give me a tour?
“You know, I've heard about this house practically my whole life. Phillip's dad and my dad belonged to this fraternity and lived here.”
“Well, in that case, I bet you would love a tour.” His gaze is predatory.
Now I do remember hearing that rule. No tours. I'm looking around for Phillip, hoping he'll return with my beer. I'd really like to have something to keep my mouth occupied.
“Maybe later,” I say politely, not completely refusing. “So this interview stuff, seems to me it's just a way for you guys to get the inside scoop on the new crop. Let me guess, tomorrow night you will sit around a fire and score the girls?”
He has an expression of surprise on his face that leads me to believe that is exactly what they will do.
“Who told you that?” he whispers, leaning in closer to me. I can feel his warm breath on my neck and I can smell him. He smells different from Phillip, more like soap, but still nice.
“You really do that?” I laugh in disbelief, yet I can totally picture it. It is so very much something boys would do.
I'm on a roll now, so I take another stab in the dark. “And the scores, are they based on looks or how, um, friendly the girls are?”
“You're not supposed to know about this,” he whispers in my ear again.
I really don't think it's a big secret. I think he's just trying to get to me.
It's working.
“I'd say we rank the girls on their ability to make friends,” he states, like a not so truthful politician.
“So hypothetically, let's say I kiss you tonight, what kind of ranking would I get?” I flirt.
“One star.”
I give him an insulted look, and then I try to make my face look sexy.
“What if I'm really good at it?”
“Still only one star,” he responds, like sorry.
“I see. So what if I were to say, strip naked and dance on a table?”
He grins, “Although that is something I would very much enjoy seeing, I'm afraid it would net you no stars. It's kind of like the difference between a spectator sport and a contact sport.”
Ah, I get it.
“So are you going to kiss me?”
“No,” I respond, shaking my head like it is the furthest thing from my mind.
I am so lying, because it's right up there at the top. All I can think about really.
“Well, how are you going to earn any stars? You strike me as a competitive girl.”
Oh, I am such a tease.
“I didn't say I wasn't going to kiss anyone.”
“Ah,” he says, holding his chest, “break my heart.”
Yeah, I'm sure.
“Actually I'm joking. I doubt I'll kiss anyone tonight.”
“What? Surely you don't want to be the ONLY girl here without a star to her name?”
He thinks this comment is like a dare to me. That I will be dying to get a kiss, so I can be like everyone else. I somehow doubt every girl here will get kissed tonight, but obviously he has yet to figure me out, cuz that sounds like a challenge to me.
“You know, I think that is exactly what I'd like to be.”
“So do you always get exactly what you want?”
Uh no, not really, but I think my luck is changing.
Matt is grinning at me like I'm the new Christmas toy he really wanted, but can't play with yet because he hasn't read the instructions.
“If I have anything to say about it, yeah, I guess I usually do,” I answer truthfully.
I'm feeling a little full of myself tonight, and I'm having fun.
And it's true. If I want it and I can do something to make it happen, I usually will.
Jerk boys who date sluts and car accidents are things I just can't control. Mr. Diamond has been telling me that over and over. Only deal with what you can control, JJ.