Page 8

“I’m notyou—is that what you’re saying?”
“Hey, I am very polite about when I ask her to leave.”
He laughs. “I bet you are, Ty Lancaster. But I don’t know. I’m thinking tonight might be my lucky night. Got this new gym body pumped, and already had a few girls come up to me because apparently, this G-string is catching more interest than I guess you imagined.”
I grit my teeth. I wasn’t just saying that when we were at the challenge, but I also wasn’t actually trying to improve his sex life. Although, what the hell? If he does get laid because of it, good for him. What does that have to do with me?
“Well, I’m sure you’ve attracted some interest, but we’ll see if you can seal the deal.”
He winces, his brown eyes piercing. “Just because I don’t vibe with a lot of girls doesn’t mean I couldn’t go home with one if I wanted to.”
“Oh really?” Now he’s out of his depth. I’ve known the guy for years, and that’s just not him.
“I’m a fun, sexy guy.” He runs his hand through his dirty-blond hair—a little blonder now, like it usually is after the summer. I must admit, he makes even doing only that much look sexy. Whateveritis, Lance has got it.
“I didn’t say you weren’t.” Once again, I’m surprised as thewords escape my lips, and his wide-eyed look suggests he is too. I quickly go on, “I just don’t think that’s you, is what I was saying.”
“I can work it when I need to.”
“Really? You’re just gonna hook up with a hot girl tonight?”
“It’s senior year. I’m a stud these days. You don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
“A stud?” I snicker. “Okay, sure. Prove me wrong. I’d love to see that.”
He shrugs, and I can fucking see the bluff in his goddamn eyes. I want to just call him out on it, but before I have a chance, he grabs a Jell-O shot off a tray, downs it, then heads over to one of his Alpha Theta Mu buddies. They talk briefly, and then the guy takes over the DJ table while Lance chats up a group of girls.
I notice my hands clenching up. This is so not him, and I don’t think he’d even enjoy it, so I don’t see what he’s trying to prove other than pissing me off because of some dumb comment I made. Which…is so us. And normally, this would excite me, but as the girls laugh at his jokes and move closer to him, I’m starting to be pretty fucking annoyed with the guy.
I could be doing the same thing, shooting my shot, finding the next girl to spend a fun night with but who will wind up texting me on and on about wanting to get together for coffee or maybe dinner. I’ve played that game plenty of nights, and sure, it’s a rush.
Lance might end up having a great time, and it’s none of my damn business either way, but even as I’m trying to play beer pong to distract myself, I keep glancing at him. When I see a Phi Lambda girl with her arm draped over him, whispering in his ear, it makes a burning sensation flare in my chest.
He’s hitting that competitive nerve again, trying to prove me wrong. Could have kept my damn mouth shut, but now he wants to make me mad. Why? If anything, our rivalry is playful, in good fun, but damn,thisdoesn’t feel fun.
He seems to make a point of heading right past me with his arm around this girl. As he nears, he winks. “Night, Ty. Hope you have some fun tonight too. Might want to check under your bed for a hog, though.”
Motherfucker.
A strong emotion pulses through me. Part of me wants to grab him and tell him this is so fucking stupid, that he’s gonna regret this in the morning, but I could be wrong. She could be the best night of his life for all I know, and maybe when she starts messaging him for coffee and dinner, he’ll be eager for it and suddenly have a girlfriend.
Why is my chest so tight? What does it even matter if he has a girlfriend?
Good. For. Him.
But if I’m really so fucking chill about this, why am I crushing my Solo cup in my hand as they make their way upstairs to his bedroom.
He’s fucking mine. I marked him.
The hell did that come from…?
3
Lance
“Morning, sweetheart,” Ihear, my eyes flitting open and discovering Angie at my side.
I groan as I feel the first signs of a hangover, and her lips slip into a sneaky expression.