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Kevin rolls his eyes. “I still don’t understand why you moved in with his ass.”

“You know I had no other choice. ”

He just stares out the windshield, shaking his head in disbelief.

The crowd here is pretty heavy tonight. I guess that’s what happens on a Saturday evening when you offer half-price beer all night. Lots of people are already on the dance floor, showing off their line dance skills and fancy moves.

The night so far is going better than expected, and I’m so fucking relieved to have confessed everything to Kevin.

Honestly it went far better than I expected it to go, considering how fucked up of a situation it is.

I wouldn’t have blamed him if he never wanted to talk to me again, but he’s going along with it. So whatever.

I still feel bad about it, but the sexual connection is just not there with Kevin—probably because my mind is always on another fucking man. And I can’t let myself have him because my fucking sister has tainted anything I ever had with him.

Why, out of all the men in the world, did she have to fuck around with Jaydon? She fucking knew when we were in high school that I wanted him, and I had the biggest crush on him. I told that bitch, trusted her with that information, and look where that got me.

How is she even my sister?

I grab my favorite peach schnapps from the bar and spin directly into Kevin.

His arms reach out, catching me before I spill my drink. “Hey, beautiful, wanna dance with me?”

He’s been much more attentive to me tonight, more than he's ever been since we have known each other. I kinda wonder if it has anything to do with telling him I just wanted to be friends. He’s trying extra hard tonight.

I smile at his kind words. “Sure, let's head out to the middle.”

I hate to dance on the edge. I want to be right up in the middle of the mix of dancers.

I hold his hand as he guides us, pushing our way through.

Drink still in hand, he pulls me beside him, and we step to the beat of the music.

Kevin only had one drink earlier because he’s driving, so I’m letting loose and having a good time.

The DJ plays a slow song this time, and everyone starts to couple up.

I walk over to set my drink down at a table we claimed earlier, expecting Kevin to ask me to dance.

I feel the heat of a body pressed against my backside and get ready to tell Kevin he’s crossing the line that I placed earlier. But when I turn my head, I immediately know who it is, and it’s not Kevin. Thick arms wrap around my middle, and that familiar smell consumes my senses .

I smile inside. “What the fuck are you doing here, Jaydon?”

I close my eyes at his laughter, the feel of his arms around me and his cocky attitude sends electric volts straight to my pussy. Fuck, this man drives me absolutely insane. I just can’t escape him.

“Dance with me, Peachy,” he commands, pulling me backwards towards the crowd, dancing in tune with the music.

There's no struggle, I easily go with him.

“Jaydon, I’m here with Kevin,” I growl, scanning the crowd, looking for him to come save me.

The saving is mostly from myself, though, because I know I don’t make the best decisions when it comes to Jaydon. But Kevin is nowhere in sight as the peach schnapps swirls through my veins.

Memories of the last time he and I danced together make me want this a little more than I should. Damn, he knows how to make a woman turn to mush.

He pulls me in tighter. “Does your little boyfriend know that I’ve fucked this sweet pussy? How goddamn sweet you taste, does he know about us? I think we should tell him… don’t ya think so, Peachy?”

“Jaydon,” I warn.

I know he’s sipping on something, most likely bourbon, I can tell by the way his words flow so freely.

The feel of his lips pressing to the bottom of my ear and neck as he talks, makes me want to say fuck all the regrets I will have tomorrow and go home with him right now.

He could have his way with me, and I wouldn’t protest one little bit.

My breath hitches when I feel his warm hand sliding lower down my thigh, just below my skirt.

Just then, Kevin suddenly appears out of nowhere.

Dammit, I'm almost wishing he hadn’t. The look on his face tells me he’s anything but pleased by seeing me being held and grinded on by another man.

“Ellie, I think it's time to go.” His voice is stern as he stares pointedly at me.

Wait. Who the fuck does he think he is, telling me what to do?

Then I remember our earlier talk, when I told him I wanted him to pretend to be my boyfriend when Jaydon is around.

Low move, I know, but he seemed to be okay with it.

Jaydon's low vibrations rumble through me, “You gonna let him talk to you like that, Peachy? You better demand his fucking respect.” He grinds into me once more, speaking loudly into my ear only over the pounding music.

“Ellie, I said it's time to go.” Kevin holds out his hand, waiting for me to take it.

I inwardly groan because I want to lay into his ass right now. I can’t tell if he's acting or being serious, and he's pissing me off with the controlling demands.

I grip Jaydon’s hands to pull them away from me and spin to face him. Jaydon's eyes narrow, searching my face.

Unsaid words flow between us before he speaks.

“You seriously leaving with this douchebag, Ellie?”

No. Yes . I want to say fuck it and just stay with Jaydon, but I remember why I put the distance between us in the first place. And she currently lives in California.

I step away from him, and his face turns sour with his gaze locked on mine. He drags his teeth across his bottom lip in a slow, frustrated pull. I know it’s fucking eating him up inside.

Then he starts laughing.

I step closer to Kevin but glance back to Jaydon as Kevin grips my wrist leading me away from him, but before we are out of earshot, the asshole yells across the entire fucking bar.

“Don’t forget about the hips,” he makes a motion of gripping hips and thrusting. “She loves when you grab her hips.” He bellows, then laughs out loud with his big fucking mouth.

Red fire spreads over my cheeks; I’m so relieved the lighting is dim because I’m fucking mortified and pissed. Kevin's grip on my wrist tightens as Jaydon's words sink in.

What a fucking prick.

How did I ever make that mistake with him? And how the hell Haleigh is even related to him, I will never know.

Kevin’s pulling me a little faster than he should be as we walk down the sidewalk and away from the front doors of the bar.

He stops and quickly spins to me, rage in his eyes, “What the fuck was that about, Ellie?”

“Just ignore him, he's just trying to get under your skin.”

His nose turns up with disgust as he stares at me, “Are you fucking him, Ellie?”

“Oh my god! No, not that it’s any of your damn business, but no… I’m not fucking him!”

“Well, he seems to know an awful lot about how you like to be fucked. What the fuck is going on then?”

“It's nothing… we had a little fling a long time ago.” Shit. I shouldn’t have said anything, but the more alcohol I drink, the more information I seem to spill.

“So, you two did date?” He wants confirmation, and I'm not giving it to him.

“No, it wasn’t like that, Kevin… it was nothing.” Why am I even trying to explain myself to him?

“So, you just fucked him then? ”

“Kevin, I'm not talking about this anymore. Just take me home,” I say as I start walking out towards his car in the parking lot.

He unlocks the doors and then goes around to get in. He has never opened a door for me, not once.

Jaydon always does, though. No matter how much I think he hates me, he still does it.

As soon as I shut the door, he starts talking.

“I should have figured you were just using me for something and apparently fucking him as well.” He's pissed.

“Kevin, it's not like that.”

“Well, it seems just like that to me.”

He also seemed fine earlier when I asked him to play along as my boyfriend when needed.

“Look, Kevin, I enjoyed your company. I thought we had a good time together… well, the times we went out. I just never felt more than a friendship with you. I'm sorry if I led you to believe something else, but in my defense, we never discussed it. And yes, like I told you earlier, going out with you helps to keep Jaydon at bay. But I’m sorry, and if you don’t want to hang out with me anymore, I will understand. ”

He never answers me back, and we ride in silence the rest of the way back to Jaydon’s. When he drops me off, he doesn’t walk me to the door, not that I expected him to, but it would have been a nice gesture .

I let myself in the front door and look out to see his headlights already heading down the road. He didn't even give a fuck if I made it inside safely.

I reach into my purse, pull out my phone, and sure enough, I have several text messages from the only man who continues to check on me and piss me off at the same time—Jaydon.

Jaydon : Don’t leave with that fucker.

Jaydon : Peachy, come back inside. I want to dance with you.

Jaydon : Okay, I guess you left… I didn’t see you when I walked outside.

Jaydon : Let me know if you make it home safely.

Oh my gosh, he is so off the chain. The last text comes through as I'm holding my phone, still reading the others.

Jaydon : Peachy, I’m about to fucking leave and make sure you are home.

When I get up to my room, I strip all my clothes off and slide under the covers. I just want to fall into a deep sleep, and maybe when I wake tomorrow, it will all have been a dream.