Page 23 of Surviving Slater

A week.As if.

On my way home I kept reminding myself why it was a bad idea to even contemplate anything with the bad boy who had the ability to hurt me. Being around him more would give him the power to hurt me more. I couldn't let that happen.

I had to concentrate on Steven. I smiled, trying to forget about my reaction to Slater. I would go on a third date with Steven and then I would seal the deal. It would be my way of working Slater out of my system.

And the added bonus was once I slept with Steven, I was pretty sure Slater wouldn't be bothered with me anymore. I'd rejected him for someone else, and it would be enough to dent his ego and send him straight into the arms of some girl to ease his superficial hurt.

My plan was going to work.

"So what did he say?" Taylor asked me the next day while we were watching TV.

I shrugged. "He wanted to offer me a physical relationship."

She looked surprised. I had her full attention now. "Really?"

I nodded.

"And what did you say?"

"No," I answered.

She was silent as she watched me. I wanted to ignore her but instead I turned to face her.

"What?"

"I know how much you like him." She had seen more than anyone else but she had also seen how his rejection had hurt me.

"Liked," I corrected her. "I told him I wasn't interested. Besides, I'm going out with Steven on Saturday night."

"Isn't it your third date?" she asked, and I smiled while nodding.

She also knew about my three-date rule.

"Sin told me about Steven's reputation." She looked a little worried.

"I'm not planning on marrying him and having his babies," I replied. "I just want someone to go out with and have a good time."

"Look, I'm not Slater's biggest fan at the moment but I trust him more than I trust Steven."

She didn't know Slater had the power to hurt me more than anyone. I didn't expect things to work out between Steven and me. I was using him and he was using me. It didn't really matter. What mattered to me was getting Slater out of my system. Getting more involved with him wasn't a part of the plan.

It was hard to think back to his seductive words of what he'd do to me and not give in to it. He knew how hard it had been to resist him.

A week.But I was determined not to let him win this. I was strong enough to stop myself. Besides, once I went on my third date with Steven, it would all be over.

"Slater isn't an option." I didn't want to even think about how complicated it would get if I went down that road.

"So where is Steven taking you on Saturday?" she asked, trying to change the subject slightly, moving it away from Slater.

"To dinner," I told her.

"That's nice. Did he say where?"

I shook my head. "He wanted to surprise me."

It didn't matter where he was taking me. What did matter was what happened after our date came to an end.

Saturday came quickly, and I was busy getting dressed.