Page 33 of Try Me

“I haven’t slept with Jesse. I did sleep with Cam,” I offered, thinking back to his earlier question and wondering if it was the cause for his expression.

Mark paled. “I figured. I mean, it was obvious when I picked the two of you up that time that there was something going on.”

“I didn’t know you were hooking up with him, too. He didn’t say anything about it, which was a little funny since he talked about you constantly.” Cam was naïve in some respects, but he’d done a pretty fucking good job of picking up on covert tactics. If I’d known he was hooking up with Mark on the sly, I would’ve stayed away.

Mark blanched. “Is that what you think? We weren’t hooking up all the time. We just fooled around once, like I said. Made out a little. It wasn’t a big deal. Or, at least, I didn’t think it was.” He fell silent for a beat and seemed to struggle before asking, “Were you two together?”

I stretched my legs out and searched the room for a potential diversion. I didn’t want to talk about Cam with Mark, but somehow it felt as necessary as it felt supercilious. Really, what did it matter now? “There wasn’t some big conversation that happened between us. We hooked up here and there, and then he started getting distant, talking about how he was fucked-up in the head. He’d want to meet up and he’d act fine for a while and then it would go downhill and he’d start talking nonsense about how he’d fucked up and strayed from ‘the path.’ We’d stopped messing around at that point. We were just hanging out. Studying together. Whatever.” I’d felt helpless and fucking scared for him and had suggested over and over that maybe he should talk to one of the school counselors—which was fucking rich coming from me, but I hadn’t known what else to do. “I liked him,” I finished lamely.

“You did?”

“Yeah, I did.” Cam had been an arctic blast of fresh air for my cynical ass. Funny and sweet—not usually my thing. I hadn’t meant to catch feelings. He’d been the one to say we were just fooling around, and I’d been all fucking for it at the time. But he’d grown on me. “I guess he was making the rounds.”

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Mark said. “I mean not maliciously, at least. That wasn’t him. Maybe he just got overwhelmed.” He gnawed on his lip thoughtfully.

“Maybe so.” Ready to move on from rehashing the past, I started to rise.

“So now what?” he asked.

“We go through these files and figure out where to go next.”

“No, I meantnow whatas in, like, you and me.” Mark messed with a strand of hair, then raked his hand through the neat ends.

“I’m not going to mention it to anyone, if that’s what you mean.” There it was, just as I suspected. I could see it in the way he kept his head turned away, fiddling with his pants, looking anywhere else except at me: regret was settling in. Or maybe shame. Concern about what others might think, about associating with a guy like me. Gossip traveled fast, and the pipeline was probably faster to Mark’s dad. I couldn’t even imagine what he’d say, and I also couldn’t deny the cruel little thrill I got thinking about it. I kinda had to wonder if that was part of Mark’s appeal to me now. This fucked-up sense of revenge, messing with his pristine white-collar life. Maybe I had more of a mean streak in me than I’d thought.

Mark’s gaze dropped to his feet. I followed it down, something inside me softening.

“Or is that not what you meant?”

He cleared his throat gruffly and shook his head. “Nah, that’s what I meant. Let’s go.”

12

Mark

The last time I’d done a ropes course had been seventh grade summer camp, and I’d sworn them off forever after. For reasons. But between the prospect of golfing with my dad, John, and his dad, and hanging thirty feet above a pine-needle-covered forest floor by a harness for a few hours, I thought maybe I could manage it.

We’d gotten the email about the trust retreat early in the week. My dad had been pissed when I’d begged off golf, until I told him to expect a call from John since he was required to attend too.

I slapped at a gnat on my forearm and then waved to Liza as she strolled through a break in the trees, head tipping back to take in the obstacle course above us.

“We’re supposed to partner up for some of the activities, so…” I waggled my brows invitingly. Liza was cool, and as far as partners went, she was an optimal choice because she probably wouldn’t make fun of my minor fear of heights.

“Maybe if Houston doesn’t show.” She glanced over her shoulder, searching for him and inadvertently confirming my growing suspicion that they had something going on.

“Sure you want to put your life in his hands? Dude’s skinny as hell. I’m not sure that’s smart. The belay rope might be too much for him.”

“I’m thick where it counts.” Houston’s voice came from behind me. Liza snickered.

I grinned and held out my fist for a bump, which Houston gave as he stepped around me and to Liza’s side. He leaned close to her, murmuring a husky, “Howdy, partner.”

Definitely fucking.

Houston grabbed us a couple of waters, and we milled around waiting for everyone to arrive. Chet showed up ten minutes later, skirting our small enclave to cluster together with Lena and Rick. He had them laughing in seconds. Frowning, I started in that direction.

Rick gave me a high five. “Chet was just telling us about the files you two pulled the other day.”

What a surprise. I shot Chet a dirty look for being both an overachieving kiss-up and looking sexier than he had any right to in an old pair of Umbros and an even older band tee.