“What the hell do you want?” I raged at Megan on the other end of the line.
“Hey, Miller. Have you decided what you’re going to do about the Chicago internship?” she asked, laughter in her voice, and I rolled my eyes.
“Your timing is for shit. Why are you calling me? How did you even get my number?” I passed a hand through my hair as I looked around for my boxers.
“Well, it’s not like it’s difficult to get. Pretty much every blond chick at Pace has it,” she chuckled, and I began to pace the room.
“I did not give you permission to contact me like this,” I snapped, irritated.
“I wanted to know if you’d decided yet. Clock’s ticking, Miller,” she said, completely ignoring my complaint, and I snorted.
A sudden noise made me turn, and I saw Selene with her back to me, focused on getting a sweater and jeans out from her dresser. She’d put her underwear on at some point; who knew how long she’d been moving around behind me?
“I haven’t made a decision yet, Megan, but it’s going to be no,” I muttered, glancing down at Babygirl’s ass while I still could before she pulled up her pants and deprived me of the view.
“How can it be a no if you haven’t decided yet?” Head Case volleyed back immediately, and I rolled my eyes skyward.
“Look, I have to go. Try to get off my ass,” I chided her and hung up the phone before she could get off another response.
“What’s up?” Babygirl asked, gathering her slightly damp hair up into a ponytail on top of her head. I looked her up and down: She was sedately dressed, with no makeup on and her scar visible on her forehead, and I still thought her as lovely as a priceless pearl.
But I needed to banish those thoughts as well as the more perverse ones about her body because I was being an idiot, and the sound of Megan’s voice had brought me back to reality, reminding me of who—and what—I was. I’d fucked up again: I’d had sex with Selene, slept next to her all night, and if that wasn’t bad enough, then I’d demanded she blow me. This situation was getting seriously out of hand.
“Nothing…” I walked around her brusquely and scooped my boxers up off the floor, pulling them on right away. I didn’t even have a real change of clothes, but I needed to get out of there. Immediately.
“What kind of nothing? You were talking to Alyssa’s sister, right?” Seleneknew who Megan was because she’d met her in a club. She’d actually thought that I was attracted to her that night.
Attracted toMegan, for Christ’s sake. Nothing could be worse.
I also grabbed my track pants and my white hoodie, which I discovered to my great annoyance now smelled like coconut.
“Yeah, that’s right.” I dressed myself in a series of rapid, mechanical movements before grabbing my cell phone and sticking it back in my pocket.
“And why has your mood changed so dramatically since talking toMegan?” Selene put special emphasis on her name, and I didn’t miss the hint of jealousy in her voice.
“Now’s not the time for twenty questions, Selene.” I flipped on her too rapidly, and Selene flinched.
“Now finish getting ready; I’ll drive you to school before I head back to New York.” I dismissed her so casually, not even meeting her eyes, because I knew that if I looked into her ocean, I was going to drown there.
“I can get there by myself!” She snapped before pulling a bag out of her closet and filling it with whatever crap girls carried around all day. She grumbled something unintelligible as she worked.
“I’m taking you.” It was an order. End of discussion.
“You’re being a bully again. I hate when you do that,” she railed, not looking at me.
“And you’re being fucking immature again. Why don’t you just quit whining and do what you’re told for once?” I said, going on the attack, and she shook her head at me, disappointed.
“You’re unreal. You don’t give a damn about me or how our whole situation has impacted my life!” She turned and pointed a finger at me, little but so brave.
“Oh, really? Is that what you think?” I grinned sardonically at her and moved closer until I towered over her.
“Yes. You won’t tell me what’s going on. You won’t tell me anything at all. How am I supposed to understand you? How am I supposed to support you or help you in any way?” She heaved a weary sigh and dragged both hands through her long ponytail, which she had slung over one shoulder.
“These things don’t concern you. It’s that simple,” I answered her with the first dumb thing that popped into my head just so I wouldn’t blurt out how mad I was at myself for all the feelings I had been wrestling with for so long.
“Sure, of course. I just need to shut up and take it all. Let you fuck me and wake up sore and covered with marks. Give you a—” She cut herself off, embarrassed, when I gave her a hard look. The kind that could make anyone shut up.
“Don’t put that on me. That’s the part I hate the most!” My voice grew louder as I became angrier, and my hands clenched into fists. My body was preparing to crush something. She lowered her eyes, seeing the tension in me, and stepped back.
