Beyond Me(31)
Author: Jennifer Probst

Whatever. I shrugged. “Sure.”

“You’re the best. Hey, hope you had a better time this week than we did. Things got pretty f**ked up since you backed out of our plans.”

Adam jumped right in. “Dude, I mean, I respect your decision to cancel—it’s your house—but we took a lot of shit. I had a bunch of guys flying in just to crash at your place and party hard. I looked like an ass**le.”

I shrugged. I was so done with this shit. “Sorry. But I told you, I’m done. Those guys could’ve flown in and stayed with you.”

Quinn interrupted. “Sorry, guys, it was my fault. I wanted to sightsee, so I dragged him around all day.”

My heart did a wimpy flip-flop at her attempt to defend me. “Sightseeing, huh?” Rich slurred. “Is that what they’re calling it?”

“Shut up, Rich,” I warned.

“Sorry.” He shook his head. “I’m kinda drunk.”

Quinn forced a smile. “No problem. Hey, I see Cassie over there. I’m gonna say hello, be right back.” She pressed a kiss to my lips.

“I’ll get you a Sex on the Beach,” I said.

“Perfect. Thanks.”

I watched her walk away and when I turned back, it was like the shit hit the literal fan. Suddenly, I was confronted by a bunch of drunk, revved-up guys who got in my face and began giving me crap.

“Dude, please tell me this thing between you guys is over. Did you do her? Tomorrow’s the deadline, you know. Is that why you canceled the party? So you can look good to her?”

I clenched my fists as the anger hit. Adam’s lewd comments were getting to me, bad, and it was time to put an end to insulting Quinn. “The bet is off. Take my bike. I couldn’t care less. I’m involved with her now.”

Rich frowned. “So you did f**k her.”

“No.” The idea of them tainting our connection by talking about sex made me nuts. Better to get them off the scent. “We never slept together. But I’m into her and hoping for something more permanent.”

The guys looked like I had announced I was g*y. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Fuck off. I’m done with you guys.” I made a motion to leave, but they jumped in fast.

“Okay, okay! Fine, we’ll back off. We just never heard that from you before, bro. Had no idea you wanted more than a night here and there. You gonna follow her back to her home? Try and be her boyfriend? Get a job and all that shit?”

The words hit my reality barrier and got me nervous. What was I going to do? Jump on a plane and cheerlead her on in her final year of college? Get work in Chicago? Meet her dad? It all swirled together in a burst of images I hadn’t really thought out. Or at least, I hadn’t wanted to. She had studies and two jobs. A father. Close friends.

I had nothing.

I gritted my teeth and tried to be cool. “We’ll work it out.”

“Sure, man, sure.” Adam and Rich stared at me, their expressions saying I was fooling myself. They knew me well. Knew my background as the mayor of Loserville and playboy extraordinaire. No wonder they were skeptical.

“I’m gonna get Quinn her drink.” I reached into my pocket for my wallet and some dude behind me—Jack was it?—bumped into me, laughing hysterically and clutching at my jeans to steady himself.

“James! Sorry, sorry, you buying us another round? You’re the man! Here, let me help.”

“I got it.” I tried to push him away, but he grabbed for my wallet and a flimsy piece of white lace got torn out with the black leather. I tried to shove it quickly back in my pocket, but Adam spotted it and with a low whistle, tore it out of my hands.

“What’s this?” He held up the thong and hooted with laughter. “Holy shit! Nice work, Hunt! Why you denying you scored when you got the proof in hand?”

In slow motion, I watched the events unfold and slide out of my control. “Hey, give them back now.”

He threw them to Rich, who cheered and stretched them out. “Nice! I guess you’ll be having an appointment with Whit Bennigan after all!”

“I swear to God, if you don’t give them back, I’m going to kick your ass,” I said coldly. Rage shook through my body. How could I have chosen friends like this? They had no character or motivation for anything better in life.

“Calm down, dude. It’s not like your girlfriend is being faithful anyway. She’s completely into the bartender.”

“What?” His answer distracted me, so I whipped around and found her stretched over the bar. Laughing. The bartender whispered something in her ear that made her blush a bit, and then he slid her a drink. They spoke in an intimate manner, heads close, and she nodded.

The room faded. All I could see was the woman I loved flirting with some tattooed bartender. What the hell was going on? Why would she be putting herself out to a stranger after what we shared? Was this a joke to her? A spring break fling, while she whispered words of love and laughed her ass off on the plane to her girlfriends? Poor little rich boy, so desperate for affection. He actually believed they’d have a long-term relationship, and she felt bad enough to jolly him along. At least she got a good f**k out of it. Or two.

All of my weaknesses, insecurities, and fears reared up like a sleeping dragon and roared. Fire hit and spread, burning away the last of my illusions.

I was a pu**y. Stupid. So stupid to believe in her.

I turned around. My friends were still talking.

“You won the bet fair and square. God knows she’s a cold fish, so you must’ve warmed her up a bit to hit her next conquest. No worries, James. We got your back. You don’t want to get attached to a girl like that.”

Ice crystallized my voice. “I’m done with all of you and your sick games. Fuck you.”

“Why are you being such a pu**y? You nailed her, you won the bet fair and square, and I’m gonna pay up.”

“Give me the goddamn panties now,” I commanded.

“Now that you satisfied your curiosity, can we move on? We can hold another party Saturday night. It’s not too late,” Adam called out.

“So it was a bet?”

The room tilted. The rush of noise grew still.

I slowly turned around.

Her husky voice stroked me, like her warm hand sliding over my dick and making me come. Those gorgeous brown eyes flashed with raw pain, but turned cold and hard so fast I thought I had imagined the switch.

I knew I had f**ked up.

“Quinn, this isn’t what you think.”