“I can think of a few ways to make sure I do.” I slide my eyes toward her.

She laughs, shaking her head. “I bet you can.”

“Want me to name ‘em?”

She smiles, but doesn’t say anything, her attention falling to my mouth when I pull my bottom lip between my teeth.

Man, she’s gorgeous.

Wild green eyes locked on me, shiny, dark blonde hair she left laying long across her shoulders, and plump ass, pretty polished lips.

She shifts on her beanbag.

It’s not hard to tell she’s got something on her mind.

“Talk to me, D.”

Her tongue slips out, unease written across her forehead, but she doesn’t allow her concern to keep her from speaking. “What if I told you I needed this?”

“I’d tell you to be more specific,” I reply instantly. “I don’t like vague and I don’t like assumptions. If you mean it, say it. If not, don’t.”

She chuckles, reaching up to push my hair from my forehead.

“You’re kind of an asshole,” she says, her voice lowering with her next words. “But I kind of like it.”

“Liar.”

Her mouth drops open.

“You more than like it.” I smirk. “I should be an asshole more often.”

Her lips twitch, and she moves her blanket, covering my lap with it as she scoots closer. She shakes her head. “You’re good how you are.”

My hand slides over her jeans on her left outer thigh. “How am I, D?”

“Unexpected.” She thinks a long moment. “Do you think something built on a lie could ever...” She trails off.

My stomach muscles tighten as she tucks her lips between her teeth.

Keep talkin’, baby.

She hesitates, so I try to ease it from her.

“Ever what?” Reaching up, I slide my hand into her hair. “Ever... last?”

I swear she blushes and something pulls in my chest, but then we’re interrupted by a few of our classmates, and her focus shifts.

“Stop fingering my friend so she can come play with us,” Macy calls as she jumps up on the tire well of my truck.

Demi can’t hold it in, and a loud laugh leaves her.

“Go away, we’re busy.”

D cuts a quick smile my way.

“Please!” her friend Ava begs. “We need a couple more people.”

Demi playfully rolls her eyes, stands and jumps to the grass, while my ass stays planted. “Let’s go, Neek. We’re needed over there.”

You’re needed right fuckin’ here.

I must be frowning because she chuckles, offering a flirty smile as she follows her friends, leaving me where I sit.

Half-cocked and blue balled like a motherfucker.

In no hurry, I climb from the truck.

I finish off a full bottle of water, throw back a pack of peanuts and text my mom to check in on her as I head for Demi.

Some of my teammates are parked next to each other, so I stop and chat, making sure the girls are still where they’re supposed to be every few minutes.

A few minutes too long...

Sandra Black slides up.

“Hey.” She smiles, leaning in.

I go to give her a one-armed hug, but her shoe knocks into mine and she stumbles closer.

She giggles, her vodka breath fanning across my face as she looks up.

“Damn.” My head tugs back. “Gettin’ fucked up, or what?”

“It’s Senior Night.” She smiles, shrugging against me. “Why not?”

“Might wanna pop a piece of gum in your mouth. Campus security is scattered all around.”

“Or...” she whispers, her hands come up to pull my head down. “We could hide out in your truck, or my car. You up for it?”

I grip her wrists, freeing myself from her grasp. “Back up, girl. That’s not happening.”

“Oh, come on.” She pouts, running her hands through the ends of her long, dark hair. “We can even try for a quickie, even though we both know we need longer than that.”

I go to step past her, but she’s quick to wrap her fingers around my arms and peers up at me through her lashes.

She opens her mouth, but when a small shriek follows, my eyes narrow only to widen in the same second.

Demi tugs her back, stepping in front of me. “I always thought you were sweet. A little loose, but sweet.”

Sandra’s jaw drops and people begin looking this way.

“I realize now you’re just another girl who thinks she can have whatever she wants because you’re pretty and say please, but that’s not going to work here. You can screw whatever guy you want, Sandra, with the exclusion of mine.”

Sandra blushes, her bloodshot eyes filling with moisture. She peeks around before stepping toward Demi.

Macy and Carley move closer, but when Sandra only reaches out to grab D’s hand, they pause.

“I didn’t realize—”

“Yeah, you did.” Demi gently pulls herself free. “If acting shitty embarrasses you into lying, then don’t be shitty. It’s really not hard.”

Demi locks her fingers into mine and leads me to my truck.

There’s commotion behind us, but she doesn’t spare another glance, instantly releasing me when we’re back to our area, and busies herself pouring a cup of coffee.

She’s jerky with her movements, so when she drops the stack of lids for the third time, I snatch them before she can, pull one off and hand it to her.

She cuts me a quick look before walking over to Trent’s front seat where she pulls out one of the root beer bottles full of Kahlua and pours some into the cup.

She takes a small sip, attaches the lid, and takes another.

She’s frustrated, pissy as hell, and it’s got everything to do with what just happened.

My groin heats, and I can’t hold it in. “Thought you said she wasn’t hurting you and you were gonna be nice?”

Her head snaps my way, nothing but sass to be seen. “When did I say that?”

“When she was gettin’ at Alex in the library.”

She glares. “Alex wasn’t mine. She could do with him as she pleased, you are.” She looks back to her cup, blowing into the little opening. “She doesn’t get to touch you.”

Fuck me, there it is.

The claim, the absolute sense of possession, the fire in her gut she lets ride, no longer having a reason to hide it.

Demi tries to spin away, but I catch her, swiftly take her drink and set it down, and then sneak her between our trucks, pinning her in with my hips.

Her eyes grow heavy and she lets her shoulders fall.

“For the record.” I run my hands up her ribs. “I’d already told her no and was walking away.”

She’s pissed but not at me.

Demi reaches up over her head, gripping the roll bar inside my open window. She holds on, lifting her legs off the ground and wrapping them around me, her arms slipping over my neck once her body is hooked just right.

She pulls her mouth to mine, nipping at my lips with hers.

“Would you tell me no, Neek?” She pauses a second. “If I asked you to put me on my back in your truck, right now... would you deny me, too?”

I groan, pushing into her and her harsh exhale lights a fire under my skin, sending a shiver down my body.