Hazed (Palm South University)

“Is this really what it’s going to be like?” I ask. “Awkwardly avoiding each other at work events, not even able to be friendly when we run into each other?”

Brandon sniffs, throwing his hood off his head and hanging his hands on his hips as his eyes wash over the beach. “I don’t know what you want from me, Ashlei.”

“Look at me,” I almost whisper. “That’s a start.”

He presses his tongue into his cheek, but then slowly, he pulls his gaze to me.

I can still see it, the pain behind those dark eyes. But more so, I see the anger, the resentment, the disgust.

I shiver.

“Exchanging pleasantries is a waste of time,” he says definitively. “I’ll be cordial at work events, but past that? I don’t see any reason for us to pretend like we’re friends.”

I scoff past the knife those words send right through my heart. “Cool. Got it.” I make an okay sign with my fingers and click my tongue. “Thanks for clearing that up.”

His nostrils flare, and it’s in that moment that I can see it — the hunger in his eyes. I felt it that first time he touched me on his jet. I felt it every time after, when he’d watch me in the office and I knew he couldn’t wait to get me alone, or when we’d go out for a night on the town, and I knew all he wanted was to get me back to his place.

My heart kicks up a notch.

He still wants me.

“I don’t know why you’re acting like you’re so upset, anyway,” he says after a moment, his brows bending together. “From what I saw at the Ball & Pen launch event, you’ve moved on just fine, haven’t you?”

I cock my head to the side in confusion for just a moment before I remember the little show I put on, the hot guy at the bar whom I let guide me outside just because I knew Brandon was watching me. Of course, nothing happened with that guy, other than him giving me his card and me promising to call about working together.

But Brandon doesn’t know that.

And he doesn’t need to.

“Whether I’ve moved on or not is none of your business, since you so decidedly cut me out of your life.”

Something of a laugh comes from Brandon’s nose, and he looks out at the ocean again before his eyes are back on mine. “You’re right.”

With that, he pulls his hoodie back up and turns, jogging away from me as I stand there and watch him go.

I stay until he’s completely out of sight.

Then, I jog another four miles and think about all the ways I can make him want me back.

“BEST. SPRING. BREAK. EVER,” Kip says on a long sigh as he slips into the hot tub. He groans more and more as the warm water envelops him, and I smile as I take in the view of his chest and abs, and the incredible Colorado sunset casting orange and pink rays over the snow-covered mountains behind him.

“Even better than last year?”

“Last year was a disaster,” he says.

“Well, yes, in the sense that we had a huge fight. But,” I add as I strip out of my robe and lay it over one of the nearby chairs. “We also had a lot of fun. And some pretty hot sex, if I remember right.”

“Our sex has always been on fire.”

“Okay, Kings of Leon.”

Kip smiles, and then lets out a whistle as I climb the little steps up to the hot tub. “Damn, girl. Get your fine ass in here so I can hold you already.”

I let out a groan of my own when the water climbs up my legs, over my hips and up to the middle of my chest as I sink all the way in. After a long day of learning how to ski, my body feels like I’ve been flatlined by a steamroller.

“God, I think I found muscles I didn’t know existed today,” I say, wincing against another wave of soreness as I sink down farther and sit next to Kip.

He tucks me under one arm with a kiss to my temple. “Yeah, skiing definitely makes you sore. But it’s so fucking fun that it’s worth it.”

“Speak for yourself,” I say, massaging my calves under the water. “I think Cassie and I are going to hang back in the village tomorrow and day drink.”

“Over it already?”

“Let’s just say I have no desire to tear my ACL or break my neck, and I don’t have the grace to feel confident that either of those are off the table.”

Kip laughs. “I grew up skiing. Every winter, Dad would load me and Mom up in the van and we’d drive to Salt Lake City.” He pauses. “Well, every winter Dad was home, anyway. Never knew with the Army.”