Slow Play (The Rules 3)

I just stare at her. She thinks Steven is adorable? Just two minutes ago she thought he was a suffocating nerd. “How did you convince him so quick to agree anyway?” That had been pretty impressive.

“Jedi mind trick. That and my V-neck sweater always seem to do it if nothing else.”

My gaze drops to her chest, where her ample cleavage is on display. “You flashed him your boobs?”

“Not really. I just squeezed my arms together a little bit. Makes my tits pop nicely.”

“You are too much,” I say, shaking my head.

“You love it. And speaking of too much, have you talked to Tristan?”

My stomach dips just hearing his name. “No.” A pause. I mentally count to ten. “Have you?”

“He texted me last Friday night asking if I was going out but I said no. That was it.” She watches me. “He hasn’t texted you?”

“No.” I shake my head. The jerk. Why hasn’t he texted me? I don’t want him to but still. “I’m glad. I don’t need his drama.”

“What? His drama? He’s the most drama free guy out there. With Tristan, you know what you’re getting.”

“And what’s that exactly? Because he’s been sending me conflicting messages since I met him.”

Kelli frowns. “Conflicting messages? That doesn’t sound like him. He was chasing after you hard. I’m assuming you two never did the deed.”

My cheeks warm. “Of course not. I’m not into one night stands.”

“I’ve heard he’s worth it.”

“You kissed him.” I pause, a little squicked out by that. “How was it?”

Kelli smirks. “You tell me.”

“I haven’t kissed him,” I lie. I don’t like lying but I really don’t want to compare notes on the taste of Tristan’s lips with Kelli.

In fact, knowing that she kissed him drives a white-hot blade of jealousy into my stomach, which is totally ridiculous.

“Really? Well, that’s a shame. Though honestly, I don’t remember much about our kiss. I was drunk, it was awkward, the end.” She waves a hand, dismissing the conversation. “Maybe he’s moved on.”

“From me?” I ask.

She nods, her gaze full of worry.

“I’d be okay with that.” I’m lying again. I don’t mind that he’s kept his distance. Well, a tiny part of me would like to see him but the bigger, louder part of me is saying I should stay away. So if he stays away instead, that makes it easier, right?

“Good. Then you can focus on your sweet little brown eyed nerd and have fun.” She taps her pencil against the textbook in front of her. “Though it would be kind of exciting to have both Steven and Tristan vying for your attention.”

“That sounds like a nightmare. I hate drama. Remember?” I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime thanks to my parents. “I bet you’re right. He’s given up on me.” Oh, I sound pitiful but Kelli is the only one I can discuss this stuff with.

“Tristan?”

I nod.

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s just biding his time. Jade’s party is at his house, after all. Maybe he’s hoping he’ll see you there.”

“I doubt that,” I mutter as I refocus my attention on the problems in front of me.

But the numbers and formulas start to blur the longer I stare at them. I’m just wasting my time so I think about other things. Like how nice it is to have new friends and a guy that’s interested in me whereas before I was stuck in limbo, unsure which way my life was going next.

I’m finally able to forge a new life and have new experiences versus being worried about my parents all the time. You’d think they would’ve written their only daughter from prison by now…

Your thinking would be incorrect.

Pushing all thoughts of my shitty parents out of mind, I tap my pencil in the middle of the page Kelli’s looking at to get her attention. “Let’s do some vodka shots.”

The slow smile stretching Kelli’s mouth is infectious. “Are you serious?”

“Definitely. I need to loosen up. I’m too tense trying to prep for this stupid quiz that I’m bound to fail.”

We both get up and head for the freezer where a half-full bottle of Grey Goose sits. “Is it the stats test that’s making you tense or all your man trouble?” Kelli asks.

“Both,” I tell her truthfully.

“I don’t want you at the house tonight,” Jade says firmly, her gaze directed at me. Not that she could be talking to anyone else, considering we’re the only ones here.

I’m sitting at the kitchen counter eating cereal for lunch. I’m too lazy to leave the house to grab something and I definitely don’t cook. Jade’s bustling around the kitchen pulling shit out of the pantry she’s going to use to make her appetizers for her little gathering later this evening. She’s even wearing an apron—a rather domesticated scene that’s making me extremely uncomfortable.

Does Shep even understand what he’s doing by living with Jade and letting her have full reign of his house? He’s insane.

“Why can’t I stick around? It’s my house too,” I mumble around a mouthful of Fruit Loops.

“Ew, don’t talk with your mouth full.” She swats me with a dishtowel and I duck out of her way. “No girl is going to want you if you talk to her with milk dribbling down your chin.”

I immediately touch my chin, which is bone ass dry. Jade grins. “Made you check.”

Grumbling beneath my breath, I shovel another spoonful of fruity loops in my mouth, chew and swallow before I speak again. “All the girls want me, Jade. I don’t think a little milk drool is going to hurt my game.”

She rolls her eyes. “Are you for real right now?”

My answer is a shrug, which seems to irritate her more.

“You need to go out. Maybe you and Shep could go to a bar. Or to the gambling house,” she suggests. That she’s encouraging me to drag Shep’s ass to a bar is unbelievable—and tells me she’s serious about getting us out of here.

“I don’t want to go out.” The weather is for shit today. Cloudy and gloomy and rainy. A big storm is forecasted for later tonight—thanks Ginger Zee on Good Morning America—and I really don’t want to get stuck out in it.

Do I sound like an old man or what?

“Seriously? The one night I will practically pay you to go to a bar with my man and you’re not interested?” She stops on the other side of the island, directly in front of me. I look up to meet her irritated gaze. “What can I do to convince you to leave?”

“You’re not going to pay me?” Like I’d take her money.

She shakes her head.

“So you really don’t want me around.”

“Absolutely not.” She even mock shudders for the full effect.

“Because of your party?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of party is it?” No one has said. I think it’s weird that Jade is entertaining her friends like my mom would on a Friday night. With appetizers and wine and all that bullshit.

The look on Jade’s face is immediately sketchy. “Just a little something to get all the girls together.”