“Yeah, I know it. That’s why you’ve been walking around all summer in your skimpy bikini, swishing your ass and showing off your tits. Good job with this one. You actually got me hard.”
I tried to look down, to see the proof of what I’d done, but he kept my head tilted up to meet his eyes. To hear his words.
“You need to get this through that thick, blond head of yours. I am never going to love you back. Do you hear me? You’re hot as fuck now, Ash, but I’ve fucked girls who are a lot hotter so that doesn’t matter to me. What does matter, is you were the first person to get in my face when they took me away from my mother. The first person who wanted to be nice to me. And just forthat…for trying to be my friend when all I wanted was to be alone with my pain…for that…I will always hate you a little bit. Do you get that? Do you understand?”
I reached up to cup his cheek and I could see the surprise in his reaction.
“I do,” I said boldly. “But I also know you’re lying. Because as much as you think you want to hate me, you don’t. You need me like air.”
“You’re fucking delusional,” he said, dropping his hands away and turning his back on me.
“No, you’re in denial. For now. But I can wait.”
He looked over his shoulder and snorted. “You do that, Ash. You wait as long as you want. I’m going to go fuck every chick on campus while you do. Then I’ll probably pick one to marry. The bigger investment banks like to see the younger brokers married, adds stability in their lives. Makes them a safer bet, or so I’ve been told. I’ll make sure to invite you to the wedding.”
“Fuck you, Marc,” I snapped. Usually I took his hits, but that one smarted. “When you finally figure out thatI’mnot the one who’s been crazy this whole time, know I’m going to make you pay for that.”
I walked over to the lounge, grabbed my cover-up, but didn’t bother to put it on. Because I knew without looking Marc was staring at my ass. He thought he had the upper hand today?
He was wrong.
Today was the first day he’d ever admitted out loud he was sexually attracted to me.
All things considered, I was pretty pleased.
