“Someone else already did, and I said no. And he’s like the god of all Hotties.”

Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.

“The god of all Hotties? Who’s that?”

“Uh, never mind. Forget I said that.”

“Tell me, or I will be forced to kiss you. And possibly torture you with my tongue. I need to know who my competition is.”

“I don’t remember his name. He’s that goalie guy. Now get up.”

He does as he’s told, gets up, grabs my hand, and pulls me up off the bed in one easy, effortless motion.

It’s really kinda hot.

I run into my closet and grab my dress, and walk back out, holding it in front of me. “So, what do you think? Oh, wait, let me grab my wedges so, you know, you get the full effect.” I dig down in the bottom of my suitcase, grab a pair of Jimmy Choo leopard-print whipstitched wedges, and slide them on my feet. Then I hold the dress in front of me. “Okay. So? You think this will be okay? Be, like, appropriate for tonight?”

“What I think is that you better put that dress on really fast, or we’re not going to make dinner.”

I run back in the closet, shut the door, and throw my dress on as fast as I can.

I come out and do a little twirl, showing off the dress. It’s a Free People fit and flare mini-dress, with a cute daisy chain cutout that details my waist. The red mini-floral plays off the red whipstitching on the leopard wedges and looks adorably funky.

“It’s appropriate. We better go, before you get me all hot again.”

I’m trying not to think about how he might torture me with his tongue but, I’m ashamed to admit, that is exactly what’s on my mind as I walk into the dining hall with Riley.

Even though he is obviously looking for sex, I can’t help but like his honesty about it. I would much prefer to know where I stand than play games with some player.

Riley and I go through the buffet, and then he chooses us a spot at the end of a table all by ourselves. Which is kinda weird. It’s like he’s sending a message, She’s here with me; we need to be alone, which is not the kind of dinner I was thinking about. It makes it look like we are on a date.

And we’re not.

Because I have no intention of ever dating again.

But then the gorgeous dark-haired boy who hangs with Peyton and Whitney walks over with a couple of other guys. They all set their trays down next to us. Gorgeous says, “Bro,” and slaps Riley on the back. Both Gorgeous and Riley have their hair slicked back in the same way, and I realize I’m looking at an older version of Riley.

Damn.

Riley is going to get even hotter.

Gorgeous throws his arm around my shoulder and says, “Riley is just a cheap imitation of the real thing. I’m Dawson.”

Riley’s face drops a little.

Dawson is super cute, but the way he just slammed his brother in front of me, well, it’s a dick move, and the zen in me thinks karma is a bitch. So I decide to give him a little payback.

I remove his arm from my shoulder, turn to face him, and say, “Funny, he felt pretty real in my dorm room a few minutes ago.”

The other boys at the table are like, “OOHHHH” and “Way to go, Riles!”

Riley’s face lights back up again.

“You guys are lame,” Dawson tells us. He sees Whitney setting down her tray at the popular table. “I’m gonna go sit with Whitney. Enjoy romper room over here.”

God, he’s a jerk.

I put my hand on top of his, so he can’t go just yet, and decide to really stick it to him. If I’m gonna be me, now’s the perfect time to do it. I’m standing up for the underdog. “I heard Whitney gushing all about her college boyfriend. That must really suck for you.”

His eyes get the same hurt look that Riley’s had a few moments ago, and he walks away.

One of the boys sitting down says, “Damn, Monroe, you’re ruthless.” I recognize him as the cute guy who took my bags.

“He was mean to Riley.”

“Naw. They’re brothers—they always joke like that. I’m Jake, by the way, I helped you out of the car.” He reaches his hand across the table and shakes mine.

“I remember.”

“And I’m Bryce.” Bryce is shorter than I am, but he’s a cute boy. He has the kind of little boy face that makes you wanna pinch his cheeks. “How did you know about Whitney and Dawes anyway?”

“I didn’t really, just a good guess. I saw how he was looking at her at the cave last night and then just now. Peyton is my student leader, I overheard them talking about it today. So I just . . . ” Then guilt rushes over me. Damn. Even though I was standing up for the underdog, my bitchiness snuck out! I turn to Riley. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t very nice of me; I should go apologize to your brother.”

Riley laughs. “Do what you want, but that was awesome!” He gives me a hard slap on the back, like I’m one of the guys. “We’re gonna be great friends.”

Then the muscular boy speaks to me. He is taller, quite buff, and has gorgeous black skin like Deron’s. He also looks like he’d be very smooth with the ladies. “I’m Tyrese. What up? So last night you were making out with that Dallas dude and now you’re doing shit in the dorm with Riley? Wanna come up to my room later?” He sexily winks at me.

Riley says sweetly, “We weren’t doing stuff in her dorm room. We walked to dinner together. She was just sticking up for me.”

I turn and look at Riley. Smile with my eyes. Because, oh my gosh, the player just totally stood up for my reputation. He’s so sweet.

“So you gonna make the dance team? Heard you tried out,” Jake asks me. Jake is a cutie. Tall, reddish-brown hair, freckles. He looks a little like Prince Henry, and has the naughty smirk to match.

“Probably not; there were eighteen girls trying out for only three spots.”

“Heard you rocked at soccer tryouts,” Tyrese says, then winks again. “I also witnessed you scoring on Aiden wearing cowboy boots and a dress.” He laughs. “We gave him all sorts of shit about that today at football practice.”

“You shouldn’t give him shit. I think I shocked him.”

“You don’t even know, do you?”

“Know what?”

“Aiden’s one of the best goalies in the state. He’s been our starter since he was a freshman, and we’ve won state the last two years. The dude already has scholarship offers about anywhere he wants to go, but rumor has it, he’d rather go to an Ivy League school. I also heard him talking about you, girly. I think he’s in love.”

I want to talk more about this subject. Like, are we talking love or lust? And just how many other girls is he in love with? I’m dying to know what he said. I want to scream, Tell me more!

But Riley quickly changes the subject. “So where’s the party tonight?”

Bryce shifts his eyes, making sure no one is around. “Keatyn, if there’s one thing your new friend can do, it’s party. He can drink Dawes under the table, and that’s saying something.” He turns to Riley and whispers, “Heritage 26B and 38B is the backup. Just you two, kay?”

Riley nods his head.

The boys take their trays and head over to their usual table.

Riley grins at me. “Told ya. I’ve got this place wired.”

“Yeah, you did,” I grin back. “And thanks for what you said. I mean, that was really cool of you.”

“And that surprised you?”

“Yeah actually, it did. I sorta thought you would be the kind of guy who would be bragging about it.”

“Well, normally, I am the kind of guy who will brag, but trust me, I don’t ever have to lie about it. I’m also feeling this strange need to protect you.”

I grasp the locket around my neck and pray to God he never needs to.

I bat my eyes at him. “I like that.”

“Ready to go to this lame ass mixer thing?”

Died and gone to hottie heaven.

7pm

We walk next door to where the mixer is being held, but when we get to the room, we see a note on the door that reads, Another Mixer?? How Lame!!!! Surprise, NEW STUDENTS!! Come to the carnival at the lacrosse fields.

“Did you know about this?” I ask Mr. Know It All.

“Actually, yeah, I did. But it’s like a surprise every year, and I wanted you to be surprised. Come on, let’s go have some fun.”

He grabs my hand and drags me as fast as my wedges will allow down to the far end of campus, which has been turned into a full-out carnival. There’s all sorts of food booths and games, a Ferris wheel, and even a dunking tank where you get to dunk the teachers.

Can I say I love it here?

I mean, sort of. Like, so far, for a high school, it seems like a pretty cool place. If I have to be sequestered somewhere, at least maybe it won’t be that bad.

Because a Ferris wheel?

“Hey, there’s Dallas.”

Dallas has a huge blob of pink cotton candy on a stick.

“Cotton candy is my favorite!” I shrill, sounding unexpectedly girly.

Dallas pulls some cotton candy off the stick and holds it up to my mouth. I open up, and he shoves the fluff all in at once.

I’m laughing with pink fluff hanging out of my mouth. No way it’d all fit. I bite off a piece and put the other half in my hand. Riley grabs my hand and puts it up to his mouth.

“Hey, that’s mine. I’m not sharing.”

Riley grins at me, puts my fingers into his mouth, and starts sucking the candy off them.

“Your sexy stud act won’t work on me,” I tell him.

He laughs and says, “Oh, it will. It’s also why I’ve never actually had a girl friend.”

“You mean a girl that’s just a friend?”

“Yeah, it’s not my fault they end up sleeping with me. Can’t resist my charm.”

“Riley, I will try my hardest not to sleep with you so that we can be friends.”

He laughs again. “Hardest is probably not the best choice of words, baby.”

I roll my eyes at him. He’s still sucking the melted candy off my fingers, and I completely understand why he doesn’t have any girl friends. The way he’s sucking my fingers feels so overtly sexual that it makes me blush.

I actually have to turn and look away.

And who chooses this exact moment to be in my line of vision? Who’s standing there watching Riley suck cotton candy off each one of my fingers?

The God of all Hotties himself.

I give him a Save me look.

And I’m not sure why. I don't really want to be saved from Riley. He’s kinda turning me on. But I think even though I’m not at all interested in the god, for some reason, I don’t want him to think I’m here with Riley, or that I like what Riley is doing to me. Even though I do.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I really freaking do.

Aiden says, “Hey, Boots, come here. My sister was just looking for you.”

Dallas says, “Boots?”

“He calls me Boots because of the boots the other day.”

“Oh, gotcha.”

Aiden is not very patient when he says, “Hurry up.”

I look at Riley with an I guess I have to go with him look and take off with Aiden.

“What does your sister want?”

Aiden smiles. “Nothing. I lied. It was either that or kick the crap out of that Riley dude for sucking on your fingers.”

I scoff at him. “Why would you do that? He was just stealing my cotton candy.”

“Looked like a little more than that, and I heard you were making out with Dallas last night after I left.”

“We were high. It was just a little friendly kissing.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Why not?”

“I just don’t.”

He’s kinda weird. How could anyone be against kissing? I know I’m definitely pro Kissing. Maybe that could be my student council platform, if I do decide to run for office.

“So, now what?”

“You look pretty. I like your hair like that,” he says.

I was totally unprepared for a compliment and, for some reason, all of a sudden, I can barely speak.

“Uh, thanks,” I sputter out.

I swear, I’m a very literate and well-spoken young lady. I can talk to anyone. Heads of state, blockbuster movie stars, rock stars, professional athletes. But this boy has me tongue tied. And then I stare at his mouth and think I’d like to know more about his tongue.

Okay. That’s it.

I need a time out.

Like my little sisters get.

Go sit in a corner by myself.

Seriously.

I think I’m on new boy overload.

“So, did the four-leaf clover bring you luck?”

“I don’t know yet. I think we find out sometime tonight who made it. And, you know, the odds aren’t good. I’m sure I didn’t make it.”

“My sister said you did very well. You also did very well at soccer tryouts. Kicked ass, really. You’ll definitely make varsity.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, I do. Hey,” he gets an adorable little boy grin, “wanna go ride the Ferris wheel?”

“I’d love to.”

He takes my hand.

And, once again.

Same reaction.

His touch makes me feel slightly dizzy.

No way I can kiss this boy. I’d probably pass out.

And that would probably not be a good thing.

I never had a reaction like this to any boy. What is wrong with me?

It must be my emotions. Everyone said they were amazed I was handling things so well.