one of my fantasies to life. They twitch against her shoulder, and I thread them into her hair instead.
“That’s—like extortion, isn’t it? That’s horrible!”
My amused smile stretches. “Well, I’m not paying you. This is good, old fashioned blackmail, baby. So do as I say, or I’m going to play Russian roulette with my contact list and all the private pictures you’ve sent.” I tsk, tilting my head. “You know, you should really be careful who you send nude photos to. Make sure you trust them and all that. Or that you’ve got the right number.”
“But I…he put his number in my phone, I don’t…”
“Damn, that’s cold.” I’m holding back from cracking up. “Either that was on purpose, or he’s an idiot.”
Her eyes flash with a burst of fierceness. “Wyatt isn’t like that! He’s kind and funny and dedicated to his job as a lifeguard.” She gives me a once over. “Unlike you.”
My eyes roll. “Sounds like a wet blanket. You need to accept that your lifeguard gave you a fake number because he didn’t want you, or that he probably couldn’t handle you.” I poke my tongue from the corner of my mouth as my gaze travels over the curves I know hide beneath her frumpy uniform. “Not like I can.”
“You haven’t said what you need from me yet,” Thea argues.
“It’s easy, sweetness. I need you to pretend to be with me. Pose as my girlfriend.”
She sputters, trying to get away from under my arm. I hold her tight. When she can’t break free, she huffs. “Be your fake girlfriend? What the hell, Connor? I don’t ever see you date.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But this is important and it’s all I need from you. It has to be you.” I don’t tell her I can’t get out of it, so I’m forced to pick someone. “This is a good deal, so take it. I’m not asking you to memorize my favorite color, or even interact with my friends. You need me to not spread information about you around school, and I need you to do me this small solid until I’m done with you.”
“Small! You’re talking about a relationship. That’s a huge deal to me!” Thea’s mouth works as she formulates a response. After a minute, she flaps her hand. “You’re not even asking! You’re just demanding I let you control me by threatening me with blackmail so I can’t refuse.”
She bites her bottom lip and pinches her brows together. I set my phone on the lab table, curling my fingers into my palm to tame the urge to trace her pout.
“You really are as wicked as everyone says,” Thea finishes in a hush.
I smirk. “Better fucking believe it, baby.”
Horror morphs her pretty features as she leans as far away as I allow while she’s tucked beneath my arm. She shakes her head. “Don’t call me that. Don’t call me that ever again.”
“See, that’s the thing, baby.” I pause, dragging my teeth over my lip. “I’m going to call you that, because I do what I want. And I want you to be my fake girlfriend.”
She tosses her hands in the air. “Why can’t you ask some other girl! There are so many who would jump at the chance. They’re—” Hesitation stops her, cutting off her words. Her blue-green gaze falls to the floor, lashes brushing her cheeks. “They’re prettier, and actually want to be around you.”
Thea doesn’t think she’s pretty? How can that be possible? What a load of shit.
This is taking so much work. Not only that, it’s cramping my style and putting a wrecking ball through the ruthless cred I’ve built for myself in the last couple of years. I’m supposed to strike so much fear in the hearts of everyone in this town that I snap my fingers and they jump.
With a scoff, I put my hands on her shoulders to make her face me. “I can’t use any other girls because they’re all insipid and plastic. They’ll read too much into playing domestic bliss for me. Fuck that.” I step closer, toying with her hair, sinking my fingers into the strands framing her face. It’s soft as hell, slipping over my skin. Her breath catches and she stares up at me. She smells so nice. “You, on the other hand, my sweet little mouse, are nothing more than a pawn and you know it.”
It’s heady to be so close after I’ve been imagining it. So many thoughts run through my head. Does she make the