CADEN
"We need to end this deal", I say, storming inside Tessa's apartment. I still have the spare key from when we were dating, so I could just make my entrance without knocking much.
"That was quick", she says, looking up from the magazine she was reading. Her straight blonde hair falls nicely on her shoulders, making me want to kiss her collarbone. I force that thought away and go back to being furious. Her remark "Did Dunn already threaten the life out of you?" does help speed up the process.
"He did", I say, going to the cabinet and taking myself something to drink. I usually don't drink. Especially not during the games season. I have daily workouts in the mornings, than training and then even more training. Having a hangover doesn't exactly help. Yet after the day I've had, all I want is to get drunk. And forget about today.
"And you actually believed him?" she asks amused, looking at me as if I were dumb. Maybe I am, still I don't want to risk.
"Yes. I did. And I am not taking my chances."
"Oh, babe. In that case, I am sorry to tell you, but we could never be together again."
I take a dip breath and pour some liquor in the glass. I don't care what I'm drinking. Tessa usually only has expensive drinks, that taste good. I took the strongest one.
I drink the glass in one shot, to help me ask the next thing: "Why are you doing this?"
She flinches and looks up to meet my eyes. Those doe brown eyes. Yet I'm not going there. I'm not doing that. Not tonight.
"Yeah, Tessa. Why are you doing this? Making me go along with this deal?" I repeat, more confident. The liquor did its job. It always does.
She bites her bottom lip nervous. As she notices she made a sign of weakness, she quickly stops, but I have already noticed it. It was there.
"I've told you before. I think I'm the only girl who could ever date you."
"Bullshit!" I shout and pour myself another glass. "Why are you doing this?"
"You're drunk...", she whispers, almost fake crying. But she doesn't fool me. She usually manages to fool me, but not tonight.
"I'm still sober, babe." I reply. It's true. I might not drink much, but that doesn't mean I can't drink. I've been to enough frat parties so far to be able to survive good few glasses sober. "Answer the question", I continue, my voice colder. She only flinches and makes no sign to respond. The only thing she does is to come closer and push me against the closest wall. She then starts kissing the hell out of me, making her way with her lips along my collarbone, my neck and my face. She doesn't leave any spot untouched. Unclaimed. And as the idiot I am, I fall for it. Pull her closer and start kissing her back. I bite her bottom lip and remind myself of how good it feels. How good it feels to make her mine.
I quickly remove my shirt and she starts marking my chest as well. She's kissing every single one of my abs while I'm holding her close to me. I hate that I love it. Yet I do.
"We still need to make that deal", she whispers, bringing me back to reality.
"We do?" I ask confused, since she was just kissing me as if she wanted me.
"We do. You won't get away so easily."
Tessa comes closer and kisses my lips. Hungry. Desiring. Showing me what I might miss if I don't play along.
I close my eyes and let her roll the dice.
"Fine. Who is she?" I ask, wanting to see who my next possible girlfriend will be.
"I was thinking about April Davis", she says, again making her way along my neck. I freeze and start shaking my head.
"No. No, no, no. Kai is like my brother. Dating his little sister feels wrong."
For once, she gets my point and chooses her next target.
"Alright. Then how about Nina Elway?"
It takes me a few seconds to put a face to that name. It's not like I don't know her. I do know her. Yet I know so many girls, it sometimes is hard to keep track.
"The redhead?" I ask, since that's the only way to describe her that would make Tessa understand who I mean. And that girl's red hair is so intense, there's simply no way one can miss it.
"Yeah, her." Tessa replies, brushing her thumb on my lips. "Anything holding you back about her?"
No. I mean, I barely know her. Apart from the color of her hair, the fact she's a drama major and the fact she's Sofia's best friend, I don't know a thing about her. Which makes me wonder why did Tessa choose her. "No. But what did she ever do wrong to you?"
"Let's just say, she has a special way with words", Tessa explains, putting some distance between us. "So, are you up for it?"
I think about how wrong it is. Poor Nina didn't do a thing to deserve this. Then I look at Tessa. And realize I want more of our relationship. So, I ask: "What will you give me if I do?"
"You know damn well what", she answers, taking my hand and leading me towards the bedroom.
Damn it. "Yeah. I'm up for it."
She looks at me one more time and shakes the hand she is holding. "Deal."
Tessa opens the bedroom door and the feeling of guilt hits again. I can't be doing this if I'm getting a new girlfriend. Fake or not, it's still cheating. And I don't accept cheating.
"We can't keep doing this", I tell her, taking the first sweater I find and putting it back on. Tessa looks disappointed for a second, then nods.
"You're right. We can't. It's not right." She puts on a mischievous grin however and continues: "Yet you're still single. And we can do it one more time."
Why am I such a fool for her? "Just one more time. As soon as I'm beginning this deal with Nina, I'm out."
"Yeah, sure. Starting tomorrow, we're officially done. And we'll do this again after three months you've dated."
This is all too crazy. I want to stop. Yet I keep getting dragged back in.
"Just this one time?" I ask, just to make it clear.
"Just this one time."
She comes closer and begins kissing me again.
"Screw it", I say, giving up. "Just this one time."