Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Hi, Hailey.” He sounded as casual as if we’d just run into each other in the hallway upstairs. “What’re you doing?”
“I’m sorry,” I said automatically. “I just—” I paused. I couldn’t really tell him that I hadn’t wanted to walk past him and his cousin. “I didn’t know what was in here.”
He reached up and scratched the back of his neck. The hard muscles in his bare chest flexed as he did so. “Well, now you do.”
Except I didn’t. “Is this—is this for fraternity meetings?”
He nodded. “This is where we do our secret stuff.” His voice gave no clue as to whether he was being serious or not.
“Like what?”
He turned, his eyes surveying the room. Then he gestured to the massive table in the middle. “That’s where we sacrifice the virgins.”
He was kidding, but just hearing a large, powerful, half-naked man say that sent shivers down my spine. But I kept my voice steady. “That’s a bit cliche, don’t you think?”
Grant grinned down at me. “Okay, you got me. The virgins aren’t brave enough to come to this frat house.” His eyes swept up and down my body. “Or at least most of them aren’t.”
“Maybe they’re not stupid enough to come here.”
He shrugged. “Perhaps. But they’re missing out. We throw good parties.”
I looked away from him, uncomfortable with this conversation. But on the other hand, it felt very… adult. I didn’t usually talk with men about these kinds of things. Well, maybe I hadn’t ever. For some reason, it was important to me not to blush and stammer like a little girl. He seemed to have a good guess about my experience level, but I didn’t have to confirm it for him. “Is that why you have the party favors upstairs?”
“What?“ He looked confused.
“Up in the study on the second floor,” I said. “There’s a bowl of condoms on the table.” I felt brave just for using that word.
His face cleared and he chuckled. “It’s better to have them around than not. Otherwise, there would be a rash of pregnancies nine months after the blowout bash at the end of hell week.”
“Hell week?”
He laughed again. “How can you know nothing about Greek life when you live in a frat house? Then again, I forgot, you’re a townie.” He said it like it was a dirty word.
In truth, I’d almost forgotten myself, too. I’d almost said that I was too busy studying and taking classes to worry about what happens on frat row.
“I’ve never spent much time thinking about it,” I said stiffly. “I’ve only seen frat parties in movies.”
He smirked. “Then you’re in for a real education Friday night.”
That part was probably true. “So what is this room actually used for?”
“Meetings. Rituals. Secret stuff.”
I tapped the silver pole with my fingernail, making it ding. “What kind of ritual is this for?”
“The fun ones.” He cocked an arrogant eyebrow at me. “You never answered my question before. Do you want to give it a whirl?” He grasped the pole, his long fingers closing around it. His hand looked twice as big as mine as he spun the pole a few times.
“No thank you.” He was so close. I could see each separate ab and the tight skin over his pecs. His scent washed over me. Sweat, yes, but something else. Something unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. It made the hair on my arms stand up. He was a big, strong man, and it was overwhelming standing so close to him.
I forced myself to meet his eyes, and he looked smug, having noticed where my gaze had gone. “Tell me, Hailey, do you ever do anything for fun?”
“I don’t have time to.”
He tilted his head to the side, staring at me for a while longer. “That’s a shame.”
“No, it’s not.” I’d never really known anything else, so it was normal to me. “I should get back to my work.”
“Go out the door and to the left. There’s another set of stairs that will take you up. “
“Thanks.” I circled around him and headed for the door. He spoke up again, just about to walk through it.
“And Hailey?” I paused and looked back at him. “It’s probably best not to go exploring down here again.”
I nodded and then fled the room.
11
IAN
The weather was perfect on Tuesday evening when Bennett invited us up to his room. The balcony had a spectacular view. Lights twinkled in the houses at the base of the mountains in the distance.
I sat on a lounge chair, my legs spread out in front of me. Theo was on my left, and Matt on my right. Bennett and Grant were in the middle, and our buddy Dave was at the end, sitting at a little patio table. He was interning in Chicago, but he’d flown down to help plan our first party of the summer. He was officially the social chair, but everyone just called him the party guy.