Love Me

He pulls me close to his mostly naked body and says, “Is Dawson competing?”

“No, he said it was lame.”

“So you’ll be cheering for me?”

“Well, you, Jake, and Riley, for sure.”

He puts his lips to my neck. “Who do you want to win?”

“You.”

He smiles at me. “Good answer.”

“You better get going. You don’t want to be late for your first race.”

“You didn’t tell me the secret.”

“When I first met you, before I knew your name, I had a nickname for you.”

He smirks. “Oh, really? What was it?”

“I’m not telling. That was the secret. I had a nickname for you.”

He does that thing. That thing where his lips graze my neck.

“I want to know.”

“Stop talking on my neck. I can’t think.”

“I like when you can’t think,” he replies, his lips staying put. “Tell me.”

I want to pull away, but I can’t.

“The God of all Hotties.”

I feel a smile form on my neck. He doesn’t move. Instead, those amazing lips kiss my neck hard. He sucks his way up to that spot right underneath my ear. Something about that spot makes me squirm. In a good way. His lips continue to move across my cheek and then to my waiting lips.

I smell cotton candy.

2pm

All of the Gods of Olympus competitors are on stage getting introduced by Whitney. Peyton tried to get me to go up there with them, but I wanted to be able to sit with Embry and the girls.

Peyton a

“The second round is the jumping competition. Potential Gods will compete in the long jump and the 100 meter hurdles,” Whitney continues. “After that round, points will be tallied by our new teacher, Mr. Cooper Steele.” She puts on a big grin and claps for Cooper. Cooper flashes his dimples in a way that doesn’t look fake.

Peyton finishes for her. “And the field will be cut in half again. Then we’ll move into the gym for the final wrestling matches. Everyone, be sure to get your goodie bag. In it you will find trinkets for luck and golden coins that you can use to bet on who you think will prevail.” She points to a table set up in the corner. “Shark is our oddsmaker and bet taker. You could win an iPad, a dress down day for your dorm, pizza parties, and other great prizes.”

Whitney clears her voice. “The competitors are warming up now. Place your bets and get some snacks. The competition officially begins at two-thirty. Good luck to all the contestants. We look forward to feasting in your honor tonight!”

Braxton and Dawson wander up.

Braxton throws his arm around my shoulder. “Don’t care about the competition. Odds are that we’re getting it on tonight.”

Dawson punches him in the shoulder. Hard. Brax removes his hand and rubs his shoulder. “Oww.”

“Pussy,” Dawson says with a grin as wraps his own arm around my waist and whispers in my ear. “Speaking of that . . .”

“Dawson! You’re bad.”

“Yeah, I am. Want me to show you just how bad?”

“You know that I’m hanging out with Aiden today.”

“Why do you think I chose not to do the competition?”

“Because you’re over all this high school bullshit?” Braxton replies.

“That, and it means Aiden will be busy. While I’ll be sitting with you.”

Braxton stops smiling and looks at his brother in awe. “I worship you. That’s fucking brilliant.”

“I’m going to get some goodies. You’re welcome to come sit with us.”

“Who’s us?” Braxton asks.

“Um, me, Maggie, Katie, A

“I haven’t met her yet. She a redhead, by chance?”

“Stop with the trio. You’re going to be sitting with the video trio. Consider yourself lucky.”

“I wa

Braxton rolls his eyes but does as he’s told.

“You have to help me watch out for him at the party tonight.”

“You’re going to have to watch out for me tonight,” Dawson says, sliding even closer to me and grabbing my ass.

“Dawson!” I say, pulling away from him.

“Keatyn,” Cooper Steele says loudly behind me. “A word, please?”

I jump slightly, knowing he probably just heard what Dawson said to me. “Uh, sure.”

Dawson doesn’t let go of me right away though. He kisses my cheek and gives me a meaningful, “Later.”

Cooper motions for me to follow him over to the registration table. “What was that all about?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you sleeping with Dawson and Aiden?”

“Not that it is any of your business, but no. Why? You jealous?”

He rolls his eyes. “Not fu

“One would assume, since you are one,” I say in a smart-ass tone.

“Trust me. That’s not going to work. You’ll push away the better man and end up with the one who’s willing to settle.”

“There’s no reason I can’t date them both if I want to. Is that seriously what you wanted to talk about? My sex life?”

He cringes. “You should not have a sex life. You’re seventeen. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

I stare blankly at him. “You know as well as I do, if Vincent finds me, my life might be very short. I’m going to enjoy it.”

He shakes his head. “We’re getting off track here. Did you think about what you’ll do if you can’t run?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“I’d have to stay and fight. Can you teach me?”

He smiles. “I was going to suggest that, but I thought you’d argue with me.”

“I can’t start until I’m done with rehearsals.” I study him. “Just so we’re clear, I’ll never argue with you when it comes to my safety. This might be just a job to you, but it’s my life. ”

He grabs my arm and gets in my face. “I understand that probably more than anyone you know. Why do you think I’m here?”

“Because you’re getting paid well and you want a career with Garrett’s company?”

“Those are perks. Garrett has hundreds of specialists on his staff. Why do you think he went out of his way to find and hire me?”

I search his face. His tight, determined expression has turned to a sad, haunted one. “I don’t know.”

“My sister was murdered by her ex-boyfriend turned stalker.”

My heart drops into the pit of my stomach. I cover my mouth with my hand. I leap toward him, throw myself into his arms, and hug him tightly. “I’m so sorry, Cooper. I didn’t know.”

He pushes me gently out of the hug. “I’m not going to let it happen again.”

“What the hell is going on with you two?” Whitney says loudly, startling me, and causing me to react in a way that makes it look like something is going on.

“Nothing,” Cooper says eyeing me carefully. “Miss Monroe twisted her ankle. It’s painful.”

“I didn’t see you fall.”

“I just rolled it,” I lie.

Cooper bends down and pretends to examine my ankle. “It doesn’t look too bad. If it doesn’t loosen up, get some ice and elevate it.”

“I will,” I say, fake hobbling away. I stop, sigh like I’m in pain, and rest my weight on the check-in table. While I’m pretending to check out my ankle again, I notice a green marker on the table and grab it.

I figure I better still limp a little and not look miraculously healed. Like when Gracie says she has a tummy ache. You give her a piece of chocolate and she’s patting her stomach and telling you it’s all better before she’s even swallowed it.

As I limp back to the field, Aiden runs up to me. He’s a little out of breath, and there’s a shimmer of sweat gleaming on his sexy shirtless body.

Which makes my whole body feel a little limp.

“Are you limping?”

“Oh, yeah, tweaked my ankle. I’m fine.”

“I saw you talking to Dawson earlier. Why isn’t he competing?”