Throb

chapter seventeen

Kate

I shift on the couch, leaning my weight to the right side, and inwardly smile thinking of Cooper. This isn’t giving in. This is staking my claim. I’ll send you back to him tomorrow if that’s what you want. But you won’t be able to sit without thinking of me for a week. Every time you sit down, you’ll be reminded of what it feels like with me buried deep inside you. Goosebumps break out on my arms just thinking about the words he said.

It’s been two days. He wasn’t kidding when he said he’d make me think of him when I sat down for a week. My body aches, but it’s a good ache, unlike the ache in my chest that keeps me perpetually glum.

“What gives?” Ava asks, plopping herself down next to me. I’m not sure I would still be here if it wasn’t for her. With the selection of the final four looming in less than a week, things have turned from unfriendly to downright vicious. One of the girls actually slammed a shoulder into me this afternoon as I was coming out of the bathroom. She feigned it was an accident, but the glimpse of an evil smile on her face when I fell on my ass assured me it was absolutely intentional.

“Nothing. I’m just tired. Think I might be coming down with something.”

“Well, you look more like someone killed your dog.”

“Thanks. That’s attractive.”

“No problem. Anytime.” She grins.

“At least Fly

“Who thinks of these challenges anyway?” Tonight’s challenge is a test of how in tune Fly

“How long do you think it takes for Jessica to make him feel her up?” Ava asks.

“Eighteen seconds.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Eighteen seconds? That’s pretty specific.”

“I’m good at these things.” I shrug. “Bet you?”

“I think you have a gambling problem.” Ava smiles.

“Chicken?”

“What are we betting?”

“You have to wear my Chargers t-shirt.”

“That’s cruel. You better not stretch out my Raiders t-shirt if you lose.”

I look down at her boobs and smirk. “Your t-shirt is the only one I could possibly stretch out in this house of breast friends.”

We all gather in the viewing room to watch as the first contestant makes her way into the black box. The camera has infrared viewing, which makes Fly

Mercedes, the first contestant, closes the door behind her. Crap, I never thought of props. She’s wearing a naughty nurse costume. Her ass cheeks peek out from beneath the white one-piece zip-front uniform, a stethoscope around her neck and a pill-box nursing hat sitting atop a fully teased head of sexy hair.

Hearing the door click shut, Fly

Fly

The last three contestants to go are Ava, Jessica, and then me. Ava comes back after her turn and fans herself a bit. “Seriously. That was incredibly erotic.”

“Been a while since you’ve been felt up, huh?” I tease. But I would imagine she’s right. It’s pretty damn erotic to watch.

“I can’t wait until you go. You’ll see. Something happens when you walk into a silent room that is dark as night and a man’s hands touch you. A man you know is sexy.”

Our conversation trails off as we both gape at Jessica when the door opens. She’s wearing a bikini. The same nipple cover she wore at the last challenge. Only this time, she has the matching g-string bottom on instead of cut-off shorts. She shuts the door and wastes no time making her way to Fly

Fly

“You’re going to look great in my t-shirt,” I gloat quietly to Ava as I walk toward the door, where I’m being beckoned to prepare for my turn.

Tonight’s cocktail hour is the usual mix of mean girls on one side of the room, Ava and me on the other. It’s going to be pretty lonely for one of us when the other is sent home. We’ve been nothing but nice to Jessica and her clique, I’m not even sure what I’ve done to alienate them, but their animosity toward me seems to grow by the day.

“You ladies look gorgeous. As usual.” Fly

“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself. At least I can see what you look like now.” I smile and sip my wine.

“I can always see what you look like, Kate. Even in the dark, it’s up here.” Fly

“Jessica,” Ava and I respond in unison.

Fly

“Ladies. You all got to watch a little of the challenge today. But what you didn’t get to see was your own time with Fly