risks.”
“That’s because they’re not dudes,” Emmett points out.
“Exactly. They’re thinking like chicks.”
“Yeah, they don’t realize that when a guy’s with a hot girl, ninety-nine percent of what goes on in his brain is sex. Hell, even with a non-hot chick, it’s seventy-five percent of the time. We just imagine a better version of her in our heads.” Emmett grins as if he’s imaging something at that exact moment.
Dean’s smile disappears. “Yeah, and that’s why you’re never dating my sister.”
“Hey, losers.” The voice, like nails on a chalkboard, makes Dean shudder.
Angling his head, he sneers at Jason. How the hell did he come up on them without him noticing? “The last time I checked, you were the one that lost our little match the other day.” The muscles in Dean’s back tense as he speaks.
“Maybe. But I’ll win the next one. And this time, the stakes will be higher. Much higher.” Jason smirks.
Dean narrows his eyes. Something about Jason’s tone tells him there’s a hidden meaning he isn’t getting.
“How long have you been here? I didn’t hear you come in.” Dean assesses him. He’s got his normal cocky stance, chin held high, and he’s holding two to-go cups, indicating he’s been there a couple minutes, rather than seconds.
“Long enough. But it’s time for me to jet.” He backs away from their table. “I’ll see you two ladies later.”
“Later,” Emmett says, as Jason opens the door. Then he turns to Dean. “What a tool.”
Dean nods, but his gaze is still on Jason, who’s making his way across the street onto campus. “Do you think he heard us?”
“What? Talking about Callie?” Emmett follows the direction of Dean’s gaze. “Nah. I doubt it. He would’ve had to stand there listening. He’s a jerk, but he’s a narcissistic jerk who only cares about himself. I don’t think he’d give two shits about your personal business.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right,” Dean says, but he’s not so sure. If there’s one thing he knows about Jason, it’s that he doesn’t like to lose. And somehow, Dean senses he has something up his sleeve.
“So, the important thing is what you’re gonna do about this fatal attraction of yours. Cuz it’s killin’ ya, man.”
Dean turns back to Emmett, feeling the weight of his unrequited feelings for Callie pressing down on him, smothering him. He’s not sure he can take another day of her not noticing him. But how to change it?
He runs a hand over his tired face and says, “I know. Trust me, I know.”
CHAPTER FIVE
CALLIE
Callie’s doing a victory dance around the living room when Dean walks in and raises a brow at her. Twirling one last time, she flops onto the couch next to Jinny. Todd is on Jinny’s other side, both arms wrapped around her.
“Thank God I got out of my original date tonight. This is going to be the best one ever. I can’t wait.”
“You’re a lucky bitch. He’s totally hot, our age, and paying you a bucketload.”
“I see you’re real sick,” Dean interrupts as he comes around the couch and eyes Jinny.
“I had lady troubles this morning, if you must know. Cramps. Something you wouldn’t understand. So there.”
Todd’s eyes widen in alarm. “I can vouch. I’d watch your step. She’s a total bear today.”
Callie laughs when Jinny rewards him with an elbow to the ribs. Glancing up at Dean, she takes in his scowl as he rolls his lucky ball from arm to arm. She wonders whether he even realizes what he’s doing or if the gesture is an automatic one. That basketball is like one of his limbs.
He has his moody face on—the one where his mouth is turned into a crooked frown and his eyes are all squinty. But when he stops rolling the ball and turns his gaze to Callie, his eyes soften. “So, what’s up?”
Callie shrugs. She’s not sure whether to discuss her date tonight. Dean seems to completely wig out about the whole escort thing.
“That’s because they’re not dudes,” Emmett points out.
“Exactly. They’re thinking like chicks.”
“Yeah, they don’t realize that when a guy’s with a hot girl, ninety-nine percent of what goes on in his brain is sex. Hell, even with a non-hot chick, it’s seventy-five percent of the time. We just imagine a better version of her in our heads.” Emmett grins as if he’s imaging something at that exact moment.
Dean’s smile disappears. “Yeah, and that’s why you’re never dating my sister.”
“Hey, losers.” The voice, like nails on a chalkboard, makes Dean shudder.
Angling his head, he sneers at Jason. How the hell did he come up on them without him noticing? “The last time I checked, you were the one that lost our little match the other day.” The muscles in Dean’s back tense as he speaks.
“Maybe. But I’ll win the next one. And this time, the stakes will be higher. Much higher.” Jason smirks.
Dean narrows his eyes. Something about Jason’s tone tells him there’s a hidden meaning he isn’t getting.
“How long have you been here? I didn’t hear you come in.” Dean assesses him. He’s got his normal cocky stance, chin held high, and he’s holding two to-go cups, indicating he’s been there a couple minutes, rather than seconds.
“Long enough. But it’s time for me to jet.” He backs away from their table. “I’ll see you two ladies later.”
“Later,” Emmett says, as Jason opens the door. Then he turns to Dean. “What a tool.”
Dean nods, but his gaze is still on Jason, who’s making his way across the street onto campus. “Do you think he heard us?”
“What? Talking about Callie?” Emmett follows the direction of Dean’s gaze. “Nah. I doubt it. He would’ve had to stand there listening. He’s a jerk, but he’s a narcissistic jerk who only cares about himself. I don’t think he’d give two shits about your personal business.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right,” Dean says, but he’s not so sure. If there’s one thing he knows about Jason, it’s that he doesn’t like to lose. And somehow, Dean senses he has something up his sleeve.
“So, the important thing is what you’re gonna do about this fatal attraction of yours. Cuz it’s killin’ ya, man.”
Dean turns back to Emmett, feeling the weight of his unrequited feelings for Callie pressing down on him, smothering him. He’s not sure he can take another day of her not noticing him. But how to change it?
He runs a hand over his tired face and says, “I know. Trust me, I know.”
CHAPTER FIVE
CALLIE
Callie’s doing a victory dance around the living room when Dean walks in and raises a brow at her. Twirling one last time, she flops onto the couch next to Jinny. Todd is on Jinny’s other side, both arms wrapped around her.
“Thank God I got out of my original date tonight. This is going to be the best one ever. I can’t wait.”
“You’re a lucky bitch. He’s totally hot, our age, and paying you a bucketload.”
“I see you’re real sick,” Dean interrupts as he comes around the couch and eyes Jinny.
“I had lady troubles this morning, if you must know. Cramps. Something you wouldn’t understand. So there.”
Todd’s eyes widen in alarm. “I can vouch. I’d watch your step. She’s a total bear today.”
Callie laughs when Jinny rewards him with an elbow to the ribs. Glancing up at Dean, she takes in his scowl as he rolls his lucky ball from arm to arm. She wonders whether he even realizes what he’s doing or if the gesture is an automatic one. That basketball is like one of his limbs.
He has his moody face on—the one where his mouth is turned into a crooked frown and his eyes are all squinty. But when he stops rolling the ball and turns his gaze to Callie, his eyes soften. “So, what’s up?”
Callie shrugs. She’s not sure whether to discuss her date tonight. Dean seems to completely wig out about the whole escort thing.
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