As Usher sings about not minding about his girl being a stripper, I turn in Jayden’s arms and move my ass very suggestively against him. When everyone starts to holler, I only dance harder, letting go completely. I feel so free, and I love feeling him against me. The more I move, the more I know I will make good on the promise he assumes I made. When I look back at him, he has this grin on his face that leaves me gasping for air as his arms go around me, hugging me tightly to him. Laughing, I lean into him as we sway, and to say I’m having fun is an understatement.

I’m in complete bliss.

When Delanie pulls on my arm, I open my eyes to see her waving me toward her. “I gotta piss, come on,” she yells over the music.

Rolling my eyes, I go with her, with Mandie trailing behind us. Once in the bathroom, after waiting for what seems like forever, we all hit the stalls and do our business before gathering in front of the sinks to make sure we look good. As I move my hands through my hair, Delanie says, “I had to get you out of there before you started doing him on the floor. You need to tuck your cat in heat back in, Baylor.”

Scoffing, I set her with a look. “The only person that was having sex on the floor was you, Del. You looked like you were a stripper.”

She shrugs. “Hey, Jace likes it.”

“We can tell,” Mandie laughs and I grin.

“Whatever. As I was saying, for two people who are hiding a relationship, you guys suck,” is her answer as she glosses her lips.

I take the tube and slide it against my lips as I shrug. “I’m having fun. No one thinks anything about it.”

“Jace does! I thought they knew?”

I shake my head, panic filling my chest. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

“No, I just started making out with him! Jeez,” she yells at me before shaking her head. “Warn a girl next time!”

I meet Mandie’s gaze in the mirror and she asks, “Why are you hiding it again?”

“Because my dad,” I explain, and she nods.

“Oh yeah, okay,” she says with a nod. “Makes sense.”

“No, it doesn’t! Wanna know what I think?” Delanie asks, almost slurring, and I shake my head.

“No.”

“Well, I’m gonna tell you anyway,” she says with a grin, leaning on the counter.

“Um, excuse me,” some girl says, but Delanie flashes her a dark look.

“Yeah, excuse you,” she says before looking back at me. “Now, as I was saying, I think you need to be honest with your dad.”

“Duly noted, but won’t happen, and what’s the point?” I ask, shaking my head. “This is probably just a college romance, no need to get him involved.”

They both look at me like I’m stupid. “Do you actually believe the words that just came out of your mouth?” Mandie asks, and I only look back at them.

“I don’t know,” I say, which is a halfway honest answer. I mean, it could last only for college, but I really hope it doesn’t.

Reaching out, Delanie squeezes my hand. “Tell him and stop hiding it. Jayden is dying to show you off.”

“No, he’s not,” I laugh, waving her off.

“Yes, he is,” they both say, and I shake my head.

“Fine,” I say, throwing my hands up. “I’ll get to it. Let me get through the season. I don’t want anything messing up Jayden’s chances in the draft, okay? No reason to poke daddy bear with this.”

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she looks deep into my eyes and shakes her head before saying, “Just be happy, Baylor. That’s all I want.”

“You’re drunk, and I am happy. Just the way everything is,” I say, and she shakes her head.

“If you didn’t keep it a secret, girls wouldn’t flirt with Jayden, because hello, everyone is scared of you.”

I laugh while shrugging. “I trust him, we are good.”

“Yeah, but we want you to be happy.”

“I am happy,” I say again, because obviously no one is listening to me.

“Yeah, but inside or behind closed doors. Don’t you want everyone to know who you’re with?”

“No, I don’t have to flaunt him,” I say dryly, and Delanie rolls her eyes.

“Your dad will deal because all he wants is for you to be happy,” Mandie adds, and I shake my head.

“I’ll tell him after the season is done, okay?” I say once more, and Delanie’s arms fall off my shoulders as she shakes her head.

“Come on, let’s go. You know she won’t change her mind,” Mandie says, holding her sister’s wrist. “Even if she’d be happier. She always does the hard shit first.”

“I do not,” I reply with a playful glare.

“You do,” she says on a breath. “You always do.”

“I just hope he holds on. No one wants to be kept a secret,” Mandie says then, and I stop her from walking away.

“He doesn’t mind,” I reiterate, and she shakes her head.

“Because he loves you, Baylor. Everyone can see it but you, but there will come a time when he’s had enough of waiting around for you.”

They turn to walk away, and as I follow behind them, I wonder if they’re right. Am I making him wait around for me? No, I’m not. I’m protecting us! Plus, him loving me is just outrageous. Why would he love me? I was mean as hell to him for the first couple months of knowing him, then I fought him on everything we did, and tried to go for his position. Plus, I’m a wee bit of a control freak, I tend to get jealous over some chick I don’t even know, and I’m kind of violent. Oh, and I’m obsessed with winning.

I would not love me.

Plus, he knows what could happen if my dad found out. My dad is insanely protective of me. Jayden knows what happened with Seth; he isn’t stupid. He wouldn’t sacrifice his career for me. No, he doesn’t love me. He just wants to be with me, he doesn’t care how either. Rolling my eyes, I just need to let it go. We are good.

But then something inside me is saying she’s right.

So to fix that problem, I go to the bar and drown it with alcohol.

And boom, problem solved.

“Ugh, remind me to never drink that much again.”

Chuckling beside Baylor, I turn to my side to look at her, placing my hand on her hip, rubbing it to soothe her. We’ve been in her bed since Delanie and Mandie left earlier this morning, which is weird since I’m used to being in my bed. But then again, it’s kind of nice. The door is locked and no one can get in. With my bed, we always have the chance that Jace and Markus will come in, but here no one can bother us. I’m grateful for the privacy because I get to enjoy just her. Even though she is hungover, looking like a mouse drowned in alcohol and smelling like one too, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.