“Not if you feel the same way. But, wait, I thought you went to the game with Dawson?”

“I did. And I was bad. Again. We decided we weren’t going to anymore, but we did.”

“You have no willpower.”

“You’re right. Dawson is like me satisfying my sweet tooth. When I’m having something sweet, I love it, but then when I’m done, I feel guilty.”

“Because of the calories?”

I laugh. “Yes. Dawson is a five layer chocolate cake with ganache filling. Impossible to resist, but leaves you feeling a little guilty after.”

“He stopped by here earlier. Did you see it?”

“Peyton said something about it.”

Maggie grabs my arm and pulls me toward the dorm. There on the first step, near where he always sits and waits for me, is a huge pink heart. It says: Dawson + Keatie.

“Oh, that’s so sweet!”

Dawson grabs me around my waist. “I’m glad you think it’s sweet. I have something else sweet for you in my dorm. Come on.”

As we walk next door, I say, “Did you see your brother’s neck? He has new hickeys over the old ones.”

“Did you see my brother’s stomach?”

“We’ve never done that, you know. Given each other hickeys.”

“You’ve given me a couple little ones before,” he says, pulling me into his bedroom and sucking hard on my neck. “Want me to give you one?”

“Not really,” I laugh. “You know, we kind of missed out on all that. The kissing for hours, the hickeys, and all that.”

“Is that what you want? For me to write Dawes across your stomach?” He immediately puts his lips on my stomach, which is exposed in my game day dance uniform. “Maybe I’ll just put my football number on you. Mark my territory.”

“Uh . . .”

“I’m just playing. Tell you what. Let’s just make out.”

I smile at him. “That sounds like fun.”

We kiss for a few minutes.

But when he pulls me on top of him, our kissing gets deeper, and both our hips start that little movement toward each other.

“Keatie, you gotta stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Every time you kiss me, you move your hips into me, and you keep making those sexy little noises. I don’t know how much more I can take.”

“That’s cuz you keep pushing my butt into your leg and moving it against me.”

I roll off him and wrap both my arms up around my head. He puts his hand across my exposed stomach and then down inside my dance pants.

I moan, then sigh and try to shake this desire. “What happened to just kissing?”

He runs his hand further down, pulling my pants down in the process. “I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” he says huskily, as I use his feet to kick my pants the rest of the way off.

He pulls off my thong while I try to undo his belt. I finally get it undone, unzip his shorts, and pull down the front of his boxers. He holds my hands down above my head with one hand, while he slides off his shorts and boxers.

Then he grins at me and says, “We’re just gonna kiss.”

I wrap my legs around his waist in agreement. “Yeah, we’ll just kiss.”

Dawson may not touch my soul, but the parts he does touch, he makes feel really good.

After we get dressed, Dawson says, “I’m starved. Let’s go get lunch.”

We’re now sitting at the lunch table, probably looking way too happy.

Bryce says to me, “So, what’s going on with you two? I saw the It’s complicated thing, but then I heard you had a date with Aiden.”

“We’re allowed to date other people,” Dawson answers.

“So, you’re still hooking up?”

Dawson laughs and says, “Um, we decided we’re just gonna kiss.”

My phone makes a little email ding, telling me I have a message from Grandma.

Grandpa says you want to know the difference between love and true love. Joan Crawford said this, “Love is a fire, but whether it’s going to warm your heart or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

Dawson and I are the only ones left at the lunch table, so I ask him, “Do you believe in true love?”

“Uh, I think so, why?”

“Do you think you just know?”

“Like love at first sight? Romantic fairy tale stuff? I though what we just did in my room was pretty damn romantic.”

“Our just kissing was romantic?”

“Hell, yeah.”

I tilt my head and look at him, like Seriously?

“Okay, so it probably wasn’t romantic. It was hot. Sexy. That’s what all this is about, huh? The romance? We have the sex, but not the romance? Wasn’t last night romantic?”

“Dinner was romantic.”

“So early dinner and then tonight after the game you’re mine, right?”

“I think I already was yours.”

He laughs. “Naw, we just kissed.”

Just kiss.

1pm

After lunch, I do all the stuff Brad asked me to, then go to the small auditorium where all the student guides are meeting to get instructions about what we’re expected to do with the visiting students. Aiden sits down next to me as I’m studying the photos of the two girls who are going to be Katie’s and my roommates.

“So, tonight, we’re doing dinner before the game, right? I have something special planned.”

“Oh, um, I didn’t know that you planned something. I was trying to be fair, so I told Dawson I would hang out with him tonight. Then tomorrow, all day—well, except for the party after curfew—I’m yours. Like, if you want.”

“Bryce told me you and Dawson decided you’re just gonna kiss for now.”

I blush and look down, hoping he didn’t notice.

“Well, we’re going to try.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t like this.”

“Don’t like what?”

“You dating him one night and me the next. It sucks.”

“But you’re the one who told me to date you both.”

“Yeah, I know,” he says with a sigh as he runs his hand through his hair. “So, are you okay with that?”

“Okay with what?”

“With me dating you one night and someone else the next?”

“You can do whatever you want.”

He sweetly puts his forehead against mine. “I haven’t dated anyone else this year. Don’t know why I’d start now.”

I bite the edge of my lip, trying to suppress a smile.

He lets out a loud laugh. “You love getting your way, don’t you?”

My little smile breaks into a full-on grin. I can't help it.

He squints his eyes at me. “You like that I’m a little jealous.”

“Kinda.”

“You are a bad liar.”

“Fine, I like that you're maybe a little jealous. I don't know how you feel.”

“Boots, love isn't like a cute pair of shoes. You can't try it on to see if it fits and walk out the door wearing it.”

“I know that.”

“You told me sometimes true love takes a bit. Do you believe that?”

I scrunch up my face and think about it. “I guess I always thought true love would be instant. An instant pull—like gravity—and you would both just know.”

“But sometimes the girl is used to getting things instantly. And probably the guy is too. And maybe they need to slow down.”

“But I could get hit by a car or kidnapped by a psycho tomorrow and never know.”

“You don’t have to have sex to know. Sex isn't love.”

“Maybe not. But it’s a big, important part of it.”

“Just because you have sex doesn't mean you're in love.”

“I just want to be with a guy who likes me. Who won’t hurt me.”

“Says the girl who’s with a guy that has already hurt her, more than once.”

This comment immediately pisses me off.

I turn my back on him. “I gotta go, Aiden. See ya later.”

He grabs my shoulder. “You’re mad at me right now because you know I’m right.”

I set my face in a passive, disaffected look. “I’m not mad at you. I just have to go greet the prospective students.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Now I’m standing in a reception line, greeting prospective students as they arrive, with Aiden standing next to me.

Electricity is radiating from his stupid body.

Young girls are getting just as tongue-tied around him as I do. They come over in little groups, supposedly to say hi to Ariela, Maggie, and me, but by the way they are giggling, it’s obvious who they want to see.

The shirtless goalie from the video.

“Are you two going out?” an adorable blonde girl named Pressley asks Aiden, looking from me to him and blushing. Then she goes, “Uh, I mean, like, I, uh, saw you studying together in the library in the, uh, video. I can’t wait to take French. It’s such a romantic language.”

I look at Aiden, wondering how he’s going to reply. This is his chance to tell someone else what I want to hear. That he’s secretly in love with me. How we met. How it was instant. How if she comes here, it might happen to her. Her perfect fate.

“We have French class together,” he says with a radiant smile toward the girl, which causes her to turn a deeper shade of red. “She’s my tutor.”

“Oh,” she manages to reply. I can tell her dreams were just crushed along with mine. She wants to hear the fairy tale. She wants to know if she comes here, she’ll meet an amazing boy.

I decide to give her hope. “I’ve been dating a really hot senior.”

Aiden starts to say something, but he’s interrupted by a loud voice.

“Daddy’s home!” Braxton bounds up to me, wraps his arm around my neck, and gives me a big kiss on cheek. “Did you miss me?”

I grin and kiss his cheek back. “Of course I did!” I turn toward Aiden and the girl, who is still standing there. “Pressley, this is Braxton. He’s for sure attending Eastbrooke next fall.”

Braxton gives her a subtle once over and appears to approve. He removes his arm from my neck and wraps it around hers. “Pressley, that’s a really pretty name,” he says. “Stick with me, baby. I’ve got this place wired.” He starts to lead her toward the small auditorium for their informational meeting, when I see Embry, the dark-haired girl he’s been crushing on from his school, arrive.

“Hey, Brax, wait,” I say.

I walk up to Embry. Unlike most of the girls who have arrived in packs, she is standing confidently by herself. I can see why she dates older guys. She doesn’t look like an eighth grader. Long hair, slim, tight body, gorgeous eyes, and great teeth in a pretty smile.

“Hey, I’m Keatyn,” I tell her, introducing myself. “Are you here alone?”

“Yeah,” she says a little self-consciously. “None of my friends want to go to boarding school, but I think it looks really fun. I loved the video.”

“Thanks. We’ll get to talk a bunch later. You’re rooming with me and my friend, Katie, but now you have to get into the info meeting.” I lead her toward Braxton. “Do you know Braxton? I read that you go to the same school. And this is Pressley. She’ll be rooming with us too.”

Braxton looks a little shocked. Probably because his arm is still wrapped around the pretty blonde, Pressley. “Hey, Embry!” he says. “We were just headed in. Wanna join?”

She smiles and seems relieved to see a familiar face. “Yeah, Braxton, that would be great.”

Braxton doesn’t miss a beat. He wraps his free arm around Embry and says, “We’re going to have some fun here, ladies.” Then he turns back and winks at me. “Keatyn, don’t be jealous. You’re still my favorite girl.”

I look over at Riley, who is shaking his head and laughing at his brother.

Riley and Dallas start discussing who were the hottest young girls.

“They are all, like, fourteen. Way too young for you both.”

Riley goes, “Just checking out the new crop for my little bro.”

But I’m not paying attention.

Because Chelsea, the cheerleader who is always flirting with Aiden, is now running her hand down Aiden’s buff bicep.

I know I shouldn’t listen, but I can’t help it.

I’m straining to hear every single word.

Damn Dallas is talking way too loud. I want to shush him, but I can’t.

“You’re no fun this year. What’s the deal? We had lots of fun last year,” I hear her say.

Aiden doesn’t remove her arm from his, but says, “I’ve just . . . and I’m not . . . we did . . . understand.”

She apparently doesn’t like what she hears, because she lets go of his arm and puts on a pout. “Tonight. We’re having some fun, and I’m not taking no for an answer.” She walks away slowly, shaking her curvy ass.

I catch Aiden staring at it.

He looks at me and sort of shrugs, seemingly saying, I can’t help it all the girls are in love with me. I’m a hottie god. Get used to it.

My phone buzzes with a text.

Braxton: I need a redhead to complete my trio.

How do you say fuck off in French?

5pm

Dawson comes to dinner with me, even though he has to be in the locker room shortly to get ready for the football game tonight. All the prospective students have to sit together, so we get to eat alone.