"The prospects are looking pretty bleak tonight," Wyatt mutters, scanning the bar for a third time and still seeming to be unsatisfied with the female population here. The majority are sorority girls, each one a carbon copy of the next: bleached hair, white sneakers, jeans, and some sort of low cut top. We're seated in a booth, in perfect view of everyone coming and going from the place, and also just a few feet away from where Jourdan and her friends are sitting.

"Well, you won't know if you never give anyone a chance to stick around bro," Lars tells him. "Need I remind you that you're the worst of all of us when it comes to the ladies."

"I am not." Wyatt responds curtly, shaking his head but I give him a look. Deep down he knows it's true. He's like a brother to me, but I still wouldn't trust him with any of the girls in our group let alone my own sister. Though, I suppose it could be argued that Justin feels the same way about me with Jourdan.

Unfortunately for him though, that ship might have sailed based on the way she keeps glancing over her shoulder from across the bar to look at me and the filthy things she'd been texting me all night.

When she and her friends first got here, I could tell something serious was being discussed between all of them, especially as she, Bex and Andee had waved to us just when one of their friends looked like she'd started crying.

Then Bex and Andee eventually came up to our table, explaining that their friend, Tillie, is having some relationship issues and that they'd come hang out with us as soon as she wasn't a sobbing mess. We'd been more than fine with that, seeing as that wasn't something any of us wanted to insert ourselves into. So we reassured them to take their time and collectively decided to give them a few minutes to calm their friend down and finish our drinks.

I lift my rum and coke to my mouth again, taking a long sip as I continue to watch Jourdan. Wyatt and Lars chat about girls or some other bullshit, but I'm completely tuned out, all my attention is on her and that dress she's wearing tonight.

It's open in the back, revealing the expanse of her soft, pale skin there. Her long blonde hair cascades around her too, swaying gently as she moves her head while talking with her friends. She looks almost too good tonight, good enough that I know there's a semi pressing at the zipper of my jeans and that it probably won't go away as long as she's in front of me.

I smirk as I think of her message from a few minutes ago, teasing me and telling me that she'd like to sit on my face. Whether she meant it or not, she has no idea how badly I'd like to make that suggestion a reality. Just the idea of getting to run my tongue along the length of her pussy, tasting her, has my hand tightening around the glass I'm holding, knuckles nearly white as I try to control my breathing.

She's playing with me, I know she is, the smile on her face when she blew me that kiss indicated to me that she's enjoying this new thing between us, the anticipation, the build up, the possibility in the air tonight that made me hope she might finally give me a chance.

It makes my chest tighten and my stomach turn, it's a completely different feeling from any other time I've flirted with a girl. Maybe it's because she has just the same amount of power over me as I do over her. We're equals in this and that's a bit of a novelty for me.

The look she's been giving me from across the bar all night tells me she feels the same thing. Or at least, she's curious. Curious is good for me, it's better than the angry, defiant look she'd been sending my way after we kissed.

My gaze trails down her back then, admiring the way her hair falls almost to her ass, and the way she sits up straight, poised and confident. I want her to come over here, want to fulfill some of my own dirty promises, but their friend still looks like she needs some comforting.

"You alright dude?" Lars's voice registers then and shakes me out of my thoughts. I focus back on the drink clutched in a vice grip in my hand as the noise from the crowded bar comes back to me.

"Oh, yeah," I start, sitting back a bit and clearing my throat. "Just tired I think."

"Yeah, still doesn't look like you've gotten much sleep." Wyatt comments.

"I haven't." I laugh. "At least this week, I haven't."

I think of the past nights I'd spent tossing and turning in bed, trying not to imagine Jourdan's curvy figure wrapped around my waist as I pound into her. Last night was the worst it's been, especially after having her wet, nearly naked body pressed against mine in that sauna. When I finally did fall asleep, I had the most confusing wet dream I'd experienced since middle school, in which we hooked up in the team locker room after a game.

"Does this have anything to do with a certain blonde young lady I know of?" Lars asks slowly, eyes narrowed, glancing over his shoulder now to where Jourdan and her friends are still seated. To make matters worse, Justin had recounted the story of walking in on us making out in that kitchen to the entire house last night, and as funny as he thinks it is, it's not helping me.

"No." I shake my head, unable to help glancing at her, smirking when I catch her watching me again. Her head whips back to her friends the second she knows I've seen her. "No, I . . . well, I just . . ."

"Seems to me you're in denial," Wyatt laughs. "Definitely seemed like you two were getting pretty close and personal in the sauna yesterday."

"The sauna?" Lars asks, eyebrows raised and Wyatt nods.

"Yeah, here I am, just wanting to relax and warm up after swimming a couple laps, you know, as one does" Wyatt begins, retelling the story as Lars nods and I roll my eyes, taking another long gulp of my drink. "And then, I walk into the sauna only to find this one with Jourdan practically in his lap, the two of them looking like they were seconds from doing something illegal."

"Illegal?" I bark and they both laugh.

"Having sex in a public place like that is public indecency," Wyatt scolds me. "Which is illegal."

"We weren't going to have sex." I protest, shaking my head even though I know all bets would have been off if we hadn't been interrupted, again.

"That's not what it looked like to me," Wyatt laughs and Lars joins him. "You two were basically salivating over one another, it was almost pornographic."

"Dude," I mutter, letting out a tight breath. "Look, it's not that simple. She doesn't feel the same way about me I don't think- or maybe she does, but I still have no idea if she'll act on it."

"I think she might," Lars muses, glancing over his shoulder again. "Based on the way y'all have been eye-fucking each other tonight."

I let out a choked laugh, suddenly realizing I hadn't been as discreet as I thought before. Just then Lars' phone buzzes on the table, lighting up and he glances to it. He grins instantly.

"Riley just got here," he says, grabbing his phone. "I'm gonna go find her and get another drink, you boys want anything?"

"Nah," Wyatt shakes his head and I raise my glass, indicating I still needed to finish my current drink. Lars nods then before sliding out of the booth, strolling into the crowd towards the bar.

"So, it sounds to me like you're a bit pussy-whipped." Wyatt continues then and I look at him.

"Don't you have to have been in the pussy to be pussy-whipped?" I retort and Wyatt just laughs.

"Not necessarily." He shrugs. "My personal theory is that this comes in phases, you're in the phase where you haven't had it yet and you want it, bad."

I mean, he's definitely not wrong.

"I'd let myself be content with this first phase though," He continues. "Because once you're in it and you have been able to fuck your brains out, if you still want more, that's a whole different ball game."

He speaks like he knows my pain all too well, a strange look passing over his face before he seems to shake himself out of it. I ignore it, deciding whatever it is, he'd tell me if he needed to.

"You don't think I should sleep with her then?" I ask, wanting an honest answer and Wyatt tilts his head side to side as he thinks. "Not that it would happen but . . . I didn't think she'd kiss me like that either."

"Nah, I'd say go for it." Wyatt offers easily and I raise an eyebrow, a bit surprised by that response.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. You're gonna kill me for saying this, but I think you've been into her since freshmen year," He tells me. "And I'm pretty sure she's into you, she's just not the kind-of girl who will admit it, which makes her perfect."

"How so?" I mutter, rolling my eyes, I didn't really want to have this conversation anymore. I hated the implication that I'd had anything remotely like a 'crush' on Jourdan since I'd known her. I'm attracted to her, there's a difference.

I mean, sure, she's not like most girls I'd hook up with. For one, I actually enjoy our conversations, the friendship we've formed this year being one that I'd never really had with a girl before. But I can't admit to anything other than plain, carnal attraction because that would mean something entirely different, something a bit terrifying if I'm being honest. And I can't afford to get distracted.

"Every girl throws themselves at you, it would be a good change of pace to be around someone who won't let her dignity fly out the window the second you enter a room." Wyatt explains then.

I think about Jourdan standing in front of me in her underwear again and am tempted to laugh. Though he is right about one thing, she doesn't want me the way that other girls like Penelope do. She wants to make me work for it, with absolutely no guarantees. Not that I need one, but usually girls aren't so illusive with their intentions towards me.

"I don't think she's into me like that," I muse. "I think I'm a 'right place, right time' kind-of situation for her."

"Either way, you still get what you've been waiting for, what, like three years now." Wyatt tells me and I nod. I know the real way I'm going to get this off my mind is by talking to Jourdan. I make up my mind then to get her alone at some point tonight, because whether she likes it or not, I know I'm interested, and I have a feeling she is too.

Just then I glance to the side again, my eyes widening a bit when I realize my wish might be about to come true. My jaw clenches as I watch Jourdan walk towards our table, her hips swaying, eyes focused, a small smile playing on her lips. That magnetic confidence she always seems to have is radiating off her tonight, stopping my voice in my throat as she reaches the table and plants both her hands on it, leaning towards us.

"Hey boys," she hums, her voice low and warm.

"Jourdan," Wyatt grins, jumping in for me because I still can't seem to form a coherent sentence, swallowing hard as my jaw works. I try not to focus on the aching in my dick, my eyes unable to stop themselves from gliding up the bare skin on her thighs that's exposed by the short skirt of her dress. "We've been waiting for you, Ryder here can't seem to take his eyes off you tonight."

I glare at Wyatt then, kicking him under the table as a light thump sounds and he grunts, before laughing with Jourdan who turns her soft gaze to me.

"I noticed." She smiles at me, and I finally smirk, finding my own confidence again.

"Well, it's hard not to," I tell her honestly. "Especially when you look like that."

"Like what?" She asks, raising her eyebrows, almost as though she's worried about her appearance for a moment under my own intense gaze which is locked in on hers.

"You already know what I'd like to do," I tell her, leaning forward as well and she giggles.

"Oh, she does?" I hear Wyatt ask but I ignore him. Our eyes still glued to one other, the tension in the air intoxicating me more than my drink. My hands are itching to grab her now, pull her into my side of the booth and wrap her in my arms, especially as her hair falls around her face and the sweet scent of her perfume washes over me.

"Anyways," she breaks her gaze from mine, a shiver seeming to travel down her body before she clears her throat. "How'd you both like to ditch this lame-ass bar and go somewhere fun?"

"I'm game," Wyatt says immediately and I nod.

"Just say the word," I tell her and she laughs again, standing up straight now and crossing her arms lightly over her chest. She stands with one hip jutted out, the same smile on her face from before. When she looks like this she could tell me to do just about anything and I'd do it.

"Alright," she gestures to the nearly empty drinks on the table. "Drink up, and let's go."

~

Lars stays behind at the bar with his girlfriend, more than willing to make it a date night seeing as they hadn't seen each other all week. But Wyatt and I pile into an Uber with Jourdan and her friends before we zip off through the city, pulling up outside a small house on The Hill. It doesn't look too crowded, but the sounds of a party are still audible from the front lawn: loud music, people talking and laughing, and the occasional shout as something eventful happens like winning a round of beer pong.

It's a friend of a friend's party, and while I don't know the gangly kid who greets us when we enter, he and the crowd of people in the living room and backyard are more than happy to welcome us. Soon, Wyatt, Andee and Bex are all roped into playing a round of rage cage, while Jourdan's other friends join in on a heated game of King's Cup in the living room.

We seem to have arrived just in time too, able to secure our own mixed drinks before an even bigger crowd of people enter the house and the party gets louder. Luckily by that time, I have Jourdan to myself. 

We explored the house a bit, both of us uninterested in the festivities for now and eventually, we stand together on the front porch of the house, the noise of the people inside a bit duller here.

"So," I ask, leaning against the stone railing surrounding the porch, my body angled sideways as she leans forward, our drinks set down on the ledge as she smiles up at me. "Is your friend going to be okay?"

"Oh," she nods. "Yeah, she was just having some relationship drama." 

"It was sweet to watch you take such good care of her," I say honestly and she laughs lightly, ducking her head as her gaze scans the front yard. "You're a good friend." 

"Thanks," she says, looking back at me, her eyes warm. "I just feel for her, you know? We've all been there before."

"True," I agree, my eyes wander over her face and appreciating the makeup she's wearing tonight. I think I prefer her without it, but I'm not too partial either way.

"Well, some of us have been there before," she continues then, raising an eyebrow at me. "I don't think you have."

"That's not true," I protest. "I might not have been in a relationship before but I've dealt with my fair share of girl drama."

"Oh really?" she teases me, picking up her red solo cup as she takes a long sip.

"Penelope for example," I blurt. "I can't seem to shaker her."

"Yeah," she nods then, a small laugh passing through her lips. "She was on you the second you two met, but to be fair, you didn't seem like you were fighting it too hard back then."

I laugh too, remembering the night that I met both Jourdan and Penelope in my freshmen year dorm room that I'd shared with Justin. I'd been so taken with Jourdan that night, but while she played along, I could tell she had her reservations about me.

"I mean," I shrug. "My first choice wanted nothing to do with me."

"You were a little arrogant," she giggles. "Maybe you still are now, but I know you better. I can actually see that you're mostly bark and no bite."

"Really?" I feel my eyebrows shoot up on my forehead. That's what she thinks? That I'm harmless? I have the sudden urge to prove her wrong right here on this porch.

"I meant it as a compliment," she says then, her eyes wide, concern passing over her face as she wonders whether I'm offended. But I'm not, I'm feeling more defiant than offended right now.

"I know," I grin, reassuring her and she smiles again, holding her ground as I move closer to her. I pick up my own drink then, taking a long sip and keeping my eyes locked with hers over the edge of my solo cup. "So, have you thought anymore about our conversation yesterday?"

"Um," she laughs again, her cheeks a bit pink now as she takes another sip from her cup before looking at me again. I can't help moving even closer, the soles of my black Timberland boots scratching against the concrete surface of the porch. She turns her body slightly then, setting her drink down and leaning one hand on the ledge in front of us, facing me now. "I might have."

"What are your thoughts?" I pry.

"Confusing." She admits, letting out a breath and I chuckle, breaking my gaze from hers as I glance over the front yard. Maybe I was right after all, she doesn't feel the same things I do.

"But, I can't deny that there's an obvious attraction between us," she continues then and I feel a spark of hope inside me when I grin and look back to her. Her eyes are bright and wide, a beautiful smile stretched across her own face. "And, maybe it's only because I've had some gin tonight but, it doesn't feel so complicated anymore."

"Still confusing though?" I ask and she nods.

"Well, I didn't think this would ever happen honestly." She says, gesturing her hand back and forth between us. I nod, agreeing with her. I didn't either, one because she'd had a boyfriend and two because I couldn't seem to get through to her, until now.

"So," I start again, drawing in a slow breath and feeling a pressure in my chest. We're closer now, our bodies gravitating together as if of their own accord.

"We have a connection, clearly," I grin as she laughs lightly, her cheeks still pink as her chest moves up and down a bit more rapidly. "I'm just wondering if you want to explore it as badly as I do."

"Our connection?" She asks, eyes wide and I nod. "I'm sure what you really want to explore is my panties."

I draw in a breath at her words, it's true. I would also like to do that just that. My feet take me closer to her, pushing her body back against the ledge again and I turn us so that she's caged in against the stone ledge. She swallow visibly, her gaze dropping from mine to where she's eye level with my chest. I watch the top of her blonde head, my heart thumping loudly in my ears at our proximity now.

"Is that what you want?" I ask carefully, still not willing to give in fully until I get a clear statement out of her. She arches then, leaning her head back as my hands rest on either side of her on the ledge behind us.

"Only if you're going to put in your best effort," She teases me, still avoiding the seriousness in my tone, trying to joke but I just step closer. Not missing the way her body seems to shiver. "The best explorer won't come