Chapter Sixteen

Zach

Honey's nails scrape down my arm, leaving tiny marks down to my wrist. Skating her fingers across my palm, she holds my hand, and I can feel her hot gaze burning the side of my face.

Sweat pools at the back of my neck, but I don't look at her, because I'm worried she'll see my obvious discomfort. My fingers stretch, trying to break free from her hold, but she won't let go. Not while we're walking down the hall and people can see.

When the hell did this happen?

Why the fuck am I having these thoughts?

Am I suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

Questions race through my mind, but unfortunately, the answers evade me. They have ever since I stupidly went to Honey's birthday party.

"Are you okay, Zach?" Her soft voice draws my attention to her whiskey-toned eyes. Amber with speckles of darkness stare back at me earnestly, and my chest tightens. It's time I admit to myself that I have no idea when everything changed or why suddenly looking at Honey makes my dick twitch. Sure, I've always thought Honey was the hottest girl in school, but now, whenever she looks at me, I can't help but have thoughts. Indecent thoughts that I'm sure if she found out about, she'd dump my fake ass in an instant.

Nudging my shoulder, she tries to get me to answer, but she's pursing her lips, and all I can think about is how dark her eyes might go if those lips were wrapped around my—

"I'm good," I answer before I can finish that thought. No one wants a boner while they're walking down the hallway with an audience. "Just thinking about the game this week." Yeah, I'd sound more convincing if my voice didn't crack at the end. It's not like I can come out and openly admit to Honey that I'm suddenly finding it hard to think about anyone but her and that most of the time she's naked in those thoughts.

When did I become such a sap? Here I am, thinking about a girl who's pretending to be my girlfriend for revenge and only knows my name because I approached her in the parking lot. Yet, I can't stop my inappropriate and unreciprocated thoughts.

Honey sticks her tongue out, ready to say something but stops herself. Instead, she toys with the necklace I gave her. The sound of the pendant sliding across the chain feels almost deafening in the context. I can tell she loves it, but I don't know why. It cost me my last fifty bucks, but what's expensive jewelry for me is junk for her, yet she proudly wears it like it cost more than the solid gold Tiffany necklace Jamie got her last year.

A little hum of disbelief leaves her mouth, and I glance around the hallway. No one is giving us a second glance, but why would they? We've been doing this long enough to look like the perfect couple. So in love, it's sickening. They all saw me with her red lipstick smeared across my face. They all knew exactly what we were doing in that hallway together.

Now, if only I could figure out what we were doing, then we'd be good.

She kissed me on what felt like an impulse, but I can't be too sure. When Olivia opened the door, students could see us, and all I could think was that Honey had planned it. She did it to be caught in the lurid act of making out with the scholarship kid. Meanwhile, I was about to dip my hand under her skirt. Thank God Olivia stopped us when she did.

"Are you okay?" I'm sure she doesn't hear the implication in my voice. Today is the closest I've gotten to wanting to ask her about that kiss, but two things are stopping me.

The first thing being that if she did only do it for show and I ask about it, it would look like I'm harboring underlying feelings for my fake girlfriend.

The second and most important one being that I'm concerned I'm harboring underlying feelings for my fake girlfriend. Yup, it's a thought I've been trying to get a grip on for the last couple of days, but I can't deny it.

Honey is hot, and touching her has made me think about her a little differently, even though I know it's all kinds of wrong.

"I'm good," she singsongs with a small, pliant smile stretched across her face. Shit. I wish she'd stop smiling at me like that. The dimple in her cheek taunts me with its presence. Why does it have to look so cute? Why do I want to bite it? Why does everything she does suddenly make me think things I shouldn't?

Stupid kiss. Stupid pretend kiss.

A pretend kiss that went way too far, but she seemed more than a willing participant. Hell, she pushed me against the wall and lifted her leg up to grant me easier access. It's not my fault my hand had a mind of its own and started trailing up her smooth thigh.

I try to shut off these thoughts and remind myself she's only hanging out with me because she wants to tick off her ex. She's not interested in screwing, let alone dating me.

Then I divert my attention to the floor because an extra pile of guilt settles in my stomach when I see Olivia walking down the hall. The girl who caught us. The one who stopped everything before it all went too far. I don't know whether I should be angry or thankful, but either way, I now feel awkward looking at my best friend's girlfriend. Speaking of, she's no doubt told Mike too, so I'm guessing he'll beat my ass soon. Thankfully, I've kept my home life private; otherwise, I'd be in some serious shit there too.

"Look who it is." Honey elbows me, crinkling her nose, and that's when I know I'm a goner. She's so fucking cute. She dips her head, and I notice Jamie staring at us from across the hall. Dude really thought I wouldn't show up to Honey's party after he essentially dared me to. He cornered me after practice one day and said I was too chicken shit to meet Honey's parents. He wanted me to fail, but unfortunately for him, I know how to make a good impression.

"Kiss me," she mumbles. "I want to remind Jamie exactly who I belong to." There's a challenge in her voice, and I like it. Besides, who am I to say no to kissing her when it's all I want to do?

Honey squeals when I grasp her hips and back her into the lockers. Holding onto her elbows, her hands cling to my shirt as I drop my forehead to hers. There's a moment, an unspoken silence when we're close enough that our noses are touching and our breaths are mingling. Nothing is said, but the quiet question is there, checking that this is what she really wants.

She tips her chin, and her lips graze mine. Feeling the soft, pliable skin of her lips is enough, and I don't hold back. I start where we left off, kissing her hard and passionately, the way I've been thinking about since Saturday. Her lips curve into a smile as she opens up, sliding her tongue into my mouth and teasing me relentlessly. I must be a sadist, because I'm torturing myself with how much I'm letting her get away with. Her hands brace my arms, and she pulls me in for more. I greedily accept, letting the feeling of her body against mine take over my senses.

"Umm, excuse me, but you're on my locker," a meek voice squeaks out. I only hear it because it reminds me of Tiff. Parting from Honey, she gazes at me with glazed-over eyes and plump lips. If claiming her was the plan, I did that, but I'm not exactly thrilled about it when the reality of Tiff and Ella starts to sink in.

Here I am acting like I've got heart-eyes over Honey while Tiff is at home with Ella. I'm a dick and should only be focusing on helping them, yet my actual dick seems to have other plans.

"Sorry," I grumble, not taking my eyes off Honey. She peers over my shoulder, and a sly smile grows on her face when she sees Jamie walking by. Annoyed slurs from him echo down the hall, so at least we accomplished our mission.

"Are you ready to go to class?" I ask, and she nods. Then, waffling her hand in mine, I lead her to our history class.

Something in my stomach turns when Honey's thumb grazes over my palm, but I ignore it, choosing to focus on the fa?ade that we're creating for everyone else. I ignore the nagging feeling in my body telling me that this feels right and good because it's all fake, anyway, and that's just how Honey wants it.

"Can I take you home tonight?" she asks, and it makes all thoughts of her stop.

"You can drop me off at the bus stop," I counter, still not ready for her to see more of my life than she has to. Especially now that my thoughts about her are intensifying. The more time I spend with her, the more time I want to spend with her, and that's not good for anyone.

She draws her lips into her mouth with a smile, holding back from arguing with me. I can read her body like a book, and this morning she's been looking at me as though my shit smells like roses, which is slightly disconcerting. She's only smiling like that to tick Jamie off. It has nothing to do with the fireworks that ignite in my chest when we kiss or the electricity firing between us. All she cares about is revenge, and that's what I've got to care about too. And the money, of course. That's the reason we started the whole thing in the first place.

"Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five. That's it. You're done, Z." Mike pats me on the shoulder, indicating that I can drop the barbell into his awaiting hands. As he lifts the weight away from my body, I sit up and grab a drink before wiping my face with a towel.

I wouldn't normally come to the gym after a burrito lunch, but I needed some space from everything. Honey, if we're being specific. She's got my head spinning, from how she laughs to how she chews her damn salad, and lifting weights seems to be the only way to let some steam off.

"I'll spot you next," I offer, standing and loading Mike's weights onto the barbell. I'm surprised he hasn't asked me why I so willingly joined his weight session, considering it's full of teammates I hate, but he's letting it slide for now.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise when the voices of our teammates echo in the gym. I give none of them a second glance, but Jamie brushes his shoulder against mine.

I can feel the simmer of anger radiating off him as our eyes meet. For someone who apparently doesn't care about Honey, he seems exceptionally bitter that I've somehow captivated her attention for longer than he ever could. They may have been together for years, but that relationship was faker than anything Honey and I are doing, and he knows he's slowly losing his grip on her.

"Hey, Jamie," Brett calls from the other side of the room, clearly in a jovial mood. "Help us settle something. Who's better?" He tips his chin up. "Honey Sanderson or McKenna Bryan?" The players around him jeer and elbow Brett, who sticks his tongue out with a teasing smile. My jaw holds tight, and something in my pinkie twitches, but I try to ignore it and focus on my breathing.

I can't help it. I look over to see Jamie's reaction. He stiffens but ignores Brett, waving his hand in the air, and walks farther into the room. I've never had much respect for Jamie, but at least he's not kissing and telling today for a change. Granted, from what I understand, he has little to tell about Honey. Sounds like he was all about himself, which isn't surprising. "Come on, man," Brett calls, not letting this go. "It's just between you and the team. We won't tell anyone."

Jamie throws a towel at his friend and strides past him without a second glance. "If you really want to know, Brett, maybe you should find out for yourself."

Brett throws his head back on a snort. "Fat chance of that happening. You're all over McKenna at parties, and the bet's pretty much done now that Honey's shacked up with the school charity case." Brett points his thumb in my direction but doesn't give me a second thought. Ass. "I blew ten grand for nothing," he says bitterly.

Twisting the towel in my hand, I inadvertently make eye contact with Jamie, and something wicked gleams behind his eyes. After today, he wants to tick me off.

"Yeah, about that." Jamie starts, his eyes never leaving mine. "I've been thinking about it too." I smile because I bet he has. I bet he can't stop thinking about what Honey and I are doing behind closed doors. "The bet as it stands is too easy." He looks around the locker room, getting the attention of the other guys in on it. "Honey's only hanging out with dollar dick over here because she's rebounding hard and thinks it's annoying me."

Mike leans in beside me. "Chill, Z. They are just being assholes."

"I am chill."

Mike gives me a once over, looking at me with wide eyes. "Say that to your face, bro. And could you be holding that towel any tighter?"

I loosen my fingers and unset my tight jaw, cricking my neck for good measure. My body is tense because I lifted a heavier weight than usual today. My muscles always spasm a little after a hard day of training. That's the only reason I'm tense. It has nothing to do with Honey.

The guys jeer around the locker room, turning to me and expecting a reaction, but I don't give it to them.

"Are you sure you aren't missing Honey?" Brett blinks rapidly, mocking Jamie, who pushes him with a smile.

"Nah. I'm glad she's off my case for now. She'll be back soon enough, so I'm just enjoying getting guilt-free blow jobs without her whining about wanting my dick."

"Guilt free?" Brett questions. "When did you ever feel guilty about getting blow jobs from other girls?"

Jamie shucks his chin, nodding. "You're right. Maybe the guilt was more because my dick couldn't be in more than one place at a time."

Jamie watches as I swallow, and I know he's goading me, but the way he struts around the room like he's a king presiding over his servants ticks me off. Did he forget he's one of the worst quarterbacks we have, and the only reason he's on this team is that our stadium bares his last name? Asshole.

"Honey wasn't into you." It's a simple statement, but I don't need to say anything else. He knows I overheard that conversation about his fat fingers and uncoordinated hands.

"That's not what her texts say. Tell me, Zach. Have you ever received a text from Honey begging you to make her come?"

He flashes his phone in my face, but I'm too angry to read the message. How dare he talk about Honey like this?

"Don't need a text to remind me what I'm supposed to do. She comes every time she sees me." The room falls silent, surprised at my retort. Screw it. I'm going to keep going. "It's strange how you always think Honey was begging you for sex. Have you ever thought that maybe your dime-rolled dick wasn't enough to satisfy her, and that's why she kept asking? A wad of cash in the bank doesn't make up for the lack of wad in your pants when you're with a girl like Honey." I raise a brow, watching his smile falter when I call his bluff.

The team laughs, and I'm glad I'm here to watch the king become the joker. Jamie glares, and I know I've set something off, but I'm enjoying watching him falter.

"If you're that sure of yourself, Charity Case, why not prove it? Let's raise the stakes."

"What's in it for me? I've already pretty much got fifty grand in my pocket from the rest of you."

"Yeah, I'm not willing to put more money in either," Brett adds. "Honey's made it very clear that I'm not in the running."

Jamie turns his attention to Brett. "What if you had until prom to get her? By that point, she'll be over sucking Zach's cheap dick and want something with a little more coin in his wallet. This time, it's all about the Hail Mary. Who's going to swoop in and take the victory from Chump Change over here."

A wicked smile grows on Brett's dumbass face. I can tell you right now that Jamie is not extending the bet for anyone but himself. "Another ten k each." Ten thousand? There's no way I can get Honey to loan me more money. "And because I'm feeling generous on the scholarship kid, I won't make any of you pay it until after prom."

"After?"

"Yeah, if you're so confident in yourself and keeping Honey, you shouldn't have a problem with that arrangement, should you? Let me do the math for you. If you keep Honey until prom, you'll get one hundred grand, including your twenty-grand stake back."

"Deal." I don't have to think about it. One hundred grand is life-changing, even if I have to split it with Honey. It's more than Tiff, Ella, and the rest of my family need and will see us through until I can get those sponsorship deals.

Jamie spits out a laugh. "Well, that was easier than I thought."

"That's what happens when you wave money in front of a poor kid," I reply, knowing that's exactly what they are all thinking. "A bet's a bet, and I'm going to win."

He takes me in with an upturned lip. Am I the first person to ever challenge him, because that's what this whole thing feels like. "If you're so sure of yourself, why not make this interesting?"

"What are you thinking?"

"Public sex."

That short, simple statement makes me laugh, but when he continues to stare at me, I raise my brows. "Dude, I know you have a fetish for ensuring everyone sees your conquests, but that's not something Honey is into." Or me, for that matter.

"Exactly. If you have such a hold on her, prove that you can get her to do anything."

"But public sex? Even I know that's unrealistic. She is a Sanderson, after all," Brett interjects, looking between the two of us in disbelief. "She has a reputation to maintain. Her father would kill her."

Jamie ignores Brett and continues talking. "Every time you do something in public that a football player can verify, I'll add an extra five grand to the pot myself." Jamie holds his hand out, and that extra money intrigues me. "Do we have a deal?" He's just throwing it at me now, and the competitor in me can't help but accept the challenge.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes, taking his hand and shaking it. The one hundred grand is more than enough for me. I don't need to publicly prove anything to any of them.

"What the hell are you doing, man?" Mike grits through a smile.

"He's proving exactly who he is," Jamie answers for me. "A good-for-nothing hustler. The minute Honey finds out, he'll be out all his money and starting his scholarship at St. Michael's with a reputation for pissing off the richest donors. Let's see how long he lasts." Jamie runs his tongue across his teeth, watching me with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Don't worry, Jamie. I'm more than certain I can keep Honey occupied until prom, considering you kept her by your side for over five years without so much as an orgasm." Jamie gulps, then does something unexpected. He pushes me hard onto the bench, his face clouded with rage. Funny how possessive he is over a girl he apparently doesn't have feelings for. I guess if he can't have her, then no one else can either.

"Dude, what the fuck was that for?" Mike challenges, pushing Jamie back and then checking me over. As if a push from that weed would hurt me.

"I'm fine, Mike." I stand, staring back at Jamie. "Jamie just doesn't like to share his toys and hates it even more when Honey spills his secrets. He's just afraid I'll break little Honey in, and then she'll never ask for his limp dick again." Adrenaline has taken over. I don't believe what I'm saying, and I'd never treat a girl like this, but I want Jamie to believe it. He deserves to feel embarrassed.

He lunges for me; I don't flinch because Mike and Brett are by his side, holding him back. "Get off me," Jamie grits, and I pop out a short, sarcastic laugh.

"For someone who dropped Honey like she's nothing. You're sure acting like she's something." I walk around his restrained frame, then say over my shoulder, "You know, I think all your limp fish talk about Honey was just bravado. Maybe you've been trying to hide the fact that Hunniford is a secret honey pot. I'll have a ride and let you know if she's better with a guy she actually likes instead of one she's being forced into a relationship with." Oh, the irony of that last statement.

"Calm down, man," Brett says, and I hear a struggle over my shoulder but don't bother looking. I've made my point. Jamie can't affect me with his words. "Zach's talking shit to rile you up. You'll get in trouble if you hit him."

"No, I won't," he grits out. "My name is on the damn stadium. If anyone is going to be suspended by the end of football season, it's him. Then he'll lose his scholarship and any chance of ever making money."

"Shaking in my sneaks, Jamie," I say with an amused lilt. If he thinks a threat like that will scare me, he hasn't left South Point in a long time. He seems to forget I've already committed to St. Michael's, and there's no way Coach will suspend me. I'm worth too much to the team.

"She'll get bored," Jamie calls, and that makes me stop, more because the desperation to put me off Honey is intriguing. "She always does. She has the attention span of a gnat, and she's only using you to make me jealous."

I spin on my heel. "Using that line again. Nah, she's using me for my dick, and I'm using her for money, so we're a perfect pair." With that, I turn and open the door, leaving Jamie and the rest of the guys behind.

"Z," Mike calls, coming up behind me. He drops his bag on the wooden bench and tries his best to catch my eye. I choose to focus on my locker combination instead. "What was that all about?" I shake my head because I don't care about how that looked; I've got more important things to worry about than some rich boy's ego.

"What do you mean?" I ask with a sarcastic edge.

"I know you guys have never liked each other, but now it seems to be getting a little excessive."

I shrug. "It's all Jamie. He still wants Honey, and if there's one thing I can do to help Honey through all this, it's to get revenge on her ex. Part of that is pointing out just how much he wants her." That's a lie, I wasn't thinking that far ahead. I only cared about watching Jamie's face crumble when he found out I had something he still wanted, even if he was trying to deny it. Something about the whole situation gave me a small glimmer of satisfaction. For Honey, of course. Not for me.

"So you're telling me that whole act in there was for Honey?" Mike's skepticism is clear, but I ignore it.

"Yup," I quip.

"Seems a lot for someone who's apparently only doing this for the money."

After pulling my bag out of the locker, I slam it shut and smile. "Good. That's exactly what I want them all to think. For Honey's sake." Without another word, I walk out of the locker room and push down the tense feelings gnawing at my stomach. I hated lying to the only friend I have in school, but since there is the added complication that his girlfriend is Honey's best friend, I need to get my head straight before I drop any bombs on him.

Heading to the parking lot, I try to put all this petty bullshit to the side. The best part of my day is yet to come, and I should focus on that. Seeing Ella's face when I walk through the door always makes things better.

I slow when I notice Honey leaning against her hot pink mess of a car, watching us with her arms crossed. She looks carefree with a small smile, and suddenly that tense feeling in my stomach subsides.

"Are you going to tell her what happened?" Mike asks.

"No. She doesn't need to know any of that." Hearing how Jamie talks about her will only upset her, and I'm tired of seeing girls cry, especially over assholes like him.

Before I've made the decision, my feet are already making their way over to her, and I hold back a smile when she skips over.