Bad Intentions by Nacole Stayton

told Kaiser nothing was going on.”
    “Kaiser was curious if you were single?” She sounds hurt.
    “No. No! That’s not at all what I meant.” I hold on to the side of the treadmill for balance and pick up my feet to place them on either side of the machine. The belt continues moves below me. “He asked if we were…you know…if Ryle…” I lean closer toward Zoe and whisper his name almost in shame. “Was putting his D in my V.” My face drains of color as those abbreviations cross my lips.
    “Wow. That’s a ballsy question. Do you think he was prying because he likes you?” Zoe probes. I feel sorry for her. She’s scared that he likes me. This conversation is totally going in the wrong direction here.
    “I’m going to slap you,” I announce.
    “I beg your pardon?” The sassy tone that only she can rock comes out, as she tilts her head and tries to read between the lines.
    “I’ll do it,” I promise.
    I watch as she pulls the emergency plug off her machine. Its movement comes to a halt. “Why would you slap me?” It totally went over her head.
    “To slap some sense into you. After all, that’s what friends are for.”
    “You’re so odd.”
    “And you’re being so ridiculous. He’s not into me. Trust me.”
    “How do you figure?” Her defenses go up again.
    “Well, the fact that he mentioned me and Ryle having some thing going on, means that he knows I’m not into him. Also, he’s been eying you for about five minutes straight.”
    Zoe stills, unsure what to do.
    “Well don’t just stand here, go over there and talk to him.”
    “I…I…shouldn’t,” she stutters. Her cheeks redden.
    “Ugh. You totally should. I came here to live the college experience. So far, there isn’t much going on with me.” She cocks her brow. “Shut up. I don’t like Ryle.” I lie for the zillionth time and say a little prayer asking for forgiveness. “Anyways, let me at least live vicariously through you. One of us should be having fun.”
    “I’ll make you a deal.”
    Oh, snap. This can’t be good.
    “I’ll go over there and talk to Kaiser if you grow a sack and talk to Ryle.”
    I huff. “You drive a hard bargain.” Zoe stays silent, but sticks out her bottom lip, begging me to go with her. “I’ll go under one condition.”
    “State your case.”
    “If he—for one second—acts like a dick, I’m free to walk to away.”
    A triumphant smile spreads across her face.
    “Deal.” She holds out her hand.
    I grab it and shake. “Deal.”
    I follow Zoe’s lead as she slowly makes her way over to where the guys are standing. She looks like she’s stalking her prey. I’m sure we look like a pair of loons.

    Ryle seethed as he watched Tank touch the most delicate set of legs he’d ever laid eyes on. The way his friend’s hand gripped Adaley’s thighs made him swallow hard, wishing more than anything that those were his own hands dancing along her skin.
    Four long minutes he sat, his arms mindlessly lifting weights as his eyes raked in the beauty in front of him. Getting lost in his own reps, Kaiser called him out. “Why don’t you grow a sack and tell her you’re interested?”
    Ryle ignored the comment and switched the dumbbell to his other arm.
    “I’m serious, dude. I can feel the sexual tension rolling off you.”
    Dipping his head slightly, Ryle said, “I can’t. Not with her.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” an ever-nosy Kaiser probed.
    “She doesn’t seem like the type that just wants sex. I can see it in the way she looks at me. She wants more than I’ll ever be willing to give her.” His confession made him inwardly cringe. Speaking the truth about her out loud to someone made it disgustingly real.
    “Buddy,” Ryle’s head turned to the side as Kaiser opened his mouth to speak again. “You’re so wrong. I think she came here looking for a good time. It’s a shame I already got my eye on someone.” He knew what someone Kaiser was talking about. He’d