Palm South University Season 1 Omnibus (8 page)

“WAIT, WHAT?” I ask my Little incredulously, standing from where I’d been sitting next to her on the couch in our sorority house living room. She cringes a little, but repeats what I thought I heard the first time.

“I don’t want to take a Little.”

I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers. “What are you talking about? You’ve been in a year, it’s time to take a Little. This is how it works, Bo.” I look to my petite Little pleadingly, but she doesn’t budge.

“I’m not ready, Jess. I thought I would be, but I’m not. I want to take a Little, just not right now. I need another year.”

The front door swings open, letting in the fading rays of sunshine from the evening light as Ashlei walks through the frame.

“Oh thank God,” I say. “Please, help me talk some sense into my Little, Lei. I’m at a loss for words.”

Ashlei eyes us both hesitantly before dropping her gym bag to the floor. Her hair is high in a ponytail and she looks like she’s been sweating. I really need to get on her level if I’m going to be taking pictures next to her this semester.

“What’s going on?”

“Bo doesn’t want to take a Little,” I let out the words in one exasperated sigh. “I think it’s her Asian-ness popping up out of nowhere.”

Bo throws me a look, but her mouth actually curls up into a small smile. My Little is part Asian and she’s absolutely gorgeous. We always joke in good spirit about her heritage, so she knows I’m not being mean when I say that. She pokes fun at my German heritage, too – especially when I try to get the first tan of the season and end up burning like a lobster, instead.

“Okay, well… if she doesn’t want to take a Little, is that really the end of the world?”

My jaw drops. “Are you kidding me? It’s an honor to get a Little and you know that! Sisters who don’t get Littles are devastated until they finally do. And I know for a fact that there are at least two new members who want Bo as their Big.”

“Is that true?” Ashlei asks Bo. She only nods in response. “Oh… well why don’t you want to take one?”

Bo opens her mouth to answer but I cut her off. “There is no logical answer. She’s been in a year, she’s been a Little for a year, now it’s her turn to be a Big.”

“But that’s just it,” Bo says loudly, standing and tossing the pillow that was on her lap to the side. Her brows pull together and her long, sleek black hair slides behind her back as she stands. “I’ve been a Little, but I don’t feel like I’ve had a Big.”

My mouth snaps shut and I blink, not sure what to say. Ashlei shifts uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. You and Stacy are so close. I thought we would be the same way, especially after she graduated, but we’ve barely hung out since I became your Little. It’s like you hung out with me nonstop to get me to choose you as my Big and then just stopped trying. I mean when is the last time we did something together just the two of us?”

I scoff and turn to Ashlei, looking for help. I don’t find it.

“I can’t argue with that one, Jess,” Ashlei says apologetically. “Maybe she’s got a point here.”

“We hang out all the time!” I shout a little louder than I intend to. “We just hung out the other night.”

“Yeah. At sisterhood movie night. But when is the last time we did something just the two of us? Something not sorority related?”

I chew my lip, but can’t come up with an answer. She’s right. I know she’s right. Hell, I was just talking to the girls about how I wish I were closer with Bo. But right now, I don’t want her to be right. I don’t want this to be about us. I want her to take a damn Little and not let our family line die.

“Whatever.” I snatch my Lilly Pulitzer bag off the couch and throw it over my shoulder. “Do what you want, Little. I’m late for class.”

“Jess…” Ashlei tries to stop me, reaching out for my arm but I shrug her off and jet for the door, letting it slam behind me. I’m fuming. Bo should want to take a Little, she shouldn’t be so fixated on what our relationship is like. I’m her mentor. That’s what I’m supposed to be. Not every Big/Little pair is best friends. It’s a special relationship, just like a big and little sister in real life. Yes, sometimes friendships bloom out of that sisterhood, and yes Stacy and I are an example of that. But, Bo shouldn’t be holding back because she’s searching for that with me, too.

I frown at myself as I speed walk into the Political Science building.
God, I’m being such a bitch.
Here my Little is basically saying she just wants to be better friends with me and I’m yelling at her telling her to go find new friends.

Yeah. I suck.

I snatch a packet of papers from someone as I storm in the classroom and up to a seat near the back. It’s only when I sit down and unload my textbook that I realize I snatched those papers from Jarrett. He’s watching me intently, his dark eyes narrowing as his brows pull in. I grit my teeth and start scribbling in my notepad as hard as I can with my black ink pen, trying to work out the tension that I know only has one true release.

A release I’d really like to get from my professor’s assistant right now.

By the end of class, all the muscles in my body are growing sore and I know I can’t take it any longer. I ignore Ashlei’s text asking if I’m okay along with Jarrett’s concerned glare asking pretty much the same thing and head straight to Ralph’s after attendance is called and Dr. Maynard excuses us. What a fucking Wednesday.

Ralph’s is a small, shitty bar but it’s the closest one to campus and therefore always packed. It’s something between a biker bar and a club and it’s pretty much my home. As soon as I sink down into the barstool, I feel a little better.

“You need a drink,” a deep voice says from behind me. I quickly glance back and fight the urge to roll my eyes. It’s Matt, the president of Omega Chi Beta. He’s always been a huge flirt, which is kind of a lame turn-off to me, but I can’t deny that he’s hot. Bleach blonde hair, hazel eyes, cute grin and tall frame? Yeah. He’ll do.

“I have one,” I point out, lifting my fruity rum drink in his direction before taking a sip.

“Let me buy the next one?”

“I’ve never been one to turn down free booze.” Eying him, I take another sip. “I’m surprised you and your brothers aren’t throwing another rager tonight.”

“Yeah well, we’re trying to lay a little low after last week’s stoplight party. Cops were called, tickets issued, alumni freaked out. You should have seen Bear ripping into Josh. I’ve never seen him so pissed off.”

“Skyler said he’s been acting weird lately.”

Matt frowns. “Yeah, he kind of has. But I think it’s just school shit. And his Little is a dick, so there’s that.”

I laugh. “Yeah, there’s that.”

Matt’s eyes fall to my lips. “You have a beautiful laugh.”

Rolling my eyes, I drain the rest of my drink and nod toward the perky bartender at the other side of the bar. She slides me a refill and I nod to Matt. “It’s on his tab.”

“Ruthless,” he says, whistling.

“Hey, you offered.”

“Indeed I did,” he agrees. “But you were supposed to fall for my stupid pick-up lines.”

“Do you want to have sex tonight?” I ask bluntly.

He chokes on his beer, wiping at the corner of his mouth quickly. “Um…”

“Let’s cut to the chase here, Matt. You’re a horn dog. You’re buying me drinks. It’s clear where you want this night to go, and luckily for you I’ve got some tension to work out and I’m more than happy to take it in that direction, too. So,” I pause, slamming back the fresh drink he just bought me and licking the last of it from my lips. “Where to?”

He leans in quickly and presses his lips to mine, running his hand back through my hair and gripping it lightly. I’m a little bored, but I let him kiss me anyway and we make out like high schoolers until I feel him dragging me toward the door.

“Wait.” I pull away from him, breathless. “My bag is behind the bar. One sec.” I rush back to our bartender and she retrieves my bag from the back. When I sling it over my shoulder and turn back to find Matt, I find dark brown eyes, instead.

Jarrett is staring at me from the other side of the bar. His head is low, his elbows propped on the bar as he sips on a dark liquor. He swallows and his jaw tenses as his eyes flick to the door where Matt’s waiting for me. I swallow, too, but lift my bag higher on my shoulder and make my way to Matt. He kisses my neck and runs his hands down my backside when I reach him, growling in my ear about what he can’t wait to do to me.

As he tugs me out the door, I look back over my shoulder, expecting to see Jarrett still watching me. But he’s gone. I frown, more disappointed than I care to admit, but force a smile when Matt pulls me the rest of the way through the door.

Matt’s fun. I like the way he peppers me with kisses as we move between the sheets of his bed and I can’t say I’m not surprised to see he’s packing more than just a wallet in those frat shorts of his. But, I know I should feel guilty right now.

I should feel guilty because it’s Matt’s hands touching me, it’s his mouth on mine, it’s his cock driving into me, but it’s not him who’s responsible for my moans right now. It’s not him that’s making me scream as I orgasm in his bed.

No. It’s Jarrett. Because all I can think of is him and those dark brown eyes.

And that mother fucking truck.

I CAN’T STOP SMILING in the limo ride to Ralph’s. Somehow, I landed Cassie as my Little. I’ve known all week – found out on Tuesday and have been showering her with gifts and clues ever since – but tonight was the night
she
found out, and it was priceless.

“Did you really not have a clue that it was me?”

“Well, I hoped it was, but all your clues threw me off!” she says, giggling. “You said you had blonde hair and you were a Poli Sci major. I thought it was Jess at one point.”

“Well I wanted it to be a surprise!”

“It definitely was,” she says, still smiling. Our limo is packed with ten other girls. It’s tradition after Big/Little reveal that all KKB sisters convene at Ralph’s, a dirty, old bar just off campus that’s been around longer than the library. Most of the new Big/Little pairs take limos just for fun. It’s cheesy and kind of lame, but it’s tradition.

“Hey,” I say, touching Cassie’s shoulder when I notice her smile slip. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she tries, shaking her head. I give her a pointed look and she sighs. “I don’t know. I’m so happy, Skyler. I am. I was freaking out thinking you weren’t my Big but you are and now we’re going out and it’s going to be so much fun. But…”

“You’re thinking about Paris, aren’t you?”

Cassie frowns. “She’s changed so much already, Skyler. She’s always been a little… refined, I guess. But now she’s getting snobby. And mean. And it’s like now that we’re not in the same sorority, she doesn’t think it’s fit for us to hang out. Like, ever. I don’t understand it.”

I really want to punch this Paris chick right in the left tit, but for now, I need to make Cassie feel better, so I put on my happy face. “Listen, she’s just going through the growing pains. College changes people in a lot of ways. I know sisters who have plenty of friends outside of the sorority and friends in other sororities, too. If Paris is saying that’s why she can’t be friends with you, she’s using it as an excuse for something she’s been thinking for a while now.”

Cassie’s frown deepens and I realize that probably didn’t make her feel better at all.
Cool. Great job, Skyler.

“But do you remember what I said when we first met? By the fountain?” I ask and Cassie nods. “Well, it’s still true. Your time in KKB is just beginning, but just know you’ve got an army of sisters on your side and we all want to get to know you better and form a lifelong friendship with you.”

She smiles at that. “I know. I’m excited. And you’re my Big!”

I squeeze her in a tight hug. “Hey.” I pull back, assessing her. “Did I ever tell you the stories behind some of the girls’ nicknames?” Cassie shakes her head no. “Well, I just realized we probably sound completely crazy to you, huh?”

She giggles. “Sometimes. It’s kind of hard to follow.”

“Well, let me clear it up. So, Ex is short for Erin Xander. Also, it’s kind of an inside joke between the other girls and I that she’s always someone’s ex, never someone’s girlfriend. We’re still not sure how that happens.” Cassie laughs and I join her a bit before continuing. “Lei’s is easy, it’s just the second half of her name. Everyone has always called her Ash and she bitches about it, so we call her Lei to get her to shut up.”

Cassie chuckles again and I see the worry start to truly fade. “I like that. Kind of like how they call you Sky.”

“Right,” I agree. “It’s just a shorter version of our names. J-Love’s is the most fun, I think. It’s kind of like J-Lo, but J-Love. It started because she used to say she was in love with every guy she hooked up with. Now, it’s just because she’s a heartbreaker. That girl is always hooking up with all kinds of hotties on campus and making them fall in love with her. Man eater, that one is.” I smile, shaking my head. “I try to keep up with her and give her a run for her money, but it’s tough.”

“What does Bo stand for?”

“Oh, that’s her actual name. It’s Chinese for precious, I think.”