# Chapter 8:

Melinda's POV

"I want a second time with you."

My breath caught in my throat. Me? Why would Michael Stone, Pine Ridge University's basketball star, every girl's dream date, perfect as a god, want a second time with me?

His words lingered in the air between us, making me dizzy. Memories from the previous night flashed through my mind—the feeling of being filled by a man for the first time, that unfamiliar fullness and slight pain, how Michael knew exactly how to make me relax completely, how to slowly let me adjust to his size. I never imagined my first time would be like that, that strange mixture of pain and ecstasy.

When he reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face, I trembled involuntarily, my body sensitive from the memories. No, don't fall into this trap again.

I stepped back. "We had sex once. Don't try to make me believe that you, Pine Ridge's playboy, actually want to be with me again. Who put you up to this? Caitlin?"

Michael frowned, taking a step back himself. In the moonlight, his profile was so perfect it almost hurt.

"Nobody put me up to anything," his voice was low, almost a whisper. "When we were together, it felt... different. Unlike any other experience I've had. I want to try again, see what happens."

My heart traitorously accelerated. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to think clearly. "Oh, so I'm just an experiment? A test subject to see if the great Michael Stone can actually sleep with a girl twice?"

"No, that's not what I—"

"Please understand that I just needed someone to sleep with," I cut him off, my voice sharper than I expected. "I was in a bad place that night. And I don't want whatever game you're playing now to interfere with my medical school work."

Michael stared at me silently, then crossed his arms over his chest. The movement made the muscle lines of his chest more prominent, and I struggled not to let my gaze linger there.

"You seemed to enjoy last night," he said, his voice low.

His words sent a wave of guilt through me. I couldn't deny that the experience had been incredible. I still remembered how his size had surprised me, yet somehow fit me perfectly, as if our bodies were made for each other.

"I did enjoy it," I whispered.

I felt him move closer, the air between us thinning. "Then why not try again?" His voice was like velvet against my nerves. "And... you look beautiful tonight."

His fingers gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. Up close, I could see his pupils dilating, the color around them slowly shifting from their usual golden-brown to an unnatural red. My heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to kiss me, I jerked backward, nearly tripping over a rock on the ground.

Is he on drugs? It was the only explanation I could think of.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his expression confused and hurt.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "It's just... I'd rather what happened last night remained a one-time thing. Please don't play with me like this. I don't want to end up in the town obituaries because I was murdered by one of the female students who are lining up to sleep with you."

Michael was silent. The moonlight cast shadows across his face, making his expression difficult to read. When I looked at his eyes again, they were still... different, like some predator's eyes. There was something inside him, something wild that I couldn't quite place.

No, I couldn't get close to him.

He let out a long sigh, his hands sliding into his pockets. "Alright," he finally said, "but if you change your mind, I'll be here. I can be very patient for people who matter."

I didn't say anything more. Deep inside, I was torn—fear of a drug-using athlete who had fixated on me versus the desire, the burning need to feel him inside me again, to experience that complete fullness once more. In the end, fear won. I turned and ran around the cabin toward the bonfire, where people were still dancing, only more drunkenly now.

As I ran toward the bonfire, I couldn't help but look back to make sure Michael wasn't following me. In that moment, I collided with something solid, stumbling and nearly falling—but strong arms caught me.

I looked up, shocked to see Michael holding me. How could he? I just saw him back by the cabin! Those eyes with their red glow stared directly at me, concerned yet gentle. And right in front of us, Caitlin sat on the ground, her perfect figure and provocative cheerleader uniform now covered in dirt. Her eyes flashed with pure fury.

"Watch where you're going, bitch!" she snarled as she stood up, brushing dirt from her skirt.

I immediately pulled away from Michael's warm embrace, stepping back. "I'm sorry," I said, raising my hands in surrender. I didn't want trouble, especially with the campus queen.

Caitlin glared at Michael, crossing her arms over her chest, her pretty face red with anger. "Baby! I can't believe she's so blind. That was totally her fault!"

"Don't call me baby. And it wasn't her fault!"

Just those two simple sentences, with a touch of threat. He gave me one last look that made my stomach clench, then turned and walked back to the party.

I tried to move past Caitlin, but she grabbed my arm, her nails digging deep into my skin. The pain made me gasp.

"What makes you think you have any right to mess around with my ex?" she hissed like a snake.

I let out a dry laugh, yanking my arm back. "You're one to talk," I shot back. "Last night I caught you having sex with my boyfriend. At my birthday party!"

"Please," Caitlin scoffed dismissively, "Jason was never your boyfriend. He was just a substitute when I was too busy to satisfy him. Maybe if you weren't so prudish and willing to put out, he might have stayed... but I doubt it. Look at you!" She scanned me up and down, her gaze full of contempt. "You're just a med school nerd. Those stupid braids and old-fashioned clothes don't help either."

My blood boiled, and I clenched my fists. "What is your problem?"

Caitlin smirked and stepped closer to me. She was shorter than me, but her presence was suffocating. "Just mark my word. Michael is only pretending to be interested in you because he wants to humiliate me and make me jealous."

I knew it. Still, hearing confirmation still felt like a punch to the chest.

"Listen," I tried to keep my voice steady, "I have no interest in Michael. Whatever game you two are playing has nothing to do with me. Let's just avoid each other."

"Oh sure," Caitlin called out as I turned away, "after you get your ugly little ass away from the basketball team members. They're all mine."

I rolled my eyes, unable to stop myself from picturing Caitlin fooling around with the entire basketball team simultaneously. "Whatever. Have fun with your basketball player harem."

My hands trembled with anger. If there was one thing I hated more than anything, it was betrayal and deception. I knew the dramatic relationships between the basketball team and cheerleaders were common, but I hadn't realized how complicated they could be. Whatever had happened between Michael and Caitlin, I didn't want to be a pawn in their game.

I should never have gotten involved in all this.

As I walked toward the bonfire, I instinctively felt something wasn't right. My talisman was unusually warm against my neck. Even stranger, why could Michael always find me? How did he do it? He couldn't have appeared in front of me so quickly to catch me unless...

Stop overthinking, Melinda. He's just a jock who likes drugs.