Make It Count

by Megan Erickson

  “You gotta know,” he murmured, almost as if he was talking to himself. “Walking away from you right now is killing me.”

  She bit her lip and looked him right in the eye. “Ditto.” Then she reluctantly pulled from his grasp and walked away first.

  As she walked, she waited to hear her name. She wished for it so hard, she heard ghosts of whispers in her ears. But after a block, she turned around. Alec wasn’t there.

  MAX WAS SULKING. And when Max sulked, everyone paid the price.

  But right now, Alec felt like he was paying way more than anyone else.

  “Can’t they get decent lettuce in this place?” Max held up brown-tinged, shredded iceberg lettuce from his sub. They were eating lunch in the TUB with Cam, but Alec would have rather been anywhere else, like pulling out his teeth. With no anesthetic. He stayed silent while Max went back to muttering. Alec rolled his eyes at Cam, who swallowed a bite of cheeseburger and shrugged.

  Alec had to cancel his first tutoring session of the week with Kat Tuesday and he’d just left their Thursday session. It’d been the first time he’d seen her since outside the Pizza Box. They were both incredibly uncomfortable and spent the whole time speaking only about statistics. So yeah. Back to teeth pulling . . .

  “Yo, Payton.” Some big, muscled dude stood near their table. The same muscled dude who had tried to molest a dancing Kat at the bar. Alec couldn’t remember his name. Brian? Brant? Something like that. From what Alec remembered, Max worked out with the guy at the gym and they did other meathead stuff together. The guy had a huge nose and a forehead that went on for days.

  “Yo.” Max answered.

  The big dude didn’t even look at Alec.

  “Heard Kat Caruso dumped you. Bad news for you, man. She’s a hot piece,” said Mr. No Neck and Alec had the overwhelming urge to punch said neck. Fucking jackass. Kat wouldn’t look twice at that dude. She’d probably make some joke about how his neckties would wrap around the Earth twice. Alec snorted to himself, and Max glared at him before turning back to the big guy.

  “Fuck you, Brant. We’re on a break. Keep your sweaty hands to yourself.”

  Alec whipped his head to the side. A break? Where did Max get that idea?

  There were more words back and forth before Brant No Neck walked away but Alec was still stuck on break.

  “A break?” Alec asked.

  Max shrugged. “Yeah, she didn’t mean it.”

  “Um . . . she sounded pretty sure, man.”

  Max quirked his lips. “Max is never out of the game.”

  “Please do not talk about yourself in the third person.”

  Max waved him off.

  Cam crunched a chip. “Forget her, man. I mean, I like Kat, but come on. We’re in college. We have hot girls in tight jeans and cleavage-baring shirts at our fingertips. Don’t tie yourself down.”

  “I want it noted I have none of those things anywhere near my fingertips right now,” Alec said.

  Cam glared at him. “Because you put no effort into it.”

  Alec fluttered his lips. “I’m busy.”

  “Priorities,” Cam muttered.

  Alec and Cam had one big experience in common—cheating high-school sweethearts. Cam’s ex-girlfriend—the She-Beast Who Shall Not Be Named—cheated on him while he was in basic training. Cam took that anger and fueled it into playing the field. Alec took that anger and just shut down.

  “I’m so pissed you won’t be at the party tomorrow, Max,” Cam said. “It’s just not the same without your karaoke stylings and tricks of hand playing President.”

  “I hate that fucking game,” Alec muttered.

  “That’s because I’m always President and you’re always Asshole and I can make you do shit.” Max bumped him with his shoulder. Alec glared at him.

  Max took a gulp of his water. “So Zuk, can you do me a favor?”

  “Depends what it is.”

  “I’m heading home tonight to work with Dad. If Kat comes to the party tomorrow night, can you watch out for her?”

  Alec dug his fingers into his thighs under the table to keep from yelling. Why? Why of all the girls on campus, the only one he’d paid attention to after Carrie was Kat? Fuck him.

  “I worry some asshole is going to take advantage of her or something and I won’t be there to watch out for her,” Max was saying.

  Alec relaxed his hands before he gave himself bruises and cleared his throat. “Yeah, yeah, man. I’ll watch out for her.” If Max had paid a bit of attention to her, he would have known Kat could take care of herself.

  Max smiled and clapped his hand on Alec’s shoulder. “Thanks, Zuk. Knew I could count on you.”

  Alec thought he was going to be sick.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I KNEW YOU were going to drag me here,” Kat grumbled.

  “Have you been over there? Is Cam’s friend as hot as he is?” Shanna was vibrating with excitement. She’d already detailed all the reasons Cam was, apparently, her future husband. Kat hadn’t heard her talk this much since her favorite video game came out with some sort of patch so she could design her avatar’s clothes.

  “Max and I broke up, remember? No, I haven’t been over there.”

  “Oh, yeah, sorry. I thought you were dating his roommate now?”

  Kat looked at her incredulously. “Seriously? You think I dumped Max and hopped into his roommate’s pants in, like, a week?” Never mind she wanted to. She wasn’t admitting that out loud.

  Shanna frowned. “If you’re going to be this grumpy, I’ll go to the party by myself.”

  Kat brightened. “Great! Sounds good. Have fun!” She waved obnoxiously and began to turn around to head back to campus.

  “No!” Shanna grabbed her arm. “Just come on.”

  Foiled! Kat walked alongside Shanna reluctantly, plotting her next escape attempt. She needed one of those fake heads like those prisoners at Alcatraz used. Penal system history came in handy when trying to get out of parties where nerdy, attractive tutors would be in attendance.

  “Quit trying to get out of this. I can hear your brain working.”

  Kat scowled at her friend as they mounted the stairs to Alec and Max’s town house. She glanced along the street, looking for Max’s truck and hoping he went out of town as he’d planned. She didn’t see it.

  Sighing, she opened the door and stepped inside.

  College parties all smelled the same—a mix of AXE body spray, sweat and cheap beer. It was a wonder students ever had sex. Kat wrinkled her nose and tried to look like she wanted to be there. Shanna had already brushed past her to take up residence against the wall near Cam. Hopefully, she’d actually worked up the nerve to talk to him.

  The living room was large and almost filled with people. She couldn’t help it—her eyes scanned the room until she found Alec. He stood in a corner near the beer pong table, iPhone in hand, tapping away. His glasses had slid down his nose and his brows were furrowed. He wore his typical uniform of dark jeans, Converse shoes and plain black T-shirt, but he’d styled his hair so it stuck straight up instead of smoothed back in a pompadour.

  As if sensing eyes on him, he looked up and met her gaze, tucking his phone in his back pocket. He smiled slowly and she returned it. Just the sight of him, which used to unsettle her, now balanced her.

  Alec blinked and swallowed. He grabbed a cup of beer from a nearby table and walked toward her.

  As his long legs ate up the distance between them, she made the decision to live a little tonight. She was here, Max was out of town, and Alec was sauntering toward her, looking like a modern James Dean, minus the cigarette breath.

  Even if she only got Alec for one night, it was worth it. It was worth it to feel desired, respected, and in his league. Kat planted her feet and waited for him. He had to make the first move.

  “Hey,” he said when he stood in front of her. Thank God he didn’t smell like AXE.

  “Hi.”

  “You came.”

  “
I came.”

  “You know Max isn’t here—”

  She shook her head. “The only reason I let Shanna talk me into coming is because Max wouldn’t be here.”

  He took a sip of beer, keeping his eyes on hers over the tooth-nibbled rim of the plastic cup. “It’s over for good?”

  “It’s over for good. Forever and ever. Amen.”

  Alec licked his lips, and she allowed herself to track his tongue. She was single now. No more guilt. Well, at least not enough to stop her.

  “I’m glad.”

  She licked her lips, a test to see if he looked at her mouth. As always, Alec aced that test, his eyes glued to her roving tongue.

  He cleared his throat and jerked his head back toward a table behind him. “Want to play flip cup?”

  Kat watched the table, where a line formed on each side. Each player chugged a cup of beer, placed it on the edge of the table and then used one hand to flip it onto its top. One side of the table raced the other.

  “You trying to get me drunk so you can get in my pants?” She winked at Alec.

  He blushed—he freaking blushed—and it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen. Max would have said yep and smacked her ass. But Alec blushed. Adorable.

  She knew her tolerance and figured she could handle three games with her beer a third filled before she got too drunk. “Sure, let’s do best out of three.”

  “Yeah?” he said as they walked over to the table. “Winner gets what?”

  She smiled coyly. In the library, Alec was master. He called the shots. But here? Flirting at a party? The possibility for sexy times? Kat was queen. “Whatever the winner wants.”

  Alec paused and ran his tongue over his teeth. “You’re on.”

  The table was already separated into the age-old battle of the sexes. So Kat and Alec easily slid into place across from each other.

  After two games of chugging and flipping, the teams were tied.

  Kat and Alec were the finishers at the end of the table. Kat stood with her legs apart and back hunched, in a wrestler stance. “Remember, whatever I want,” she singsonged.

  The game started at the head of the table with Shanna and Cam. Cam slammed back his beer and flipped his cup in one try, while Shanna struggled. The girls fell behind until the guy right before Alec, who fumbled his cup on the floor.

  As Alec and Kat raised their cups, they were even. Kat opened up her throat, slugged back the beer and with an agile index finger, flipped her cup and watched it glide easily onto its top on the table.

  She raised her head and Alec stood motionless, his eyes on her, his cup in his hand.

  The girls went crazy as the guys all groaned.

  “What the fuck, Stone! You didn’t even drink your beer!” Cam yelled. “Man, I’m never playing flip cup with you again.”

  Kat didn’t pay attention to the noise around her. She held Alec’s eyes. He stood motionless, his lips parted, cheeks flushed and chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

  “Did you throw the game?” Kat tilted her head.

  “What do you want?” Alec’s voice was low as he stepped around the table to stand in front of her.

  Kat wanted a lot of things. She wanted a pony and a house on a lake and a college degree, but none of those things were standing in front of her right now. Alec was. And what she wanted most of all, he could give her.

  “A kiss,” she whispered.

  Alec’s eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open. She would have laughed if she wasn’t flipping out inside.

  “Kat . . .” his voice trailed off and he looked away, running his hands through his hair.

  “No rush,” she persisted. “But by the time I leave tonight, you will give me a kiss, Alec Stone.” And then she turned and walked away.

  KAT WAS KILLING him. She knew it, too, the brat. Princess Brat.

  It had been an hour since the end of the flip cup game and everywhere he looked, Kat was taunting him. She hadn’t approached him again, but she purposefully stood in his line of sight at every turn, licking her lips, arching her back, bending over.

  Reminding him he owed her a kiss.

  The only thing holding him back was the echo of Max in the whole damn house. He’d told Alec to stay away from Kat, but it wasn’t like she was going to go back to him. He knew it was some sort of best friend violation to do anything with Kat, but fuck, he was only human.

  At least he’d appreciate her.

  Shanna and Cam walked by him, and he overheard something about a controller combination and he knew they had geekily bonded over a video game. Maybe their avatars could get it on in one of their sessions

  Alec knew Kat had walked upstairs, probably to use the bathroom. He’d seen her and sternly told himself to remain in the living room. He planted his feet and gripped the edge of the couch.

  But as the party swirled around him, his damn feet wouldn’t stay put. It was like a fishing line had hooked him through the gut and slowly reeled him toward the stairs, up each step, then let him off the hook right outside the bathroom.

  Like a fish out of water, he couldn’t swim away and couldn’t catch his breath.

  The bathroom door opened and Kat stepped out. Her head was bent so she didn’t see him until she smacked into his chest.

  “Oh!” She looked up and froze.

  He didn’t know what his face looked like. But hers was flushed and her lips were a perfect full pout, and she was so damn beautiful, he could do nothing but give in.

  There was only one way to fix this, one way to swim and breathe again.

  So he dove in, unable to see the bottom to know when his feet would touch.

  He cupped the back of her head with one hand while his other fisted her shirt at her lower back. But what gave him breath again was his lips on hers. They were soft and wet and Oh God, she’d opened her mouth. Her tongue slipped between his teeth and swiped his eagerly and then he kind of lost it.

  He plunged into her at the same time he stumbled forward with a growl. Her back hit the wall, but she didn’t protest. In fact, she seemed to like it. She moaned and gripped his shoulders, pulling him closer, her fingernails digging through the thin fabric of his T-shirt.

  She didn’t accept his kiss. She fought it. That’s what it felt like. A fight for power. Their teeth clacked and lips mashed and tongues clashed.

  A tremor ran from the back of his neck all the way down to his heels, because this wasn’t the same dynamic they shared over a statistics book. Alec was no longer the teacher and Kat the docile student. This, her tongue tangled with his, her full breasts pressed against his chest and the scent of her citrus shampoo surrounding him in a light brown curtain . . . this was Kat’s world.

  It was the single hottest moment of his life.

  And then, somehow, he was walking backward. Hands tugged on the bottom of his shirt as they entered his bedroom. He tripped over a tear in the carpet and Kat’s little teeth crunched down on his bottom lip. He grunted in pleasure-pain and Kat pulled away, ripping his shirt over the top of his head.

  Her eyes hypnotized him. Swirling crystal pools of aquamarine, clear and deep as the sea. He couldn’t see the bottom. He was free-falling, and it felt fucking fantastic.

  She hooked her fingers in the belt loops of his jeans and hauled him closer. Her cheeks were flushed and her kiss-swollen lips were parted in a smirk, her breath rushing between them in hot pants. “Wow, you’re a shit kisser.” Then she wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled his lips back onto hers while he chuckled into her mouth.

  She surged forward and the backs of his knees hit his bed. He dropped, tugging her with him. She landed on him with a thump and their noses collided, lips connected with teeth and Alec thought he tasted blood. He broke the kiss and pulled up on the bottom of her shirt. The only word he could mumble was “off.”

  Kat rose from his chest and straddled his hips, looking down at him through blazing eyes, her hair framing her face in a mass of caramel. He touched
his fingers to his lips and saw blood when he pulled them away.

  Kat crossed her arms over her stomach and in one swift move straight out of his fantasies, pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side.

  Holy fuck.

  He was already harder than he’d ever been in his life, but now he was in pain staring up at Kat in her black lace bra. Her round, plump breasts made his mouth water.

  She cocked her head to the side. “Like what you see?” Her voice was husky.

  “Nope,” he growled. He gripped her hips and lifted her off of him, throwing her to the bed beside him on her back. His eyes scanned down her body and his hand followed, palming the soft curve of her belly. He ran his fingers over to her side, loving how her torso carved in at the waist and then flared out into a sexy set of full hips. “I don’t like what I see at all. You are so not perfect and so not sexy.”

  Her belly shook as she laughed silently.

  He grinned. “I’m not even turned on.”

  She opened her mouth and let out a booming laugh, which he quickly swallowed as he dove into her mouth again.

  That’s when things got frantic. Her bra landed somewhere behind his headboard. His pants ended up shoved under a pillow and her jeans blanketed the keyboard on his desk.

  She lay under him, wearing only a lacy black thong. When he pulled one strap down over her hip, she took a deep breath and raised her arms over her head. Her tongue curled over her top teeth and she looked right into his eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was a surrender or a dare.

  He didn’t care.

  He tore her thong down, threw her legs over his shoulders and placed the flat of his tongue at her core, giving her one long, slow lick.

  Her back arched violently. “Oh. my. God,” she moaned.

  He grinned and went back at it, swirling, sucking, licking and plunging. She ground her hips into his mouth and thrashed her head, so he held her steady with a firm hand on her stomach.