by Lily White
Immediately, my expression fell, the alcohol-induced confidence bleeding from me to see that Clayton had gotten stuck handling some last minute assignments.
Me: What do you mean can’t make it? Like, at all? You’re my ride home.
Clayton: Sorry. I’m sure Gabriel can give you a lift. I’ll make it up to you.
Well, shit. Things got a lot more complicated with my buffer absent. I considered giving the game up entirely, but then tossed that thought away because I’d come this far already.
“Another drink?”
A red Solo cup was suddenly dangling in front of my eyes, the color attracting Tanner’s attention like a bull to a matador’s cape.
Eyeing him without looking directly at him, I wrapped my fingers around the cup and twisted in place to lock stares with Gabriel.
“We have a problem,” I yelled over the music, my permagrin in place because even though my buffer was gone, I was still feeling pretty good.
“And that is?”
“Clayton’s not coming.” I made a pouty face and stuck out my bottom lip. Gabriel leaned close, snapping his teeth at my mouth like he would bite it.
“Why is that a problem?”
“He was my escape plan,” I explained. “Now I have nobody to drive me home later.”
Gabriel’s gaze slid Tanner’s direction for a brief second before returning to mine.
“Not a problem. I can drive you.” Playfully, he shoved me toward the people dancing.
“Go. Have fun. Let me know when it’s time to leave.”
I stumbled a few steps forward from the shove, alcohol sloshing over the rim of my cup, but then Gabriel grabbed my arm again and pulled me close to him. With his chest pressed to my back, he leaned in to speak against my ear.
“And by fun, I mean actual fun, Luca. Don’t go poking the bear if you can’t handle the bite that comes with it.”
Grinning, I turned my head until the corner of his mouth brushed mine. Eyes drifting Tanner’s direction, I noticed he was laser-focused on how close Gabriel and I were standing.
Interesting.
An idea came to mind that I hoped Gabriel would help me pull off.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Deep laughter burst against my cheek. “Sure you don’t.”
Spinning quickly, I grabbed Gabriel by his shirt and pulled him closer to me, my eyes meeting his in challenge.
“Dance with me.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his eyes blinking closed slowly and opening again. “Nice try,” he said while laughing, “but I won’t be the one to help you win against me in our deal.”
Grabbing me by the shoulders, Gabriel spun me in place, slapped my ass and pushed me forward toward the crowd of dancing women.
“Try not to spill your drink,” he shouted over the music.
Turning to glance over my shoulder, I watched Gabriel leave the room, my eyes drifting back in Tanner’s direction to find he wasn’t interested in what I was doing anymore - not with the buxom blond writhing over his lap.
There was no way in hell I was winning this deal tonight. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t at least enjoy another few hours of the party.
Another hour passed, and I caught myself watching Tanner in my peripheral vision, jealousy spiking through me to see the woman who ran her lips along his neck, the way his hand gripped the small of her back. I had no doubt those two would end up in a bedroom before long, but still, Tanner’s eyes met mine every so often, which I couldn’t quite understand.
It didn’t matter in the long run, he wouldn’t be charging at me with a sure thing sitting in his lap. I’d decided to give up in my quest when an arm wrapped around my waist, a deep voice I didn’t recognize suddenly a rumble against my ear.
“I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name?”
My body was still moving along to the beat when I twisted in place to see a stranger standing behind me, glimmering blue eyes locking to mine as his mouth pulled apart in a teasing grin. He started dancing against me, his arm tightening around my waist as our chests crunched together.
Although I was a crappy dancer, this guy wasn’t, and within seconds he had us moving as if we weren’t two bodies, but one.
“Luca,” I answered, heat chasing down my skin that I tried to convince myself was from the crowd around us and not from the way he looked at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the room.
“What’s yours?”
I was surprised I’d never seen this guy before, but Yale was a large campus and it was possible he was another senior who shared none of my classes.
“Shane. Why haven’t I seen you around here before? Are you a student?”
It was the alcohol. It had to be. There was no way in hell that this man could move so sexy that it was causing my heart rate to speed to unhealthy levels and my breathing to come out in quick, desperate rasps of air.
I felt dizzy in his presence, my focus stolen by a pair of sapphire blue eyes that had no shame while capturing mine. His hips rolled against me as his hand slid down to cup my ass, his movement directing my own in such a way that I felt like my body had finally learned what it meant to move to the beat of music.
“I am,” I answered, but my voice was so weak, he couldn’t hear me. A teasing grin split his lips wider when he leaned in to press the heat of his mouth against my ear, sending another dangerous ripple of electricity through my struggling heart.
“Couldn’t hear you,” he said, the purr of his voice so low that I could feel it vibrating along my bones.
“Yes, I’m a student here,” I said again, but I highly doubted the words were intelligible. I was struggling to take a full breath as heat surged through me, my head suddenly heavy and my eyes closing as the music around us took over.
Knowing I’d had too much to drink, I attempted to will myself sober again so I didn’t make a fool of myself with this guy, but his strong body against mine felt too good, the heat of his breath sliding down my neck making it impossible for me to think straight about what I should do.
Lifting my hands to lock my palms over his chest, I had intended to push him away, but instead I found myself melting against him the strength of pure steel beneath my palms sending me into another frenzy of need that was dangerous in my condition.
While I was out of control and lost to the moment, Shane didn’t seem to notice, his deep voice purring again over a question.
“Can I kiss you, Luca? I’ve been watching you and wanting to all night.”
Although my mind was screaming no, my thoughts racing over all the reasons kissing Shane was a bad idea, my head nodded yes regardless.
This was insane. I didn’t even know this guy and yet he’d effortlessly drawn me in, the movement of his body as he danced against me seducing me until I was helpless but to let him do whatever the hell he wanted.
He chuckled against my skin before sliding his mouth along my cheek, his lips brushing mine with the faintest of a touch before I felt another arm wrap around me from the other side, a scream volleying from my throat as I was pulled away from Shane’s embrace, spun around and tossed over another man’s shoulder.
Before I could make sense of what was happening, I was carried out of the room, down the hall, into another dark room that was quiet despite the crowd inside the house, the kicking of my feet and pounding of my hands doing nothing to slow my assailant down.
“Let go of me. What the fuck?”
I cried out again when I was flung from his shoulder, my arms flying out to my sides to break my fall. Thankful it was a soft mattress I slammed into rather than the floor, I shot up on both elbows ready to lunge forward to escape the room when a hand shoved me back and a deep voice roared
“What the fuck is right.”
“Let me go.”
“Or what?”
Stilling in place, my eyes widened when I recognized that angry voice despite my head pounding from the amount of liquor I’d c
onsumed.
Tanner.
All at once I felt elation for Gabriel now owing me a favor and fear because, fuck...I hadn’t even thought about the possibility of being dragged off into another room where there was nobody who could come between us.
I lunged forward again, only to be shoved back a second time, the sound of heavy footsteps marching away from me before a bright light flicked on above me, my eyes squinting closed against it.
Throwing an arm over my face, I sat up, and suddenly regretted downing the drinks Gabriel had given me.
Tanner didn’t seem to give a damn that I was practically blinded, the room now spinning around me after being tossed around like a damn rag doll.
“Do you want to explain to me why you’re attempting to fuck every single guy who lives in this house? Or should I just toss your ass out now for being a fucking slut?”
“What?”
The one word question came out more as a shriek than I’d intended, but my eyes had adjusted enough that I could finally pull my arm away and stare down the asshole standing across the room from me.
“I haven’t tried to fuck anybody. And what do you care? That room was filled with every type of slut imaginable. They were the ones without clothes, or were you not paying attention? Not that I’m slut-shaming, of course, because I’m not a judgmental bastard like you.”
Oh, this was bullshit. Who the hell did he think he was judging me for having a good time with a member of the opposite sex?
Every time I’ve seen him, he had a different girl on his lap. And if he didn’t, he was doing his damndest to piss me off.
Trying to stand up so I could stalk across the room and get in his face like a properly pissed off woman, I attempted to push up.
Two things worked against me: I was too drunk and the mattress was too damn soft. Instead of a smooth maneuver that made it appear I was a woman to be feared, I resembled a turtle stuck on its back, rolling left and right to gain purchase.
Tanner noticed the effort and smirked. “You’re so fucking wasted, you can’t even push yourself up.”
He had me there, but still, I wouldn’t let him know he did.
“Am not.”
“Are too.”
“Am-“
Okay, no. I wasn’t allowing this argument to devolve into a battle between toddlers.
Even drunk, I had more respect for myself than that.
As it was, Tanner had attacked just like I’d hoped he would. And as soon as I could stand up, I planned on storming out of the room so I could go home, sleep the alcohol off and demand my favor of Gabriel in the morning. There was no use wasting my time by arguing with Tanner now.
I must have looked more pathetic than I thought because Tanner made a disgusted noise before storming forward to grab my hand and pull me to my feet in front of the bed.
My balance was off and I almost fell back again, but he wrapped an arm around me and held me in place. I would have been thankful for the assistance if his face wasn’t in mine, the scowl on his lips stretching thin when I glared (albeit unfocused) right back at him.
It’s kind of difficult to pull off a lethal expression when you’re so drunk that one eyelid is drooping down farther than the other. I really should have stopped at two drinks.
“Why the fuck do you keep coming back here?”
His deep voice was a warning growl, rage obvious in his dark eyes.
Pushing up to my toes, I closed the distance between us with my teeth clenched together and a muscle jumping in place over my eye.
“Do you know what you are, Tanner Caine?”
Poking him in the chest like it was a valid threat, I lowered my voice into a growl as venomous as his.
“You’re an asshole and a bully. Why do you even care if I’m at your house? Huh? Why does it even fucking matter? I was having a good time. Not doing anything that should have bothered you. Yet, here we are fighting with each other again because you can’t seem to stay away from me, and what does that say about you?”
Another few pokes of my finger against his rock hard pecs and his gaze trailed down to look at it before lifting again to lock with mine.
“I’m not the one who keeps showing up in your space trying to spread my legs for whichever one of your friends will have me.”
My jaw dropped, my skin bristling with indignation for the accusation.
“Oh yeah? Well, at least I can keep my hands to myself every time you come near me. Yet, you seem to have an issue with leaving me the hell alone.”
Tanner grinned, the expression wasn’t friendly.
“You’re the one touching me now.”
He was right, my palms were locked against his chest, but only because I wanted to shove him away.
Putting as much strength behind the effort as I possibly could, Tanner’s body didn’t budge an inch while I managed to only knock myself off balance again.
I would have fallen back on the mattress if he hadn’t wrapped his arm around me to catch me again, the contact between us forcing heat to rush down my spine.
Ignoring it, I said, “It seems to me that if either of us is stalking the other, it’s you.”
Tilting my head, I asked, “And why is that, Tanner? Are you harboring a crush on me. Because if you are, I can promise you the way you’ve gone about showing it is-“
He pressed a finger against my lips, halting what I had to say. Voice so low it was almost a whisper, he asked, “Do you ever know when to shut up?”
“No,” I spoke against his finger, “I don’t” my brows tugged together, rage winding down my spine that he thought he had the right to carry me off like he had.
“Especially not when I’m dealing with arrogant assholes who-“
His finger was gone in the next second, replaced with his lips. I wish I could say I pulled away immediately and slapped him for the kiss, but that’s not what happened.
Instead, I melted against him, my traitorous lips parting the same way they had when he kissed me by the bonfire, the same heat igniting inside me, a damn furnace that made it impossible to do anything but go along with whatever he wanted.
This wasn’t like the courteous kisses Clayton gave me on the few dates that we had...or the almost kiss that guy, Shane, had attempted on the dance floor.
This was possession, plain and simple, an arrogant as hell alphamale, asshole claiming a woman even when she couldn’t stand him.
His tongue slid against mine claiming control of that as well, his taste filling my mouth as his arm pulled me tighter against him. When my legs practically gave out and my arms slid up his chest to drape over his shoulders, an embarrassing moan rolled over my lips.
He broke the kiss as I melted against him, his eyes locking to mine with a clear as day message that he knew I’d liked that kiss and I wanted another.
But I couldn’t let him think he’d won, my inebriated mind still fighting against him even when my body had surrendered.
“I still hate you,” I breathed out, my fingers curling into his thick hair as my eyes softened to look up at him.
Tanner smirked, an expression I was all too familiar with but couldn’t for the life of me hate at that particular moment.
Pressing his forehead against mine, his gaze searched my face as his lips parted on a whispered warning.
“The feeling’s mutual.”
“Then why are you kissing me?”
There was fire behind his dark eyes, the moss green color deepening until almost black.
“Because you want me to.”
I couldn’t breathe suddenly, my body completely still as his eyes searched my face. The corners of his lips tugged up in a knowing grin, my refusal to challenge what he’d said lingering between us.
With a quiet voice he added, “And I had to find some way to shut you up.”
My eyes widened at his response. I would have said something equally as rude back to him if his mouth didn’t claim mine again before I had the chance.
Tanner
I wanted to laugh when Luca’s fingers shoved deeper into my hair, her small tongue sliding against mine with a frenzied motion that was almost as reckless and uncoordinated as the way she danced.
From the minute she’d arrived at the house, I’d watched her.
She’d stepped out of Gabriel’s car and tilted her chin to look up at the third story windows. I knew she couldn’t see me standing in the shadow of my room, but wondered why her gaze had immediately sought me out, how, on instinct, she knew I was staring down at her.
We were like two opposing forces that also had the annoying as fuck ability to attract. I didn’t want to want this girl, but she was like gasoline to my fire, her presence drawing my attention no matter who I had sitting in my lap, my body and mind so acutely aware of her that I couldn’t help but watch.
The entire night I’d enjoyed watching her sneak peeks in my direction, her walls coming down with each drink Gabriel brought her, the hours ticking by until I knew I could convince her to do something stupid so that she ended up indebted to me.
I was a few minutes out from finally standing up, dumping the bitch from my lap in the process, and laying claim to a girl who was making me laugh the wilder she became, but then Shane waltzed into the room and damn near fucked the entire thing up.
It wasn’t that he had no role in this game, but he wasn’t supposed to kiss her, his ad lib bullshit pissing me off the second his lips got anywhere near her face.
I didn’t want to admit to myself it was jealousy that had me storming across the room to throw her over my shoulder like a damn caveman, but before I knew what I was doing, I was walking her down the hallway, tossing her on my bed and staring down at her like she was a fucking demon sent for the express purpose of screwing with my life.
Shane was going to have several new bruises and possibly a broken nose by the time I got my hands on him again. But in the meantime, here I was, kissing this girl like my life depended on it without having even the slightest clue why.
A knock at my door set us both flying apart, her unbalanced ass landing on my bed while I spun in place to narrow my eyes on whoever had the balls to interrupt us.
