"Welcome home, bitch," I shout, attempting to be heard over the pulsing beat of techno music as we clink our shots of Fireball together and toss them back. The cinnamon-flavored liquor burns a fiery trail down my throat, killing any bacteria in its path."Holy shit, that's terrible!" I sputter, coughing as tears gather in my eyes. "No more shots. I'm tapping out."She laughs and orders another round.Alyssa is in her element, chatting with friends who have shown up to celebrate her return to Wesley. For the festivities, she bought a short sparkly silver dress that clings to every curve. Her hair has been curled and left loose so it can float around her bare shoulders. The girl looks seriously hot. And I'm not the only one who thinks so either. There's been a ton of guys sniffing around, and she's been flirting with all of them. Not that I've been keeping track, but my guess is that she's downed at least half a dozen shots. More impressive than that, she's standing upright an
Without hitting the lights, it's impossible to tell if we're in a storage closet or an office. Either way, I don't care. I need to get my hands on this girl before I explode.In my jeans."Beck-"I tug her close and seal my lips over hers. When her palms flatten against my chest, I half-expect her to push me away. Instead, her fingers dig into my shirt. My tongue sweeps over her mouth. When her lips remain sealed, I nip at her lower one. She yelps, and I plunge my tongue inside.The sound of her whimper reverberates inside my brain.It's the best fucking sound in the world.One I want to hear more of.It doesn't take long for Mia to melt. Her hands slide up my chest before wrapping around my neck and drawing me closer. I'm starving for the taste of her. For years we've been dancing around each other, and I can't take any more of it.Whether she realizes it or not, things are going to change.My hands drop from her waist to the roundness of her ass. I widen my fingers before
I shovel a spoonful of Honey Nut Cheerios into my mouth as the door to Alyssa's bedroom swings open, and she stumbles out. The sleek, sophisticated girl I picked up from the airport the other day is nowhere in sight. The transformation is almost impressive.Alyssa's blond hair is sticking up from every angle. It wouldn't surprise me if birds have nested in the disarrayed strands. Eyeliner and mascara are smudged under her eyes, giving her a raccoonish appearance.The girl is one hot mess, which hopefully means she had an amazing time at her party last night. I wasn't expecting Alyssa to show her face until at least noon. I left the club around two o'clock and promptly passed out on my bed. I have no idea when Alyssa made it back to the apartment. "Hey," my spoon pauses midair, "how are you feeling?" By the looks of her, I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that question."Stop shouting." She winces before grabbing the sides of her head. "Please, I beg of you.""That good, h
I glance at my phone and maneuver my way through the crowd of students traveling across campus like cattle. These people need to move their asses, or I'm going to be late. Class starts in less than five minutes and walking in like I don't give a shit isn't the first impression I'm looking to make.Once I reach Mitchell Hall, where the English classes are held, I take the stairs two at a time. Less than a minute later, I'm sliding onto a chair. With a huff, I pull out my computer and wait for Dr. Hayes to get class underway.Devon Baker plunks his ass down next to me.Great.Like I need this distraction. Devon runs his mouth like he's getting paid by the minute. English isn't exactly what one would call a high-octane class. It will take every ounce of my focus to concentrate for a full fifty minutes.With a grin, he fist bumps me. "Dude, I didn't know you were in this class.""Last-minute change to the schedule." My advisor emailed me last week and dropped the bomb that Composi
"I'll see everyone on Wednesday," Dr. Hayes announces, dismissing class for the day. Before the last word leaves her mouth, people scatter like rats trying to abandon a sinking ship.I look around, careful to avoid eye contact with Beck. He's one of the few students who hasn't shoved their shit into their bag and taken off. I'd hoped that by ignoring him, he would get the hint and not wait around. It's not like we have anything to discuss.We made out a week ago.End of story.Other than glancing at him when Dr. Hayes introduced me as the TA, I've kept my back firmly turned to him. Although that doesn't mean I haven't felt his gaze burning holes through me. It was all I could do not to squirm on my chair and peek over my shoulder.Somehow, I resisted the urge.Barely.It's shitty luck that I've ended up TA'ing for Beck's class. What are the odds?I've tried so hard not to think about the way he touched me at the club, but it's always simmering in the back of my mind. I'm ashame
Grinders R Us is the best coffeehouse on campus. It's where everyone stops to grab their daily dose of caffeine. Sometimes more than once. As I walk past the small brick building, a familiar profile catches my attention, and my footsteps falter.There's been no movement on the Mia front. It's been a week since I asked her for a second chance and talked her into having lunch with me.All right, maybe forced would be a better word for it.No matter what I do, I can't seem to make headway with this girl. I've dropped by her apartment unannounced.She's not there.Or so Alyssa tells me.I've tried hanging around after class, but she's cagey. Sometimes she heads up to Dr. Hayes' office.I'm getting desperate. Getting?Ha!You trucked by desperate a couple of years ago.It takes a moment to snap out of my thoughts and to realize that I'm pressed up against the picture window, fogging up the glass like a serial stalker who's left his van running fifty feet away.As I take a quick step
"Is there anyone who hasn't outlined their paper yet?" Dr. Hayes asks at the end of class. Her dark gaze slides over the sea of students before coming to rest on mine.Between my football schedule and cracking the books, I've been buried. I've jotted down a few ideas, but it hasn't progressed any further than that. I'll admit to dragging my feet on this. Have I mentioned how much I hate writing papers?With the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns.I really need to pull the trigger and get some words on paper. It's already mid-September. The semester is flying by, and football will only ramp up in intensity the deeper we get into the season. Most of the professors at Wesley are pretty cool when it comes to allowing me to hand in assignments a few days late or rescheduling a test if it conflicts with an away game.And why shouldn't they be?Everyone knows that the football program brings in the big bucks. And big money means that these professors can fund their research proj
I park the Jeep in the circular drive and grab my duffle bag before heading up the wide stone steps in front of the house. The door is unlocked, which means someone has to be home. Once inside the two-story foyer, I call out, "Hello?" I pause and wait for a response. When silence greets me, I raise my voice and bellow, "Mom? Dad? Are you home?""In the kitchen, honey," Mom yells back. "I hope you're hungry."Is that a joke?I'm always hungry.Especially for a homecooked meal.I set my bag next to the front door before heading through the hallway that leads to the kitchen. Mom is at the oversized marble island chopping vegetables. A smile lights up her face when she sees me. I give her a quick kiss and hug before beelining to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. Happy to be home for a few days, I settle on the stool across from her."How was the drive?" she asks."It was fine." I pause for a beat before adding, "Although my Jeep made a few weird noises when I starte