The Boy Next Door Read online

  “Fucking gorgeous.” As he presses forward, my leg bends, exposing every delicate inch for him to feast upon.

  The first swipe of his tongue nearly sends me hurtling over the edge of insanity. My fingers tangle in his hair to hold him in place as he nibbles at me. With his face buried against my heat, he drives me ruthlessly toward oblivion until I have no choice but to hurtle blindly over the edge.

  Stars explode behind my eyelids as my heart beats wildly. Wave after wave crashes over me, threatening to suck me under. If I die like this, I would have zero regrets. My pussy continues to pulse as he devours my clit. I have to pin my lower lip with my teeth to keep all the sound buried deep inside where it will never see the light of day.

  It’s only after Colton has wrung every last drop of pleasure from me does he rise to his feet and crush his body to mine. If he weren’t pinning me to the side of his car, I would slide to a boneless heap on the pavement.

  “You’re even more delicious than I remember.”

  With that, his mouth slants over mine. Unwilling to focus on what just transpired, I allow myself to get lost on a riotous sea of emotion.

  Chapter Twenty

  Alyssa

  A groan escapes as I roll onto my side. The motion has my head throbbing to life behind my eyelids.

  Correction—my entire body throbs to life.

  What the hell went down last night?

  It takes a moment to jumpstart my brain.

  Ah, that’s right...welcome home party at Bang Bang. That much, I remember. And shots. My God, the shots. What the hell had I been thinking?

  Apparently, I hadn’t been.

  I crack open an eye and glance around.

  Thankfully, I’m in my own bedroom. That, in and of itself, is a huge relief. I remember flirting with a couple of guys on the dance floor. The music had been on point—one amazing song bleeding into another.

  Wait a minute...

  My brow furrows.

  Colton.

  The party crasher.

  We’d had words at the bar when he’d attempted to cut me off. If only I could have ignored him, but that’s never been an option. Even though I’d spent the night dancing, I had been acutely aware of his brooding presence. From the corner of my eye, I watched him stare at me with a single-mindedness that had shivers careening down my spine.

  I’d made sure to put on a show so he could see exactly what he was missing. Guess I pushed it too far because I remember him hoisting me over his shoulder and carrying me out of the club caveman-style. Maybe if I hadn’t put up a fight, everything smoldering in the air between us wouldn’t have detonated.

  A groan of embarrassment slips free.

  Oh my God! Did I really let him go down on me in the parking lot?

  Yup, sure did.

  I search the murky depths of my brain. I don’t remember anyone stumbling across us but let’s face it, I’d been out of my mind. There could have been a full-on crowd cheering us on, and I wouldn’t have been cognizant of it.

  Even thinking about the orgasm that had streaked through me is enough to make me throb to life with painful awareness.

  Oh, the horror of it all.

  I grab my pillow and drag it over my head before letting loose a scream. I’ve done exactly what I promised myself I wouldn’t. I allowed Colton to lay his hands on me.

  Needing to escape from the onslaught of memories that continue to flood into my brain, I throw off the covers and ease my way from the bed before staggering out of my room. I make it a few steps into the short hallway before spotting Mia as she shovels a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. She looks none the worse for the wear, which is the complete opposite of me. I feel like a steaming bag of dog shit some derelict teenager lit on fire.

  Bitch.

  I lift my hand to my hair and realize that it’s sticking up from every conceivable angle. And I didn’t bother washing off my makeup last night either. I probably bear a striking resemblance to a rabid raccoon.

  “Hey,” she chirps, spoon paused midway in the air, “how are you feeling?”

  “Stop shouting,” I wince before grabbing my head so that it doesn’t roll off my shoulders. “Please, I beg of you.”

  “That good, hmm?” A smile simmers across her lips as a teasing light enters her eyes. “Let me guess—you’re looking for a little hair of the dog that bit you?” There’s a pause. “I’m sure we have a bottle of tequila around here somewhere. Want me to get it?”

  “God, no.” Even the thought is enough to make my stomach heave. “I’m never drinking again.”

  Mia snickers as if she doesn’t believe me. Hell, I’m not even sure I believe me but, with the way I’m currently feeling, it seems like an excellent idea moving forward.

  Once my belly stops spasming, I point to the kitchen. “I need massive amounts of Tylenol and Gatorade.” With that, I stagger into the other room before returning with a humongous bottle of the orange sports beverage. My fingers tremble as I fumble with the cap.

  “Why did you let me drink so much,” I accuse, successfully prying off the top and chugging a quarter of it. Instead of settling my gut, it only makes it churn even more. I press my fingers against my mouth before releasing a loud belch.

  “If memory serves, I told you several times to slow down, but you weren’t in the mood to listen. At one point, you called me a buzzkill.” Leave it to Mia to throw that in my face. When I fail to respond, she asks, “Exactly how many shots did you have?”

  “I lost count after eight.” That thought is enough to make me nauseous. I shake my head to clear it before frantically waving a hand. “Please, I can’t even think about that. It’ll make me sick. Never mind, I’m already sick.” Getting up was a mistake. I point to my room. “I’m going back to bed. Wake me up tomorrow. Or maybe the day after that. Hopefully, I’ll have bounced back by then.”

  I stagger a few steps when an image materializes in my brain, and I swing around. “Wait a minute. Were you busting a move on the dance floor with Beck, or was that a tequila-induced dream?”

  Because at this point, anything is possible.

  With a wince, she averts her eyes. But not before I catch the guilt that flickers in their dark depths. Instead of answering, she busies herself by shoving another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

  Well, isn’t this an interesting turn of events.

  Seconds tick by without a response. My hangover dissipates as I take another step and jab a finger in her direction. I wrack my brain for anything more. The images are fleeting and blurred at the edges, but there’s no way they’re a figment of my drunken imagination. “Yeah,” I pipe up, instantly warming to the subject, “you two were definitely dancing. His hands were all over you. And you, ya little hussy, were totally enjoying it.”

  Her face goes up in flames as she squirms on the couch. Her eyes turn a little hazy, and I’d give anything to know what’s running through her brain.

  I wave a hand in front of my bestie’s face. “Hello? Earth to Mia. Come in, Mia.”

  She blinks, snapping back to attention and our conversation. “Sorry.”

  “Please tell me I wasn’t hallucinating. Because if that’s the case, I really am going to lay off the booze.”

  Silence stretches between us before she begrudgingly admits, “No, we danced together.” As tempting as it is to give her the third degree, I’m in no frame of mind to do it. I’ll just tuck this bit of information away for safekeeping.

  She raises a brow and attempts to turn the tables on me. “Is there anything you would like to tell me about?”

  “Huh?”

  Her gaze turns knowing. “I saw you at the bar with Colton.”

  Instead of admitting the truth, I grumble, “Can you believe that guy had the audacity to show his face after I purposefully went out of my way not to invite him?”

  “Umm, maybe?” She pauses. “Any interesting conversations?”

  I wish it had only been conversations that had taken place between
us. As far as I’m concerned, what happened was nothing more than a momentary lapse in judgment. My guess is that the shots didn’t help with that. If Colton thinks one orgasm has smoothed everything over, he’s woefully mistaken. I have zero interest in getting my heart annihilated for a second time.

  I force my feet into movement before dropping onto the armchair and squeezing my eyes shut. “He wants to be friends,” I mutter, remembering the conversation from the bar. “Don’t worry, I was extremely clear about where he can shove his friendship.”

  Although, let’s face it, spreading my legs wide for him probably didn’t do much to convey that point as firmly as I wanted.

  Mia’s lips bow into a smile. “Maybe that was the closure you needed to move on. Feel any better about getting it out of your system?”

  Guilt floods through me for misleading her as to what really transpired. “Surprisingly, no.”

  “I’m proud of you for giving him a piece of your mind. That took balls.”

  Clearly, she assumes that I gave him an encore performance of my psycho tirade. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

  That being said, I’m not going to set her straight. It’s best to forget the matter entirely. “As far as I’m concerned, he can shove those up his ass as well.”

  “Sounds like his ass is a crowded place,” she says with a chuckle.

  Unable to help myself, I crack open an eyelid. My shoulders shake before we both burst into laughter. “Yeah, it does.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Colton

  The apartment door closes with an audible click as I hitch my backpack onto my shoulder. As I turn, ready to head to campus for the next couple of hours, my gaze collides with Alyssa’s as she steps into the hallway.

  For a split second, time stands still as we both freeze in place. Memories from Saturday night crash through my brain at the speed of light. Alyssa in my arms, backed up against my BMW as my mouth feasted on hers. Her long legs splayed wide as I pushed her relentlessly toward orgasm in the parking lot of Bang Bang.

  It had all happened so damn fast. One minute, she’s raging at me, and the next, my hands are on her with our mouths fused together. The energy we always seem to generate had exploded upon impact. Whatever this is between us, it’s so much more than sexual chemistry. If that’s all it was, it would be a simple matter to relegate her to the past and move on with my life. She would be like all the other girls I’ve slept with and promptly forgotten about. With Alyssa, it goes so much deeper than that.

  Unsure what to do, I lift my hand in a cautious wave.

  Even from a distance, Saturday night sits uncomfortably between us.

  As I give her a tentative greeting, she jerks out of her paralysis and flees down the carpeted hallway like the hounds of hell are nipping at her heels.

  It’s tempting to huff out a laugh. Had I really assumed that kissing her into submission would be enough to thaw the icy veneer encased around her?

  Maybe.

  Although, I should have known better. If I’m brutally honest with myself, pushing her against my vehicle and going down on her in a public parking lot probably didn’t help matters.

  What am I saying?

  Of course, it didn’t. Just look at her—she can’t escape from me fast enough.

  What I should do is cut my losses and leave her alone. By all indicators, that’s what she wants. And yet, I can’t do it. After holding Alyssa in my arms again and kissing her, I’m unable to fool myself into believing it’s possible to move on without a fight.

  Decision made, I do the only thing I can and give chase.

  Instead of waiting for the elevator to stop on our floor, Alyssa slams through the metal door and disappears into the stairwell. I pick up my pace and shoulder my way through the opening before it has a chance to close. As I peer down the cement stairs, she glances up, and our gazes collide before she flicks them away and hastens her step. With my hand wrapped around the railing, I speed up. A few steps down, my shoe slips, and I tighten my grip around the metal to steady myself. I can just picture it now—breaking my neck in an ill-fated attempt to catch up with my ex. Knowing Alyssa, she’d probably think it was sweet irony for past misdeeds.

  And maybe she’d be right.

  Thirty seconds later, I throw open the door and glance around the empty lobby. Not that I expected her to wait for me—hell would have to freeze over in order for that to occur, but it certainly would have simplified matters.

  As I push through the glass door into the fresh air, I catch sight of her striding down the walkway. She waves to another girl before accelerating her pace as I jog to catch up with her. Her long blond hair is pulled up into a ponytail that swings from side to side as she continues to speed walk. My gaze roves down the slender line of her back before arriving at her ass. My fingers itch to palm the supple cheeks like I did the other night, and my cock stirs, warming to the idea.

  Since the direction of those wayward thoughts isn’t helping matters, I jerk my attention away. Manhandling the girl probably isn’t going to help win her over. What I need is to employ a different tactic.

  As I pull up beside her, Alyssa slants a look in my direction. Her lips sink at the corners before she focuses straight ahead and pretends I don’t exist. If she thinks that will deter me, she’s got another thing coming.

  “So,” I say, testing the waters, “long time, no see.”

  She presses her lips into a flat line before muttering, “Not nearly long enough.”

  Well...at least she offered up a few begrudging words. That’s got to be something, right?

  Since she hasn’t bared her teeth and growled, I ask, “Did you have a good time Saturday night?”

  A tick or two passes by before she finally says, “Yup. It was nice to see everyone again.”

  Wow. Look at us, communicating like adults.

  Since I’m unwilling to drop the conversational ball now that it’s rolling, albeit slowly, I add, “I had a great time, too.”

  “Did you now?” Her narrowed gaze slices to me. “Didn’t you spend the night sitting at the bar all by your lonesome?”

  “What I meant is that I had a good time after I carted your ass out to the parking lot.” The way her eyes flare tells me that I probably should have restrained myself and kept the comment locked deep inside. Although that knowledge doesn’t stop me from tacking on, “I’m pretty sure you enjoyed it, too.”

  She draws in a sharp breath before hissing, “We’re not going to talk about Saturday night because absolutely nothing happened.”

  Like hell, it didn’t.

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure it did.”

  A punch of color flags her cheeks. “You’re mistaken about that.”

  “Am I? Cause I’m pretty damn sure I took off your panties and spread—”

  “Enough!” She grinds to a halt before wheeling around to face me. Anger leaps to life in her eyes as she takes a step forward, closing the gap between us until she can drill a finger into my chest. “I don’t want to talk about what happened in the parking lot! I want to forget about it. Understand?”

  “That’s unfortunate.” My gaze settles on her parted lips, and I’m so damn tempted to remind her just how explosive it can be between us. Instead, I reach out and trail my finger along the soft curve of her jaw. With a grimace, she bats my hand away. “We were always good together.”

  “Maybe so,” she concedes, “but that was a long time ago.” I open my mouth to argue when she adds, “I will never be stupid enough to get involved with you again.”

  I almost wince at the pain that flashes in her eyes.

  After our breakup, I did everything possible to push Alyssa to the outer recesses of my mind. I fucked every jersey chaser who would spread her legs. And yet, it was never enough. They were never Alyssa. Every girl was a paper-thin imitation of the only one I’d ever cared about. She’s dominated my thoughts for more years than I care to admit. Laying my hands on her Saturday night only
amplified the emotion coursing through me.

  I have no idea if there’s anything I can do or say to earn her forgiveness, but I have to make an effort. Believe it or not, my intention hadn’t been to piss her off more than she already is. I’d only wanted her to acknowledge that there’s still something between us. If I can get her to admit that, then there’s a glimmer of hope we can pick up the pieces and move forward. “Lys—”

  “Don’t call me that,” she snaps.

  “Alyssa,” I correct, only wanting to soothe the fire I’ve inadvertently stoked to life. She swings away before I can finish. Unwilling to throw in the towel just yet, I huff out a breath and jog to catch up with her as she stalks toward the university.

  A heavy silence settles over us as we walk side by side before stopping at a crosswalk. Campus looms on the other side of the street. Alyssa shifts impatiently. My guess is that she’s counting down the seconds until she can shake me loose. As I wrack my brain for something that will turn the tide of this doomed interaction, her phone dings with an incoming text. Without sparing me a glance, she pulls the slim device from her bag before peeking at the screen. I crowd closer, trying to catch a glimpse of the message.

  Jack.

  Who the fuck—

  “Who the fuck is Jack?” I grunt as a surge of jealousy rushes through me.

  Alyssa scowls as if she legit forgot I was hovering beside her before pocketing the phone without responding to the message. “None of your damn business.”

  Wanna bet?

  As difficult as it is, I keep that thought to myself. I don’t need to aggravate her any more than I already have. It’s almost impossible to believe there was ever a time she chased after me. You would never guess it from this disastrous interaction.

  Even though I’m the one who fucked up our relationship, I don’t want her dating other guys. Maybe Alyssa doesn’t realize it yet, but she’s mine. She’s always been mine. Instead of holding her close and nurturing the love she had for me, I stomped on her heart and pushed her away.