Page 134 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

On my way out, I waved to the other two girls she introduced me to.

After the rough start to my move to Braysen, I haven’t had a chance to fully adjust to life here. I have to admit, though, being in the studio and seeing what this could be like made me feel like everything would come together perfectly.

Given my situation, Colter has been incredibly welcoming and accommodating, but it feels uncomfortable being in his space when he is at practice. We are still getting to know each other, so as much as I want to drive back to his place and hang out, I decide to busy myself with random things.

Deciding to enjoy the summer sunshine, I walk to a small diner just a couple of blocks down the road to grab a sandwich and some chips for lunch. Alec texted me this morning to check in on how the move went. While I eat, I figure I’ve put off responding long enough and fire off a reply. I keep it short and sweet, trying not to raise any eyebrows.

Afterward, I stop by the university to pick up the rest of my textbooks, then walk around campus to find where all my classes will be.

Once I’m confident I’ve wasted enough time, I head back to Colter’s place and wait for him to return home from practice.

The driveway is empty, except for the Makin’ Moves truck parked along the side of the drive. I pull up behind it and grab my purse and water bottle. I don’t have a key to the house, so to pass the time, I turn on music and practice our dance routines.

Everything fades away, all the stress of the move and the anxiety of being in a new town. All I think about is dancing.

I don’t notice Colter watching until I’m twirling on the ball of my foot, and in my periphery, I spot a figure standing off to the side, arms crossed while studying me.

I gasp and jolt to a stop. My chest heaves, sweat trailing down the side of my face.

“Holy shit, you scared the crap out of me.”

“My bad, I didn’t mean to freak you out. You were doing your thing, and I didn’t want to interrupt you, so I waited until you finished.”

“Have you been standing there long?”

“About ten, maybe fifteen minutes.” He shrugs, and my eyes bulge.

He doesn’t notice, though, because his gaze is too busy trailing down my body. Every inch of my body is on fire beneath his heated stare.

If I thought I was warm from my workout, nothing compared to the intensity of the way Colter’s eyes devoured me.

“I was thinking—” His voice cracks. “If you’re up to it, maybe we can grab some dinner? There’s a spot in town, The End Zone. They have good pizza and wings. You in?”

I pick up my T-shirt from where I left it on the hood of my car and wipe the warm material over my face.

“I’m game. I think I’m gonna grab a shower and get cleaned up before we go.”

Colter looks like he showered after practice. He picks up his gym bag from where he dropped it near the sidewalk and nods with me toward the house.

“I’m sorry for not leaving you with a key. I realized I forgot when I was in the middle of practice. I hope it wasn’t a problem for you.”

“Not at all. I kept myself busy. I stopped by the dance studio in town to put in an application and met with the owner about the position. Then, I grabbed some lunch and picked up the rest of my textbooks at the administration office.”

“Sounds like you had a productive day,” he says, opening the door before he steps back to let me in first.

One of his roommates sits in the living room, his leg resting on the coffee table, and he’s wearing a headset. He shouts into the microphone in the middle of an intense game of Call of Duty.

“Sorry, I swear he’s not as unhinged as he sounds. I promise.”

I chuckle. “I think you forget I grew up with an older brother. Alec and his friends have spent plenty of nights shouting at the TV in the heat of their game. He doesn’t bother me. If anything, it makes me feel oddly at home.”

His chest shakes with his laughter.

“C’mon, let’s get you set up for your shower,” Colter whispers, pressing his palm against my lower back.

“Okay,” I murmur, and we slip down the hallway toward his room.

When the door clicks shut, it’s like my body is keenly aware of the fact we’re alone. Once again, it’s as though all the oxygen has been sucked out of the space. He turns to face me, his gaze dropping down to my stomach.

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