Page 17 of The Chemistry of Us

I reached for my beer only to have him move his hand out of the way. His glassy and unfocused eyes told me he was drunk, so I didn’t want to totally blame him for being an ass. I tried as nicely as possible to move from underneath his massive body.

“Everyone’s interested.” He laughed. “You should be happy I picked you. Plus that dress, damn.” His hand reached out, fingertips out to grab my breast. I was ready to knee him in the balls when someone jerked him back so hard he did a backward somersault onto the lawn. Beer scattered all over the grass whilehe cursed, and then Vaughan was right in front of me, chest heaving and fists at his sides.

He grabbed my right hand I didn’t even realize had been shaking and gripped it tight.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I frowned, squeezing his hand back. “Yeah, I think so. Sorry, I just, I think I’ll go change now.”

He swallowed slowly. I could see the entire movement and memorize that swallow my entire life, then he leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “Do you want me to beat the shit out of him for you?”

I laughed. It felt good. “No. I think the lawn gymnastics were embarrassing enough.”

He didn’t laugh. “You swear you’re good? He didn’t touch you?”

What was happening?

Tears flooded my line of vision. It reminded me of so many things, and he knew that. Vaughan knew everything.

Especially when it came to me.

I nodded. “I’m just tired.”

They weren’t real tears, right?

“Good.” He pushed away from me and stomped toward Logan.

He had at least three inches on him and an extra twenty pounds of muscle, so he picked the guy off the ground and rolled him toward the pool. “Go cool off, and I’ll have Brady grab you so you don’t drown. Remember our rule. We don’t sexually harass anyone, never. Ever. Or you’re off the team. No means no, so don’t be an asshole.”

Logan nodded and looked ready to piss himself, then took a deep dive into the pool. Brady fished him out, and I went back to my room, wondering what the hell just happened. It took me anhour to process in my room alone before I returned to the party, wearing jeans and a crop top instead.

I begrudgingly walked a few steps to his room and was about to knock on his door when I noticed it was cracked open. Unable to help myself, I slowly opened it and came face-to-face with Vaughan and some chick. She was pressed up against his wall, the same way he had cornered me only an hour earlier.

Almost knocking me on my ass.

Vaughan

I kept my distance,fighting away any sentiment to actually do something about what just happened between us. When the fucker touched her, I bit my tongue until I couldn’t any longer.

The urge to be possessive over her circulated all around me. I was drowning in it. I had become one of those clichés, the guys who I made fun of. I grew a goddamn pussy overnight, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

She consumed me, and she didn't even know it.

Or maybe she did?

She was fucking gorgeous, and she didn't even have to try. She never truly realized the effect she had on me, which stayed true throughout the years we hadn’t seen one another.

Or again, maybe she did?

As much as I tried to forget about her for the rest of the night…

I couldn’t.

So I did the next best thing. I grabbed the girl I’d been talking to at the beginning of the party and escorted her into my bedroom. This time, I was going to do the right thing. I wouldn't hurt another girl, at least not one who mattered.

I’d rather make her hate me since I couldn’t stay away from her. It was better this way. I wouldn’t think about her while I fucked someone else, and she’d hear us through the very thin walls. We’d draw our lines in the sand again. I was her enemy, and she was mine. Sex didn’t just make things better; it could also reset the past. That was all I was trying to do—reset the past so I could survive the present with that girl sleeping next door.

“Is that right?” I taunted close to whatever the hell this chick’s ear was, caging her in with my built frame.

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