Page 152 of Beautiful Collide

When he finally stumbles through his door, I don’t even wait for a goodbye or a thank you. Instead, I shake my head and hope he doesn’t choke on his own tongue tonight.

That shit’s on him.

A better man would tuck him in and make sure he doesn’t die, but alas, I’m not that nice of a guy.

I stand outside his room for a brief second, and when no sound is heard, I head to my own room.

An idea strikes me when I’m standing outside my door. I turn the knob, push it open, and then close it right away.

Why did I do this? So if Dane, whose room is right next to mine, happens to be listening, he thinks I’m home.

I’m not going home, though.

Nope. I have somewhere else I have to be.

More pressing matters.

Molly.

She’s the only thing I’ve been able to think about since the final buzzer, and I’m done waiting.

I move quietly down the hallway, pausing when I hear a noise. I turn around to see if anyone I know is coming, but it’s nothing. Nobody is coming. Good.

Taking a steadying breath, I make my way to the far end of the hall and stop in front of Molly’s door. I knock lightly, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one is around.

My heart might beat out of my chest as I wait for her to answer. Even though I saw her earlier, this feels exciting. Sneaking around, knowing her brother might catch us, adds a layer of thrill that I can’t ignore.

The door opens just a crack, and there she is. Her face is barely visible. Only a faint glow of the hallway lights illuminates her face.

“Took you long enough,” she whispers, stepping aside to let me in.

The corners of her mouth twitch, and my chest tightens at the sight.

She really is perfect. A dream come true in her oversized sweatshirt that falls on her bare thighs.

Fuck, she’s stunning.

Tempting.

And mine.Or at least she should be.All in good time.

I grin as I slip inside, the door clicking shut behind me. “Had to make sure Mason didn’t die. It’s a hard job, but someone had to do it. Plus, I had to make sure Dane was sleeping. Dane would kill me if he knew I was sneaking into your room.”

She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. “I’m not a teenager sneaking boys into my parents’ house, Hudson.”

“No,” I tease, stepping closer, “but you’re the girl who could ruin me with one word to her brother. That makes you kind of dangerous, Hex.”

“Good.” A small smile tugs at her lips. “Keeps you on your toes.” Her voice is light, but I can hear the edge to it. There’s a challenge in the way she talks.

The room is dimly lit, music playing softly from her phone. On the table by the couch sits a bottle of champagne and two glasses, the setup casual but thoughtful.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” I pick up the bottle, lifting it in the air.

“Figured you might need one more drink to celebrate.” She flops onto the couch with an easy grin.

Hell yeah, I do. How did I ever get so lucky?

Tilting the bottle so that it doesn’t spray, I pop the cork. Of course it doesn’t go smoothly. Why would it?

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