Page 5 of Rookie Mistake

Law of attraction.

Something I live by.

Once we head to the back of the house, where the guys have set up a makeshift table to handle the auction closeout, I hand over my black Amex and take care of the donation before scanning the room for my date.

“Okay, so I’m going to head out with… Roman,” Harper says, suddenly appearing at my side once more. She glances at her date, then drags her gaze back to me. “Your phone’s charged and you have your location on, right?”

“Wow, you know, you soundexactlylike Lil right now.”

Lily shakes her head with a small, exasperated sigh when Harper barks out a laugh. “Hopefully that means that you’rebothlearning something from my constant mothering.”

I nod. “Of course I am, Lil. Phone’s charged, I’ve got my pepper spray, and my location is always on. Don’t talk to strangers, and don’t end up on a true crime podcast. No problem.”

“Okay, I’m going to head back to the dorms. Call me if you need anything, okay?” she says before wrapping her arms around me and pulling me in for a tight hug.

Harper hugs me next, dropping a kiss against my cheek. “Have so much fun! You better call me as soon as you get home and tell me every single detail. Love you.”

Once my girls have left, I grab another drink from the kitchen and then walk back toward the now empty stage. It doesn’t take me long to spot Davis with his broad shoulder pressed against the wall, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black slacks, wearing a lazy, playful grin.

“Athousanddollars…” he murmurs when I come to a stop directly in front of him, my chin tilted to look up into his whiskey-colored eyes. “A lot of money for just one night.”

My shoulder lifts in a shrug. “Guess you’d better make it worth my while, then, huh?”

A blaze of heat flares in his eyes, and my pulse races, my skin buzzing with anticipation.

His grin widens into a smile that shows two perfectly straight rows of teeth. “Seems a bit unfair that you know my name and I don’t know yours. Think I should probably know the name of the girl I’m going to take on the best date of her life tonight.”

“Mmm. Big talk for a guy who had to resort to anauctionto get said date in the first place.” I hold his gaze as I bring my cup to my lips and take a sip to hide my smile. Once I swallow down the heady alcohol, I lift my hand and hold it between us. “Zara.”

“Zara,” he repeats, rolling each syllable on his tongue in a way that I feel in my core. His rough, warm palm slides along mine, curving and shaking gently as he holds my gaze with thatcocky grin. A brief, electric moment, arguably the most innocent thing in the world, and yet it feels like he’s currently peeling this dress off my body with only his gaze.

I nod as his thumb sweeps along the back of my hand, and he steps closer until he’s nearly pressed against me. “And what does the best date of your life look like, Zara?”

My teeth rake over my bottom lip as I mull over the question. I’ve never really given it a lot of thought, not till now anyway.

“Something spontaneous. Something crazy.Wild.A night I couldn’t forget even if I tried.”

His eyes search mine, and finally, he nods, his full lips curving up. “I think I know just the thing, then. You wanna get out of here?”

Finally.

“Thought you’d never ask.”

After a brief smile, his fingers intertwine with mine, and he turns, leading me through the crowd toward the exit.

I didn’t expectto end up in an Uber on a spontaneous date with the hottest guy I’ve ever seen when I decided to go to the Kappa house tonight.

I wanted freedom. I wanted to live in the moment.

And I wantedthis.This feeling.

The wild flutter of my pulse. The thrash of my heart in my chest and the erratic whispers of butterflies erupting in my stomach.

“Just so you know, if you’re planning to kidnap me, my location is on, and my girls are basically the FBI,” I tease as we ride down the highway, the darkened city flying by. We’re heading away from campus, and my curiosity is piqued.

He chuckles. “You boughtme, remember? Maybe it’syouwith the nefarious plans to kidnap me and steal my virtue.”

“Little ole me?”

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