Page 103 of His to Bedevil

“Can I get you something to drink, Red?” Trevor calls me Red at work. He’s also asked me out a couple of times, but I declined. Told him I wasn’t ready to date right now.

I nod and try to think of a normal drink to ask for. Something other than an expensive whiskey, champagne, or a mojito. “I’ll take a Jack and Coke.” I go to pull out my card or some cash, but he places his hand on top of mine to stop me.

“I got this.” He grins and winks at me before heading into the crowd toward the bar.

“Oh my God,” Kate says into my ear. “Trevor is, like, in love with you.”

“Well, he has asked me out a couple of times. But I told him no.”

Her eyes bug out. “Are you crazy? He’s so fucking hot! And he’s a nice guy!”

I shrug. “He’s not really my type.”

“What? Tall, hot, and handsome isn’t your type? Blond hair and blue eyes is not your type? Is it the nice-guy thing? Because I heard he isn’t such a nice guy in bed, if you know what I mean?” She waggles her eyebrows, and I laugh.

“I’m just not into dating right now.”Or ever.I fell in love once and had my heart broken. That’s enough for me.

“So, that’s it! You just got out of a relationship, didn’t you? That’s why you moved here, and why you never go out.” She says it like she already has it all figured out.

My natural instinct is to lie, but I’m supposed to be normal. Normal girls talk about these things, right? I nod. “Yeah, it was pretty messy, and I’m still a little broken up about it.”

“Well, the best way to get over a guy is to get under a new one.” She grins, making me giggle.

I’d never been one to think about sex as more than just sex. Sex was fun for me. A nice release. But after Alejo, sex is so much more. And if I go and have sex with another guy, it’ll really be the end of it. I’m not ready to face that chapter of my life yet. I need more time. Wait for the pain to subside. If it ever will. Because right now, just thinking about moving on from Alejo with another guy makes me want to curl up in the fetal position and ball my eyes out. Pretty much what I do every single night. I turned to taking sleeping aids religiously. It’s the only way I can sleep, other than crying or drinking myself to sleep. I’m tired of waking up with swollen eyes and a sore throat. Plus, I’m done crying over that asshole. That fucking liar. Maybe fucking Trevor is exactly what I need.

“We’ll see,” I say as I glance over at Trevor breaching the crowd with two drinks in his hands. His eyes find mine immediately, and they light up. Trevor is definitely hot. He’s got that all-American look, or like he just walked out of some fancy magazine ad. He’s someone I would have slept with before Alejo. But after Alejo? Now all I do is compare every guy to him. They’re never as tall or handsome or manly as him, and it sucks. He’s ruined me in so many ways.

For my first night out with “friends,” I’m having fun. I’m mainly hanging out with Trevor, who makes me laugh, and I return the favor. He’s a fun guy, and we make plans to go hiking Monday morning, since we both have the day off, and since snowboarding season is now over, hiking a mountain is our only option. When he mentions going snowboarding together next year, my heart sinks because most likely I will be here next year. Still without Alejo. Will I be over him by then? Will it not hurt anymore?

Kate and I are pretty tipsy, and when she asks if I’m ready to go, I want to hug her in gratitude. The drunker I get, the harder it is to stop thinking about Alejo, for some reason. I miss him so fucking much it hurts. I can’t even call him or write him if I wanted to. Even to tell him off.

“You’re leaving?” Trevor asks with his arm around my lower back. I didn’t even notice when he did that.

I look up at him and give him a goofy smile. “Yup.” Then I nuzzle my head into his chest and inhale. He smells really good, but nowhere near as intoxicating as Alejo. I feel his chest shake a little when he chuckles, and his other arm wraps around me. I sigh into him because this feels nice. It’s been months since I’ve had any kind of human touch like this. To be wrapped in someone’s arms. I find myself wrapping my arms around his torso and hugging him back. “You’re comfy,” I mumble.

“What?” he shouts.

I look up at him so he can hear me. “I said you’re comfy!” I shout back, even though he’d be able to hear me if I didn’t.

He grins down at me, and it’s like I’m just noticing how handsome he really is. “You’re an adorable drunk.”

I grin back up at him and prop my chin on his chest. “And you’re even hotter when I’m drunk.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “I have no idea what to say to that.” I continue gleaming up at him and fixate on his lips. They’re light pink and look soft. I wonder if they’re as soft as Alejo’s. Probably not. That’s impossible.

“Can I feel your lips?” I ask.

His eyes widen. “Can you feel my lips?”

“Yeah, with mine.”

He laughs again. “Is that a line?” he asks with amusement.

I shake my head. “No, I’m serious. I’m just curious about something.”

He cups my head with one hand, and he leans down, his lips slightly brushing mine, and I was right. They’re soft. When he presses them against mine and starts to move, I realize I was right again. They’re not as soft as Alejo’s, but they’re still nice. Nice enough to respond to by moving my own lips. When he flicks his tongue out, I let him enter my mouth. He tastes like mint and beer. Not a terrible combination. But nothing like mint and the taste of my own pussy, the way Alejo usually tasted.

When Trevor pulls back, he stares down at me. “Will you please let me take you out?”

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