Page 3 of Take Me
The buzz I had developed was long gone, the adrenaline had shoved all the alcohol out of my system. The hair on the back of my neck pebbled as we walked. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were either being watched or followed. Every few seconds I looked over my shoulder. Her black SUV waited for us at the end of the third street and I could have sworn we both picked up our pace to get inside of it. We leaned our heads against the seat and locked the doors as soon as we got in. I could hardly breathe and judging by how rapid Tracey’s chest was rising and falling, she was struggling too.
“I’m going to need a few drinks to get this out of my system,” Tracey started her car and pulled away from the curb. But even as we drove down the road, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still watching us. I clenched my hands together and shook my head. I felt silly and I wondered if paranoia was hereditary.
The streetlights vibrated the closer we got to the frat house. Chills washed over my arms and down my spine. It probably wasn’t normal for me to get this excited about a party, but I couldn’t help myself. It was my guilty pleasure after all. Tracey parked close to the house and kicked the car door open. I was a little more graceful with my movements, I was wearing a tight leather skirt. My small bag thumped against my back as I walked to the frat house.
Tracey grabbed my hand to pull me to a stop. She held up her hand that had her watch on it. “You have the walkie talkie app?”
I nodded my head. It was the first thing she had made me download when we had gone out together the first time. I swatted her worried hands away. “Yes, and I know if I need you it’s just a click of a button.”
“Cut loose tonight and have fun. Don’t worry about any silly boys.” Her topaz eyes stared holes into mine. “Please be careful, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Stay away from the dangerous ones tonight.”
“Of course!” But honestly, when I had alcohol in my system it made it harder for me to stay away from the bad boys. And Mr. Danger himself had just been on the balcony smoking a cigarette. The sight had put me on cloud nine. I rolled my shoulders and marched forward. Alcohol never seemed to affect Tracey the way it did everyone else, so I never worried about her like she did with me.
I grabbed a White Claw from the tub at the front door and stepped over bodies littered around the foyer. It wasn’t even midnight yet and everyone was sloshed already. Leave it to the lightweights to make this party a drag. A few boys from my classes gave me appreciative looks and I completely overlooked them. I wasn’t interested in Kyle from Algebra or Jeremy from Creative Writing. I didn’t entertain their advances in class, what would make them think I would entertain them here?
Alcohol. I rolled my eyes and managed to bob out the way of their path. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I peered over my shoulder.
There he was.
Mr. Danger stared holes into my back. His golden eyes met mine and there was something familiar there. Tonight there was a bit of stubble on his chin and he wore a button-down flannel shirt. His jeans were ripped at the knees but not in the intentional way that most guys bought. No these jeans looked worn down from hard use and long hours. My stomach clenched. Even his boots were worn. This was more than dangerous.
The corner of his mouth quirked up as he caught me staring like I hadn’t caught him just a few seconds before. I forced my eyes back to his and his nostrils flared. He turned away quickly and went right back up the stairs. A hand on my shoulder made me jump but I was ready to swing if it was one of the guys from my classes. No one was going to put their hands on me. I tensed beneath the hand before I swung around. My little handbag bounced against my lower back.
“You okay?” Tracey’s voice met my ears.
I tugged on my tight top and popped my White Claw open. I was most certainly not okay. My legs trembled and my heart did this weird skitter in my chest. “Totally, great.”
She narrowed her bright eyes at me. “You sure? You look a little pale. Someone here bothering you?”
I took a sip from my drink and winced. It wasn’t my cup of tea but I had grabbed the first thing I had seen. I had always preferred the burn of Whiskey but parties like these didn’t usually supply the good stuff. I was picky but I also wanted to get drunk. I couldn’t be picky at a party like this. But Jello Shots would probably do better. I handed the canned drink to my friend and stumbled through the throngs of people cluttered everywhere. A light shone through the darkness of the living room and I knew immediately that it had to be the kitchen. I grinned to myself as I continued to shove through the gyrating bodies.
Someone shoved my shoulder and I found myself against a wall. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before I punched the face of the man that had me pinned. My temper would do me no favors here. I opened my eyes and came face to face with Mr. Danger. The skin between my eyebrows pulled together as I looked at him.
He smiled down at me as I narrowed my eyes up at him. “Hey there, you should probably watch where you’re going.”
I raised my eyebrows at him this time. “Excuse me? You ran into me.” I motioned between our bodies up against the wall. He was the one pressed into me. It wasn’t the other way around. Though I didn’t exactly mind it. He smelled slightly of cigarettes, pine, and whiskey. Cigarettes weren’t the best in that mix but somehow, he made it smell heavenly.
His yellow eyes twinkled and they reminded me of Tracey’s. He pulled away from me and shrugged before he downed the contents in his drink. I watched as his throat bobbed before he lowered his cup. “Then I guess I owe you an apology.”
“I guess you do.” I crossed my arms over my chest as my eyebrow raised in a challenge.
“Can I get you a drink?” he asked as he pointed to the kitchen with his empty cup. “Pick your poison and I’ll do what I can to make your dream come true.”
“Whiskey, neat. No cheap stuff.”
He leaned in and pressed his nose to the base of my neck. I stiffened but then his scent wrapped around me again and I began to loosen up. I leaned into his touch but as soon as I made contact he jerked away from me like he had been burned.
He ducked his face away from me and muttered, “I’ll see what I can do.”
Chapter 4
Rafe Crimson
A whiskey girl, eh.
She didn’t seem like the type. But I did always like them feisty. The way she had turned on me showed me just how much of a fighter she was, which was good because she was going to need it after all this was over.
Chapter 5
