Page 46 of Defining Us

“Now we have established that I’m the best thing that has happened to you this weekend. Why don’t you let me take you back to the dorm so you can get some shut-eye and sleep off the headache that is going to follow.”

“You’re very sweet but I can’t ask you to do that. Go find Stacey and give her her reward for being a good girl.”

“I’m far from sweet, but really, let me get you home and I will be back here before anyone notices I’ve left. Do you trust me not to try anything? I understand if you don’t.” The biggest puppy-dog eyes are staring at me, waiting for my answer. If I say I don’t trust him, it will be like kicking a dog.

“It’s not that. I just better wait for Xavier and Jordan.” Although bed does sound amazing now.

“Let me fix this right now.” He pushes straight up off the wall like it was no effort at all, pulling me up with him. He takes my hand in his and we are stalking across the lawn. I wish he would slow down because my stomach is not appreciating the speed of his movements.

“Yo. Xavier.” I see my brother wrapped around the same girl he was talking to when I left, devouring her face now.

Pulling back, he looks up a little startled at Chase standing with me tucked under his arm again.

“You okay if I take Nat back to the dorm…?” I can see Xavier about to lose his shit before Chase even gets a chance to finish his sentence. “Whoa, steady there. Taking her back to the dorm to drop her off so she can go to bed. She’s not feeling the best.”

“It’s okay, Xav, he’s telling you the truth, and I trust him. I’ll message when I’m back in the room safe.”

“I can do it, Nat, just give me a minute.”

“No, no, you enjoy your night, I’m fine. I just need a key to get in.” Which only just dawned on me then.

“Fuck, sorry, I don’t know where Jordan is,” Xav says. “He was around not that long ago, I’m sure he’ll be back in a minute.”

“Don’t worry, sunshine, I’ll get you into his room. I know where all the spare keys are. Might have had to use the one for my room a few times over the years.”

“Are you sure, buddy? I can do it.” Xav moves to get up, but Chase stops him.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. Trust me, I’ll get Nat tucked up in bed in the dorm before you can even blink.”

“Like fuck you will, Lonigan. The only person taking her home and tucking her into bed tonight is me,” Jordan growls from behind us. “Get your fucking hands off her!”

I feel Chase’s body being pulled backward and I lose my balance.

Oh shit, this can’t be good.

Jordan is going to kill Chase.

And I’m about to puke my guts up in front of everyone.

Can this night get any better?

JORDAN

How did tonight turn upside down so quickly?

One minute I’m alone with Nat in my dorm room, in a state of euphoria as our lips collide.

The next minute I’m standing within a few feet of her in the back yard of a party house, with hands all over me. The biggest problem is the hands aren’t hers and the prickly feeling running over my skin is not from feeling excited.

I should have known nothing has changed in the two years since that night.

She doesn’t want me!

Well, that’s what she tries to tell me with her words, and even to some extent her body.

But that kiss.

That fucking kiss! It calls bullshit on everything else.

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