“You ready, pretty girl?” Stephan asked, standing and holding his large hand out for mine.
For the first few songs, I felt a little out of my league. Stephan was a natural, and a great teacher. I don’t know how I looked to everyone else, but it felt like I was doing a pretty good job of keeping up, and I hadn’t consumed any alcohol, so I knew it wasn’t that.
Stephan’s hands were all over me, his moves so sensual. It should have felt wrong. I was just coming out of a three-year relationship. No other man had ever touched me so intimately and to tell you the truth, after all of the sex I’d had with Dean over the years, even he hadn’t made me feel this kind of heat.
The rhythm of the music had my blood pumping, and Stephan played my body like the most skilled musician. If I thought I had some pent up sexual energy before, it was nothing compared to what I felt at that moment. The problem was...the person I wanted to expend it on wasn’t here.
Thoughts of Colton were killing my mood, and of course, my date could sense the change in me. “Hey, everything all right?”
“Yeah, I’m just really tired.” I placed a hand on my chest trying to catch my breath.
“Why don’t we go sit for a few minutes and recharge?” Stephan was adorable. I hated that I was too hung up on my best friend to give him the attention he deserved. Any other woman would have given their left tit to be with a man like him. Smart, athletic, sensitive, sweet, hot, and he could fucking dance like those guys in the movies. He was almost too good to be real, and I was about to push him away for a guy I wasn’t sure would ever even give me the time of day. I needed my head examined...and probably my heart as well.
“Actually, can you just take me home? I’m not feeling well.”
Stephan’s face fell with disappointment, but ever the gentleman, he recovered quickly. “Sure.” He flagged down our waitress, paid the bill, and then took me back to Colton’s house. When he threw the car into park, the mood suddenly became tense. To kiss or not to kiss. The dreaded first date question. “Can I kiss you good night?” he asked.
He asked. Who does that? For all the shit Colton talked about what an asshole Stephan was, I’d never met a more considerate or well-mannered man. And that says a lot because I didn’t know they came sweeter than Dean.
I nodded my head, leaned over, and met him halfway across the center console. His lips were soft and skilled. I tried to get into it. I really did, but in the back of my mind, I kept thinking of Colton on the other side of that door, and it was a serious mood killer.
Sensing my discomfort, Stephan pulled away. “I had a really nice time with you tonight, Alexis.” His lips curled into a resigned half smile. “I can tell you really aren’t feeling well. Why don’t we try again soon when you’re up to it?”
“I’d love that.”
Stephan moved to get out to walk me to the door, but I told him to stay. There was no need. Honestly, I was afraid he’d try to kiss me again, and I just wasn’t up for it tonight. He idled in the parking lot while I fished the key Colt had given me out of my clutch and unlocked the door. I heard the engine rev and turned to watch him back out of the lot, then I pushed the door the rest of the way open and stepped inside.
The house was dark. It was still relatively early, being only a little past nine, so I figured the guys had probably gone out. After sticking the key back into my purse, I set it down on the table near the door. My feet were really starting to cramp up from dancing all night in four-inch heels. They had to come off. I braced myself against the wall for balance and started to remove my shoes. But I was stopped dead in my tracks when I heard moaning coming from the couch to my right.
Whoever was hooking up on that couch was so engrossed in their sexcapade that they hadn’t heard me come into the house. I felt guilty for standing there in silence like some creeper, but I was frozen in place. There was a tightening in my core as the decidedly male moans became louder. Slurping and heavy breathing filled the quiet space.
As my eyes began to adjust to the lack of light, I could see a woman’s head bobbing up and down an enormous...Oh dear God in heaven, please no...
“Just like that, baby...” Colton. My eyes adjusted further and I could see that his hands were fisted in the girl’s hair, guiding her mouth up and down. His head was thrown back. His lips parted. The golden curls I’d loved for as long as I could remember bounced with each shift of his hips. My whole body went tingly and numb.
Pain unlike anything I’d ever felt shot through every cell of my body instantly as if I’d been struck by a lightning bolt. My heart...I wasn’t sure it would ever beat again. With each thrust, it shriveled up and died a little more. I felt tears pouring down my cheeks as I reached for something—anything to grab hold of to keep my balance. My hand gripped the edge of the little table, but instead of holding me up, it went down with me.
There was a loud crash. A scream that could only have come from me. The light came on just as Colton was tucking his dick back into his pants and my fucking mouth had the nerve to water. Why was my body such a fucking whore for this man?
I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to disappear. I wanted...I wanted to stop loving Colton Fowler because loving him was slowly killing me.
“Allie?” Colton slurred, dropping to his knees beside me on the floor. Great. He was fucking drunk.
“What the hell?” the blonde bitch on the couch screeched as she pulled her tank top back over her head. I recognized her as the girl he was with at the bar on my first day here...Candy. Another day. Another blonde. Another blowjob.
Colton ignored her, running his sloppy hands all over my body to make sure I wasn’t hurt. “Are you okay? What happened?”
I tried to answer, but couldn’t speak past the sobs that had stolen my breath. So, I shook my head, nodded, and then shrugged.
Candy rolled her eyes as she approached. She too must’ve recognized me from the bar. “Seriously? Girl, you need to get a fucking life and stop cock-blocking. It ain’t cool.” Her too-long manicured finger pointed in my direction before she stormed out, slamming the front door behind her.
Colton lifted me into his lap, holding me close. He pressed wet, smelly beer kisses all over my forehead and down the side of my face. I was disgusted, but I craved his attention more. So, I laid there in his arms, wrapped my trembling limbs around his chest, and let the source of my pain comfort me while simultaneously gutting me.
My eyes were heavy, and I was beginning to doze off when, in a shaky voice, he asked, “So...did you have a good time?”
“Mmhmm,” I answered, looking up just in time to catch the broken expression on his face before he was able to school his features.
Colton cleared his throat and ran a hand through his mop of curls, a move of his I’d always found incredibly sexy. “Where’d you go?”