“What’s that?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes from her lips.

“You haven’t got a chance in hell,” she whispered, then poured the contents of her red solo cup over my head, crushing the empty cup and dropping it at my feet. I just stood there, eyes wide in shock, doused in beer, and more than a little turned on. Beer soaked into my shirt and streamed down my face as I watched her disappear into the crowd.

The beer can morons burst into laughter, bending at the waist and slapping each other on the back. I shot them the finger. Well played, Red. There was something different about this girl, and now, more than ever, I was determined to find out just what that was.

“Drew!” Sean called from the kitchen. Shit! Kerri’s roommate. It was probably better to let Red cool down before trying again. I did my best to shake the beer from my hair before heading to the kitchen to find Sean.

“Yeah!” I called, coming around the corner, still wringing the beer out of my shirt. When I looked up, there, standing with Sean and Kerri, was none other than Red. Her eyes widened and she straightened her stance when her eyes met mine. Damn, that girl got hotter every time I saw her.

As she took in my damp sticky hair and wet t-shirt, her features relaxed. A big grin replaced her trademark scowl.

“Well, if it isn’t the life of the party.” I straightened to my full height as she narrowed her eyes. Game on, Red! The withering glare she shot me was a little scary, but sexy as hell. I couldn’t help but check her out. I smiled at her wide eyes and suddenly nervous body language.

“Dude! What the hell happened to you?” Sean asked, gesturing to my wet t-shirt.

“Why don’t you ask Red?” I nodded my head in her direction.

Kerri whipped around to Red. “Have you guys met?”

“Briefly.” Red smirked.

Sean’s attention volleyed back and forth between Red and me. He was trying to figure out what had happened while Red and I just stared each other down. An involuntary smile spread wide across my face. She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hide the slight twitch of her lips.

“So,” Sean said, dragging out the word. “Drew, this is Alex,” he raised his eyebrows at me, “Kerri’s roommate.” He stared at me, watching for my reaction as the news sank in.

Son of a bitch! This was Kerri’s plan all along. She never wanted to hook us up. She wanted Red to shoot me down and humiliate me in public.

Now it was my turn to be pissed. I narrowed my eyes at Kerri, who was focused on Red, pretending not to notice me glaring at the side of her head.

“I’m heading out,” Red said.

“Aww, really?” Kerri whined, her bottom lip sticking out in a mock pout. “I wanted you and Drew to have a chance to talk.” I could see the evil brewing behind her eyes.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Red’s brows shot up. “That’s why you dragged me here? What the hell could we possibly have to talk about?”

“Relax, Red, you’re not exactly my type either,” I said.

“Imagine my disappointment,” she deadpanned, her lips thinning into a sharp smirk. She turned back to Kerri. “You said an hour. Time is up and I’m leaving.” With that, she headed for the door.

“Dude!” Sean said, his eyebrows raised. He pointed in the direction that Red disappeared, his gray eyes scolding me. What was he so pissy about? Kerri was the one who pissed her off. After another pointed look from Sean, I exhaled and went after Red. Sean was a good friend, so for his sake, I would try to make nice with Red.

Outside, she was already heading for the stairs. “Alex! Wait!” I called, reaching for her arm. She turned on me quickly and stared daggers at my hand, which was still wrapped around her arm. Good thing she didn’t have laser vision. She would have reduced my fingers to nubs.

I released her and took a step back, holding my hands up in surrender. Shit! As hot as she was, she had that scary back-the-fuck-off look down pat. I smiled, trying, and failing, to ease some of the tension.

She crossed her arms, waiting for me to say something. The action immediately made my eyes dip to her chest. She let out a frustrated groan, dropped her arms, and started heading down the stairs again.

“Come on, Red, wait up,” I said, following her down the stairs.

She whirled on me so fast, she lost her footing on the step. Luckily I was close enough to reach out and grab her before she tumbled down the flight of stairs. Running on pure instinct, I grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her body tight against my chest. Her body fit seamlessly against mine, soft and warm beneath my touch. Her eyes widened. We were so close, the smell of her shampoo surrounded me. It had a fruity scent to it, so different from the too-sweet perfume that most girls on campus used.

With Red still pressed tightly against my chest, a slow smile spread across my face as I slowly released my grip on her arms. “See, you’re falling for me already.”

She scoffed and pushed me away completely before turning and stomping her way down the stairs. It was a cheesy line, but it was an opening I had to take.

I shook my head and chuckled at my own idiocy. Then I headed down the stairs after her. Just as she was getting into a little blue car, I grabbed a hold of the door before she could slam it in my face.

“Let go,” she sneered.

“Have coffee with me?”

I grinned down at her. Kerri may have been setting me up for failure, but this girl was something else. She was definitely worth any potential Queen Kerri fallout later.

“Are you insane?”

I took a chance and stepped between her and the car door so she couldn’t leave. “Please have coffee with me?” I asked, resting my hand on the roof of the car.

“Go to hell!” She tugged harder on the door, but I didn’t budge.

“Tea?”

She yanked the door again, but I just blocked it with my hip. “Let me go, asshole!”

“Just agree to meet me tomorrow so Kerri will back off of us both.” I smiled, running on the hunch that she hated Kerri as much as I did.

She narrowed her eyes at me but seemed to consider what I'd said for a moment before she let go of the door in defeat. “Fine! Tomorrow.”

Bingo! Finally, some common ground. We can bond over our mutual hatred of her roommate.

“Great. Meet me at Union Brew at two o’clock?”

I slowly stepped away from the car. As soon as the door was clear, she slammed it shut and peeled out of the lot.

***

I sat at Union Brew for an hour and a half before finally conceding she was not coming. I’d never been stood up before and wasn’t a fan. Tossing our now cold drinks, I got a couple fresh ones, then headed for her dorm. Time for Plan B.

I knocked twice on her dorm door. When it swung open, Red stood there in a pair of cotton shorts and a tank. Her long red waves were piled in a knot high on her head and she was wearing cute little black-framed glasses. For some reason, “Hot for Teacher” popped into my head.

“Did you forget our date?” I asked as I took in her small but curvy frame.

“It was not a date. I just told you I would go so you would let me leave.” She leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms. When my eyes flicked to her chest, she quickly dropped her arms back to her side. “What do you want?” she asked, straightening up again.

I took a step toward her. “Another chance.”

She blinked, her eyes going wide and lips parting in shock. I shifted my weight, suddenly feeling a little nervous.

“I was hoping we could start over,” I said, holding the coffee cup out to her as a peace offering.

She looked down at the cup in my outstretched hand and back up to me. She narrowed her eyes, far from convinced. “Why?”

Her face was an open book, the doubt clear in every feature of her face. Even in her pajamas, bathed in fluorescent lighting and without a stitch of makeup, she was unbelievably beautiful. My fingers itched to tuck the strands of hair that escaped from the small black band trying to hold the wild curls in place behind her ear.