Red got to her feet and said, “I got the next round.”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Chuck said. He got up and followed her to the bar.

I watched them go until Frankie said something I didn’t hear.

“What was that?

“I said, how’s your mom doing?”

I looked down into my almost empty glass. “Not bad, but not great either.”

“I’m sorry, man. No one deserves that shit, but especially not her.” He shook his head. I nodded and did my best to change the subject. Mom was not a subject I lingered on lately.

It had been a while and Red still hadn’t come back. I looked around and saw her leaning against the bar, smiling at Chuck, who reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I could feel myself getting seriously pissed. I hated the idea of his hands on her. Hell, anyone’s hands on her.

I got to my feet and headed in their direction. “How are those shots coming, Red?”

“Oh, right.” She reached for the tray of shots. “Chuck and I were just talking.”

“No problem.” I took the tray from her and led her away from Chuck, shooting him a look that said hands off. He chuckled and shook his head as he followed us back to the table.

It was getting late and Red had a few too many, so I said goodbye to the guys and ushered her out of the bar. We stepped outside. The night air was crisp and a little cold. We stopped at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.

Red was starting to shiver, so I pulled her close to my chest, rubbing my hands up and down her arms to warm her up. She relaxed against me, dropping her head back against my shoulder as she let out a soft sigh. I wrapped my arms around her, breathed her in, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. This girl was getting under my skin. I’d never felt this way about anyone.

The light changed and I released her. I took her by the hand and led her back to campus. She stayed close to me as we walked and threaded her fingers through mine. I loved how easy things were with her, like this was how we were always supposed to be.

We walked in silence across the quad, toward her dorm. There were a few people milling around, but the night was mostly quiet. She leaned against me, a lazy smile spreading across her face. She looked happy and so beautiful in the soft light of the street lamps. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. She had a power over me I couldn’t explain. It was amazing and terrifying, but I couldn’t get enough.

When we got to her room, she pulled the keys from her bag and tried to fit them into the lock but kept missing. I chuckled and reached for her hand, helping to guide the key into the lock. She turned the key and pushed the door open, almost falling into the dark, empty room. I grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling as she laughed.

Once I was sure she had regained her balance, I let her go. She stepped away from me, dropping her bag next to her bed. She dropped down onto the mattress, kicked out of her shoes, and started to unbutton her jeans. I started to turn away, but she stood up too fast and lost her balance again, so I reached out to catch her. I held on to her as she stepped out of her jeans.

She pulled her shirt off like I wasn’t there and pulled open her dresser drawer, searching for something. I couldn’t help but stare at her as she rifled through the drawer. Her skin was perfect. The smooth slope of her naked back was begging for me to just reach out and touch her.

I turned my back to her and ran a hand over my face, trying to get a grip. When I turned around, she was wearing an oversized white t-shirt that was so thin, I could see she had taken off her bra. I swallowed quickly and blinked, resisting the urge to explore what that thin little shirt was hiding from me.

“You should get to bed,” I choked out, pulling back the covers of her bed.

She climbed in and I pulled the covers over her as she snuggled into her pillow. “Good night, Red,” I whispered. Her eyes were closed and I smiled as I turned to leave.

She reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me back down to her. “You know what?” she said, her voice soft. “I’d be lost without you, Drew.”

I smiled down at her. “Me too, Red.”

She was quiet, so I pulled away from her grasp and headed for the door. When I reached for the knob, I heard her mumble, “You should have kissed me.”

I headed out, softly closing the door behind me.

When I was safely in the hall with a locked door between us, I let out a breath. Fuck, I’m in way over my head.

Chapter 14

Alex (Now)

The next morning, I was heading to work when I spotted Drew coming out of his building across the square. He stopped when he saw me, but just shook his head and got in his car. Why was he being such a dick? He was the one who busted into my apartment last night, not the other way around. We both said some pretty hateful things, but now he was going to pretend he didn’t see me? Well, two can play at that game, buddy.

I stomped my way to work with renewed anger. If he thought I was going to be the one to cave and apologize first, he had another think coming. I didn’t do anything wrong. He was the one trying to control me. He was the one in an outrage after seeing me making out with someone.

I saw him kissing countless girls at parties over the years. Not to mention all the times he brought one of the vacuous bimbos to hang out with the group. I never said anything to him. I would never try to undermine his happiness like that. If having a trampy girl on his knee was his idea of fun, he could have at it.

I was so wrapped up in the rant going on in my head that I walked right past my office. I saw the sign for Down the Street and realized my mistake. I headed in to get some coffee, trying to convince myself that I meant to pass my building. Stupid.

I still got to the office before Gwen. I had just set my stuff down when I heard her clomping down the hallway. I knew I was about to get a barrage of insults and not-so-subtle digs about what she witnessed at the bar.

She stopped in the doorway and just shook her head at me with a smug smile. I refused to let her get to me. She settled in her chair, grinning like my humiliation was her own personal victory. Her phone vibrated on her desk. She picked it up and a mischievous smile spread across her face, so wide I thought her head would split in half.

“Drew is so sweet,” she squealed.

My head snapped up. Excuse me? Did she just say Drew? As in, my Drew? I stared at her with wide eyes. Was Drew texting her now? What the holy fuck? Is this his idea of payback? I went out with someone he didn’t like, so he is going out with someone I loathe to hurt me! That bastard! As if things weren’t already bad between us. Now that psychotic plastic floatation device was rubbing it in my face.

I’m sure that after my little display the other night at the bar, Gwen was very aware of how I feel about Drew, as was everyone else, so now her plan was to do everything she could to take him from me. The only issue with her plan was that Drew was never mine to begin with.

I felt the angry tears beginning to well up and I knew I had to get out of there. Gwen glanced up from her phone with a smirk. I rose from my desk and walked as quickly as I could to the bathroom without drawing too much attention.

I made it to the bathroom and slammed my fist into the wall before sliding down to the floor and releasing the sob. This was an ugly cry, with snot and mascara dripping down my face. Tears came so hard, I felt like I would choke on them.

I heard a knock at the door. “Alexandra? Is that you in there?” It was Madeline. Oh great, to make matters worse, my boss caught me in the middle of a sob fest at work.