I got hung up on I like it hard, and repeating it in my head made sweat pop out.

“Maybe I want to use you, and I’m not fragile. No one hurts me anymore,” I said, but before he could reply to that, Shelley yelled from the dance floor.

“Elizabeth, get your ass out here and dance with me.” Her arms waved at me to come on, her lithe body gyrating around several partners.

When I turned back to Declan, a pretty girl with blond hair cut in a sharp bob had come up and crooked her arm through his. Thin with big boobs, she wore stilettos and a soft periwinkle dress that probably cost more than my rent.

She took a look at me, dismissed me with a sniff, and turned to Declan.

“Hey, babe, I need to talk to you.” She ran her fingers down his arm.

His entire body stiffened, a cold look on his face as he peered down at her. “What do you want?”

“You,” she whined. “Just give me a chance to explain …”

Oh. The ex?

He flicked his eyes to me and nodded. “It was great to meet you, Elizabeth. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? Since when?

He sent me one final look, turned, and walked away with the other girl.

Just like that, my night with Declan was over.

Was I disappointed? Yes.

Was I going to let it ruin my first college party? No.

ELIZABETH BENNETT WAS the most awkward person to ever come to a frat party.

Not only had she came through the door like she was going to an execution, but she’d asked me to shag her in the most unsophisticated manner I’d ever seen in my days at Whitman. I could live for the next hundred years and my ears would never hear a come-on that bad.

Weird or not, no one could deny she was hot as hell. The entire time we’d talked, I hadn’t been able to stop staring at her blue eyes or the way her dress plunged down to the deep V between her breasts—which was frustrating.

I wasn’t here to meet some girl and start something. I didn’t need the distraction.

And the Blake dude?

What in the bloody hell?

He was crazy in love with her, and she had no clue. Or did she?

I followed Nadia as she led me back into the house. I should have shoved her off me as soon as she’d sidled up next to me with that forlorn expression on her face, but truthfully, I’d needed to distance myself from Elizabeth and Nadia had been a good excuse. Surprisingly, seeing her hadn’t crushed me like I thought it might. Now that we’d been apart for a while I’d had time to think and I could see how incredibly wrong she’d been for me. Most of our relationship had been based on sex. A shallow girl who only looked out for herself, she’d been the wrong choice all along, but I’d been swayed by her body and the way she’d fawned over me.

We headed into the library toward the back of the house. A secluded room, it was where the frat held most of their meetings and formal gatherings. I figured there’d be less of a chance of anyone walking in on us if things got heated. Not that I’d lose my temper with her. That wasn’t my style. I’d never gone off on a female—thanks to the good influence of my mum.

I took my frustrations out on the punching bag at the gym, not on girls.

I knew Nadia’s game. She’d come to the party and seen me with Elizabeth. She wanted what she couldn’t have. Typical.

We made our way into the center of the room and before I could even ask her what she wanted that was so important, she had her tongue down my throat.

It felt good for half a second, and then I reached behind me to untangle her hands and remove her lips from mine.

“Don’t do that,” I snapped.

“Declan, I know you hate me,” she whispered, staring up at me, “but I’ve missed you so much. Please don’t push me away. It’s been an absolutely horrible summer without you.”

“Mine was pretty good,” I bit out. “I got rid of a cheating girlfriend and worked my arse off getting the gym ready. Ditching you was the best thing I did.”

She closed her eyes, a flash of pain on her face, and when she opened them, tears swam, making them shimmer. “I know we ended terribly, and it’s all my fault, and you shouldn’t even give me the time of day, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen you—”

“Where’s Donatello?” I said curtly and crossed my arms. “Go find him.”

She bit her lip and let out a choke. “Oh, God, Declan, my mom has cancer. She was diagnosed last month, and I’ve been a basket case ever since, and all I could think of was talking to you, and I can’t because you won’t return my calls.” She swallowed, her hands twisting in the fabric of her dress. “With what you went through with your mom, you’re the only one who gets how scared I am. I—I just needed to see you tonight and tell you.”

Her mum?

I scrubbed my jaw, remembering Mrs. Brown as a sweet lady who resembled Nadia, only softer and always asking if I needed anything when we’d been at her parents’ house a few times for dinner. I exhaled and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m sorry for your mum. Cancer sucks more than anything I know.”

She sniffed and snuggled into my chest, so I ended up wrapping my arms around her.

“God, you smell so good,” she murmured against my chest.

I stared down at her. “Nadia—”

She cupped my face. “Don’t talk. Just kiss me, Declan.”

THE SONG ENDED and I took off to go back inside. I told myself it was just to find a restroom, but I also really wanted to see where Declan went. Stalker? Maybe.

I wandered around until I passed one of the smaller rooms and out of my peripheral gaze caught a couple embracing.

I stopped and backed up to get a better view.

I really shouldn’t spy, but it was Declan and Nadia who stood in front of a chair, giving me a view of their torsos as they held each other. She pulled his head down and kissed him hungrily as her hands ran through his hair. He let it go on for a while but then disentangled her hands as he said something I couldn’t hear.

Holding my breath, I leaned forward to try and catch their conversation.

I don’t know why I cared so much. He’d turned me down and let me know I wasn’t his type, which was damn ironic considering I’d rejected his brother—not that it had fazed Dax in the least.

Yells and whoops reached my ears as a sudden influx of partiers came into the house. Declan and Nadia turned toward the door, and afraid of getting caught snooping, I ducked down to my knees.

Had they seen me? I closed my eyes.

How had I gotten myself in this mess?

Because you had to pee, I responded to myself. And because you came to this stupid party.

Praying the chair hid me, I moved in a slow duck crawl toward the hallway and hopefully a toilet.

Black Converse shoes stopped in front of me, and I looked up into the amused eyes of Dax. He peered down at me with a quizzical look. “Enjoying yourself?”

Think fast, Elizabeth.

“Just looking for my contact,” I said, patting the hardwood floor. “It popped out while I was looking for the restroom.”

“Ah. You need some help then? It’s rather dark in here.”

“No, I’m fine.” Pat, pat.

A few ticks went by.

I kept crawling around. Playing cool. Hoping he’d walk away. Praying.

I chanced a look up to see him watching me in amusement.

“Are you sure you don’t need help? That floor is terribly dirty.”

“I don’t mind a little dirt. Improves your immune system. I ate it daily as a toddler.”