As soon as we start to dance, the music changes to a slow, seductive beat and he moves in, putting his arms around my shoulders. I’m so happy I’m wearing my five-inch heels so I’m taller, and I gladly slide my arms around his waist. As my head meets his chest, I hear the strong beat of his heart. His sweet smelling cologne clings to my nose. He smells one-hundred percent delicious. Oh my heaven, I can feel his sculptured muscles beneath his silky shirt as we sway, and I hold back a groan as his hips move seductively against my overheated body.

Please, legs, don’t fail me now, I silently plead as they suddenly feel like Jell-O and I wobble a little on my heels.

As if he hears my thoughts, Colin tightens his hold on me and we begin moving as one. At least, I think we’re moving. I’ve never, ever felt this way before. I want to drag him into the nearest booth and, well, you know … feel every inch of his body with my fingers.

“It’s my turn.”

Drew’s voice is like a bucketful of cold water thrown over me. Colin’s warmth is removed and Drew takes one of my hands and places his other around my waist. His cologne isn’t overwhelming. In fact, it smells pretty good, but it’s nothing like Colin’s.

He moves us around the floor as effortlessly as anyone I have ever seen, but I feel nothing. No blood sizzle, no Jell-O legs and no desire to rip his clothes off and have my way with him. The song ends and he lets go and places a hand on my back as we exit the dance floor. I notice several females eyeing him up and down and smiling. I look up at him and he seems oblivious to their invitations.

The first thing I notice when we reach the table is that Colin is absent. Maybe he’s gone to the loo—a wonderful word the English use for toilet. I scoot in beside Liam and he grins at me.

“Colin had to split. Received an urgent phone call. Said he’d let us know later,” Liam says, minus the grin.

“That’s all? No details?” Drew looks puzzled.

“Nope. I told him to wait and we would go with, but he said he didn’t want to spoil our evening.”

My night has officially gone from overwhelming to a low simmer. For the next hour or so, I find myself dancing with Liam and Drew while ignoring the glares from most of the female population, and even some males join in on the hate parade. But my mind is pre-occupied with the emergency that made Colin leave so quickly without even a goodbye.

It’s Monday, and I still don’t know what made Colin leave the other night in such a hurry. Drew assured me it wasn’t anything serious, but Colin has been absent since the club. The coffee shop helps keep my mind occupied, as Mondays are our busiest days.

By the end of my shift, I’m exhausted and dread going to class. I quickly change my work clothes and jump on the subway, not wanting to be late to my class lecture. The next few weeks will be filled with studying, studying, and more studying, since end-of-semester finals are rapidly approaching.

Speaking of finals, I’ve only briefly mentioned Jeff. His full name is Jeffrey Thomas Bain Bradford the Fourth, and he’s about the sweetest guy you could ever meet. Julie and I met him our first week of college and we hit it off. His family is mega rich, but Jeff is no snob. He’s really tall—okay, so anyone taller than me is really tall—and he would make any woman drool over his long dark eyelashes and jet-black locks. But the true killer is his smile.

Yep, his smile makes you want to jump his bones … which the female population would find impossible because he bats for the other team, as my grandma loves to misquote all the time. It’s such a shame. My family loves Jeff and the grandmothers immediately thought he was my love interest. Not my mom, of course. Henry took care of that. When I brought home The Jackass, though, they all instantly disliked him. I wonder now why I dated him for three years. Why couldn’t I see what they saw? I guess “love” really is blind.

Anyway, back to Jeff. Since the semester began, he’s been busy interning at a law firm. He wants to be a lawyer. Not the sleaze-bag kind, but a lawyer that’s not solely in it for the money. We see each other in class, but little else lately.

That will change starting tonight. He’s going to be staying with me. We’re going to be joined at the hip while preparing for finals. I haven’t told my roomies, but I don’t think they’ll mind. I’m paying rent after all and it’s not like we’ll be in the way. My bedroom/sitting area is as big as most apartments in the city, so we shouldn’t disturb them. If only Jeff wasn’t gay, maybe he could take my mind off Colin. Last night, I had this dream, and nope, not going to tell you. But just FYI, it was pure awesomeness.

“Hey, Good Looking. Are you interested in a one-night stand?” a familiar voice startles me as I wait outside the science building for Jeff.

“It depends on what you’re offering and how much you’re willing to pay for this amazingness,” I respond, motioning to my body.

“I was hoping you’d give a poor college student a break,” Jeff says woefully, his beautiful eyes sucking me in.

“I’m just as broke, but maybe we can work out a deal.”

He puts his arm around me and gives me a warm side hug.

“So, Red, where are we off to?”

I smile at his nickname for me. Usually I hate when people call me that, but when Jeff says it, it’s somehow different.

“We’re going to my new place. Remember, I told you I moved. Where’s your stuff?” I ask, seeing only his backpack.

“In the car. You know I hate driving, so I thought you could be my chauffeur. Besides, I have no idea where I’m going, and you know I hate that even more.”

“Oh. So, is this a paid chauffer gig?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m going to give you a huge tip.” His grin is so infectious that I reciprocate.

“Like, um, a huge expensive dinner perhaps?”

“How about an extra-large pizza?”

“As long as I get what I want on my half,” I reply.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Jeff hugs me again and we take off to his car.

“Wow, Pandora Ann Phillips, you have most definitely come up in the world.” Jeff is standing in my bedroom taking in our surroundings. “Did your grandmother finally open her Coach clutch for you?” he asks me. One eyebrow rises as he waits for my answer.

“Nope. I actually found this place for cheap, like, insanely cheap. And Julie and Kevin live on the floor below us.”

“I’m surprised you moved out. I thought you guys were like the Three Amigos forever, or something.”

“Well, it was the almost constant loud sex noises, and penis sighting that made me realize it was time to get my own place.”

“Oh, I have to hear about this,” he says, lying back on my king-size bed. I lie down beside him and explain everything.

“It’s not that funny,” I say moments later as Jeff laughs so hard tears are running down his face.

“Oh, my friend, that’s hysterical!”

“No, it’s not. I mean, Kevin’s my best friend, and I was eyeing his penis … and it’s not fair Julie has one and I don’t,” I say.

His laughter intensifies and I can’t help but join in. A pounding at my door makes us stop. We look at each other like children who’ve been caught doing something bad.

“Dora, are you okay?” Drew’s worried voice comes through the door.

Sighing, I get up from the bed and unlock and open the door. Drew is standing there wearing shorts and a sweaty muscle shirt.

“Hey, Drew. I’m fine. Come on in and meet my friend, Jeff.” I open the door wide and Drew steps in while eyeing Jeff on the bed.

“Jeff, nice to meet you,” he says, politely extending his hand to shake Jeff’s. He doesn’t look too happy when he sees Jeff’s luggage by the side of the bed.