To say the party wasn’t what I expected would be an understatement. There were no beer cans in the yard, no loud music blaring. These guys were pretty respectful of their neighbors. Well . . . brownie points for them. As we walked into the house it was packed with people, drinking, dancing, laughing, and kissing in heated embraces.

“Sam, this is John.” Tamron motioned to the guy who’d answered the door. “He used to live here, too, but he abandoned us after graduation and moved up to Alaska.”

“Hi John. I’m Sam.”

“Hey, nice to meet ya.” He winked.

Suddenly, the girls took off, and I was left standing by the stairs, alone. I watched as they ran up to who I figured must have been Riley and Quinn. They spread their arms wide and grabbed the girls by their waists. Tamron and Alison squealed in unison, then proceeded to kiss their boyfriends. I sighed, longing for that type of happiness again.

Their kisses held a tenderness that seemed oddly out of place, the type that made you feel like you were imposing on a private moment, only they couldn’t care less about sharing it in front of anyone who happened to be in the room. It was almost as if they were in their own little worlds, and none of the fifty or so people partying around them even existed.

My heart ached for the loss of what I’d had with Alec. Unable to watch any longer, I turned to go upstairs and find a bathroom when I ran smack into a naked chest—a hard, tanned, muscular chest. I stopped and looked up at the body I’d collided with to see the sexiest lips on the cutest smirk, coupled with the most incredible blue eyes I’d ever seen.

His hair was jet black, in stark contrast with his mesmerizing eyes, and so sexy, I didn’t realize I was staring at them, nor was I aware that my hands were still pushed up flat against his chest. He cleared his throat, and I regained my composure. He looked past me to where the girls and their boyfriends were still standing and shook his head with a laugh.

“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out.

“Oh, no, it’s okay darlin.’ They’ve run me out of the room plenty of times.” He chuckled. “Hey, would you like a beer? I was going to grab one and head outside for some fresh air. You’re welcome to join me.”

I smiled up at him. “Sure, a beer sounds good, and the fresh air sounds even better.” Don’t stare, Sam, don’t stare . . . don’t be a creeper.

“Cool, I’ll grab them and meet you outside. The back door is down the hall through the back of the kitchen.”

As I walked through the house, I could feel everyone’s eyes staring at me. I knew it was the ridiculous outfit Tamron and Alison talked me into wearing. Jeans and a t-shirt, I’d declared. Well, I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, all right, but the jeans were cut into barely-there shorts. If they had normal pockets, they would have been longer than the hem of the shorts. I guess the designer had planned it that way, because the front pockets were barely deep enough for my lip-gloss and car keys. Then there was the t-shirt . . . yes, I also got to wear a t-shirt, like I said, but it was about two sizes too small and clung to my chest like a second layer of skin, stopping just above my freshly-pierced belly button.

“Why have the piercing if you’re going to hide it?” Tamron had asked.

“Show it off. It’s adorable and sexy . . .” Alison added.

I was too frustrated to remind them they had coerced me into getting it in the first place, even though I had always loved the idea of getting one. So there I was, walking through the frat house half-full of drunken college guys, to go outside and hide from staring eyes. I could feel people looking at me and hated being so self-conscious.

I heard the French doors close behind me a moment after I walked outside and there he was, Mr. Hot Stuff, walking toward me with two beers. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. He motioned for me to sit down on the lounge chairs as he set our beers on a table between them. He had that cute smirk on his face again and held his hand out toward me.

“So now we can really meet each other. Hi, I’m Emmett. I live here with Riley and Quinn.”

“Hi, I’m Sam,” I smiled softly. “Alison and Tamron have been my best friends for as long as I can remember. I’m in town visiting them for a while. It’s nice to meet you.”

He was staring into my eyes; it felt very intense, like he could see straight through me to my soul. But, at the same time, it was comfortable. It was so weird. I didn’t understand it.

“Tell me about yourself. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Well, I just had a bad breakup, so I’m not really looking for a relationship. He really hurt me,” I said as I twisted at my bracelet.

“I’m sorry, Sam. Guys can be such dicks sometimes. It sounds like you’re better off without him. Even in a breakup, things can be handled nicely, or at least respectfully.”

“He was a good guy. I don’t really know what happened. But anyway, this is an ex-boyfriend free zone. I don’t want to think about him. Let’s just talk and get to know each other a little. Tamron and Alison dragged me here. I may as well have fun,” I said. “What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?”

I wasn’t sure why I suddenly felt nervous about his answer. I just met him. But I was nervous of what he would say, just the same.

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend. I don’t really do the girlfriend thing.”

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I used it as another nail in my box of ‘I don’t want another relationship anytime this millennia’ reminder.

“Okay, to each their own.” I laughed. “What are you studying in school? Do you go to Auburn, as well?”

“Yeah, I’m a sophomore. Planning on going to med school after I graduate. I hope eventually to become a trauma surgeon.”

“Oh, that’s cool, I want to be a psychologist.”

“Sweet, we have something in common then. We both care about the wellbeing of others,” he said, smiling over at me.

“Yeah, I’ve always wanted to help people, and I think mental illness is one of the most misunderstood conditions people face. I just want to make a positive difference with my life.”

We sat there for a couple hours, talking about our likes, hopes, and dreams, laughing at random girls being thrown into the pool, cracking up at the guys who got suckered into helping them get out, only to be jerked in with them at the last minute.

I didn’t know how many beers we’d had before he came out with a couple glasses of ice water.

“Where’s the beer?” I giggled.

He shook his head. “No more beer tonight,” he said. “If I am lucky enough to spend the night with you, I want to remember it tomorrow. And I sure as hell want you to remember it, too.”

It was a ‘come fuck me line’ if I’d ever heard one, and I’ll admit, it’s the best one I’d heard yet. I wasn’t looking for a rebound fling, but even I could see he was sex on legs, so I decided, what the hell, in for a penny, in for a pound.

Maybe the beer was doing all my thinking, but I hoped this would help ease the hurt. At the very least, it would be a temporary Band-Aid on my heart. As Emmett sat down, I took a deep breath and stood up, smiling at the shocked but excited expression on his face as I pulled him back up to his feet. I led us to the French doors and walked inside.

I didn’t even notice the girls as we walked through the house. Whatever. They were having fun, and I was happy for them. Emmett paused in the kitchen and traded our water for some sweet tea. Then we headed up the stairs to his bedroom. I wondered where my panicky feelings were. I’d only ever been with Alec. My heart was broken. Yet here I was, following a guy I’d just met upstairs into his bedroom.

Yup. Had to be the beer.

But I was comfortable. I wasn’t scared, nervous or worried if I was making a mistake. It felt as if we’d known each other forever, as if it was natural to have this strong, sexual attraction.