#Selfie (Hashtag Series Book 4) (15 page)

But it was there.

Trent pulled Ivy all the way against him. Her body was molded to his and his hands were so close to her ass—
my
ass—I felt the muscle in the side of my jaw tick.

Ivy’s head was tilted up so her hair fell back, creating a curtain behind her head as she looked up at him. She was smiling. He was smiling. He ducked his head and said something to her. He spoke so close I thought he was going to kiss her.

I jumped up from my chair.

Frustration welled deep inside me, making it hard to breathe. The walls of Screamerz began to feel very close. I needed some damn air. I started to walk away.

Missy wrapped her hand around my wrist. “Where are you going?”

“I gotta piss.” I pulled my arm back and left her sitting there.

In the bathroom, I stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes were wild and the muscles in my jaw were stiff. I tried unclenching my teeth, but they just went right back to the same position.

I hated this feeling. This slightly out-of-control, slightly dangerous feeling.

Sometimes it scared me because I knew while this was pumping through my system, I would likely do anything, and I probably wouldn’t feel bad about it.

I stayed in the men’s room until I at least felt like I wasn’t going to do anything stupid. By the time I exited, the slow song was over and there was a high tempo one filling the club.

Romeo and Rimmel appeared alongside me, and the three of us made our way to the table. Missy was still where I left her, drinking the same beer and seat-dancing to the music.

Trent and Ivy weren’t on the dance floor anymore. I took that observation like a punch to the damn gut. I searched around frantically, like I’d lost something I couldn’t find.

I didn’t want to say it, but I did. The words ripped out of me before I could bite my tongue. “Where’s Ivy?”

Missy grinned. “She left with Trent.”

Rimmel clapped like it was some kind of victory, and black dots swam before my eyes. A burning sensation erupted just beneath my ribs, kind of like raging heartburn, but it was worse, taking over my chest.

“We’re out,” Romeo said. “You need a ride over to campus?”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” I took a cab to the club tonight. I knew I’d be drinking so I couldn’t drive.

“Missy, you too?” Rimmel asked.

“Sure!”

I had no idea how she’d gotten here, and I really didn’t care.

I snatched my phone off the table and shoved it in my back pocket. I didn’t even want to see if there was another Buzz.

Missy and I sat in the back of the Hellcat on the way to campus. Her eyes kept wandering over to me, and I avoided it. I wasn’t in the mood for women tonight.

I think it was the first time in the history of my life.

I stared out the window as the streets went by. I wondered where Ivy was. I wondered what she was doing. What her and Trent were doing.

Flashes of the night at the beach assaulted me. Even with the beer haze over my mind, I remembered her clearly. I remembered the way she came undone in my arms and how she’d looked when I brought her over the edge.

I was the only one who’d taken her there.

Her first orgasm was mine.

I wanted them all.

Trent was probably gonna try to claim one tonight.

In my lap, my hand fisted. Romeo pulled up to Missy’s building first. She lived in the same one as Ivy.

When Romeo lifted up the seat for Missy to get out, I followed. I had to get out of this car. I needed some air. I needed to stop thinking about orgasms and Ivy.

“Thanks for the lift, man. I’m gonna walk to my building.”

“You sure?” he asked.

Missy shifted behind me, and I nodded. Romeo got a knowing smile on his face. He thought I was going to go in with Missy.

But it wasn’t her body I wanted.

“Training tomorrow?”

I nodded. “Meet you there.”

I leaned in the open doorway and smiled at Rim. “See ya, sis.”

“BBFL.” Her smile was loopy. How many damn drinks did she have?

“You got that?” I asked Rome, hitching a thumb at her.

Romeo grinned. “I got that,” he answered.

He pulled away from the curb and drove out of the lot. I turned in the direction of my building and started walking.

“Hey,” Missy said from behind. I stopped and turned.

Her hair was floating around in the cool breeze and her cheeks were flushed. When she walked toward me, the silky yellow material of her top blew back and plastered itself to the front of her body. The wind was cold and she wasn’t wearing a jacket, so her nipples hardened instantly.

I looked. Of course I did.

She stopped in front of me, tipped her head back, and looked up.

“Where you going?”

“Where do you want me to go?”

Her lips curved in a seductive smile, her hand reaching for mine. Our fingers threaded together, and Missy tugged me toward her building.

I went.

She used her keycard to get us in, and I held the door open. The lobby was empty, the hallway dim. Directly in front of us was an elevator, and to its left was a doorway leading to the stairs.

“You remember the way,” she said, motioning toward her dorm room down the hall.

I stopped walking, planting my feet into the floor. Because we were holding hands, she stopped as well, a look of surprise in her eyes.

I yanked her around; I wasn’t gentle. Her body slammed up against mine at the same time I crushed my mouth to hers. I kissed her roughly, some of the anger inside me seeping into our kiss. She didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she groaned and kissed me back.

I tilted my head for better access, wanting deeper, and she grabbed the front of my shirt to pull me closer. I kept kissing. I ground my mouth against hers.

But it just wasn’t enough.

No matter how deep I went, no matter what angle I tilted my head.

It didn’t even matter when she reached around and slid her hand in the back pocket of my jeans.

She gasped when I shoved her away. Her eyes were dazed as I held her at arm’s length, my fingers digging into her shoulders.

Missy’s lips were swollen and her chest was heaving.

“Come on,” she said and tried to turn toward her room.

Anger cracked through me like a lightning bolt in a thunderstorm. “No.”

She blinked and some of the fog cleared from her eyes. “No?”

“I don’t want you,” I growled.

“W-what?”

“We aren’t gonna happen, Missy. I don’t want you and I never will.”

Her face fell. It was the shittiest thing I’d ever said to a girl, especially a girl I honestly didn’t want to hurt.

I’d feel like a dick for this later. But it was the only way I knew how to get through to her. Hell, Rimmel was probably going to read me the riot act. I didn’t give two shits about that either.

I was done with this night. Done with these feelings. And yeah, maybe I wanted to lash out because this burning sensation in my chest was slowly giving way to pain.

Fuck it. Fuck it all.

Missy yanked herself free, turned, and fled.

I watched her go.

Once she disappeared into her room, I pivoted on my heel.

I looked between the door outside and the door leading to the stairs.

One offered solace, and the other led me straight to hell.

I debated for all of one second.

And then I made a choice.

Ivy

He danced well.

He moved with confidence and a little bit of arrogance. When he first pulled me up against him, I stiffened, totally put off by the nerve of the guys in this club.

They were always trying to cop a feel.

But then he spoke. “May I have this dance?”

The throaty quality to his voice combined with the music gave me a buzz. I looked at him from beneath lowered lashes. “I think you’ve already taken it.”

“I’ve seen you giving some dudes the bounce tonight. Thought I might be next.”

“Any guy who hefts my luggage around an airport for me gets a dance.”

“Only one?” He flashed a smile that showed off the dimple in his cheek.

Well, he was a smooth talker, wasn’t he?

“Two?” I tilted my head to the side.

“I can work with that.”

And he did. Like I said, he danced well. He almost made me forget the reasons I didn’t want to be here tonight.

Almost.

Despite Trent’s smooth moves, sweet-talking, and dimple, I couldn’t quite shake him.

He was always there, no matter where he was. I knew his location in the club the entire night. I didn’t even have to look for him to know.

It’s like my body was a broken compass and it only ever pointed due north. And Braeden was that exact coordinate.

As I danced, I stole glimpses out of the corner of my eye.

At first, it’d just been him and Romeo. But it didn’t stay that way. The next time I braved a glance, he was sitting there with Missy. She was drinking out of his beer, and he was watching her. God, the way he looked at a woman. Like he was a hungry fox and she was his dinner.

I knew Missy was going to try and rekindle something with Braeden, something more than what they had before.

And from what I was seeing, she was getting what she wanted.

I was happy for her. Best friends always wanted their friends to have what they desired.

I hoped they’d be very happy together.

I was dancing a slow song with Trent, and his arms held me close. It was an automatic reaction that I clung to him a little tighter, seeking some kind of comfort.

His chin dropped down near my shoulder, and his lips moved against my ear. “I think my two dances are almost up.”

“I should be getting home anyway,” I said. I thought about Prada and her tiny furry body; she was probably lonely.

His fingers stroked my hair. “Need a ride?”

“That would be great.” Riding home with him would be a lot better than sitting in the car with Rimmel and Romeo. She’d know something was up; she already suspected something. The way I was feeling right now, if she pressured me, I might crack.

The song ended and Trent pulled back. Our fingers threaded together, and he led me off the dance floor. Romeo and Rimmel were also headed off.

“Hey,” I leaned into Rimmel.

She noted my hand in Trent’s and squeed. I suppressed a laugh. She was drunk. “Trent’s gonna give me a ride back to the dorm.”

“You cool to drive?” Romeo asked Trent. I almost felt like he was asking because he cared about my safety.

“Yeah, man. I only had one a couple hours ago.”

Romeo nodded, and they pounded fists. Before Trent could pull me away, Romeo leaned down. “You cool?”

I drew back enough to look in his eyes. “If I said no?”

His eyes narrowed. “I’d kick some ass.”

He did care.

I smiled. “Yeah, I am. Thanks, Romeo. You looking out for me means a lot.”

“Always,” he replied and held out his fist. I bumped it with mine.

“Bye,” Rimmel said, giving me a wave, and then tripped over her own feet. Romeo moved fast, scooping her up and tucking her against his chest.

“Call if you need anything,” he said.

Rimmel petted the side of his face. “You’re so pretty.”

Trent and I laughed. Romeo’s lips twitched. “Not as pretty as you, baby.”

He carried her toward the table, probably to talk to Braeden. Trent turned to me. “You ready to go?”

I nodded, and we made our way through the crowd.

Trent drove a Mustang. It looked pretty new and was the color of steel. The interior was all black and the dashboard lit up a cool blue color.

We didn’t say anything until he pulled the car in a parking spot outside my dorm.

Suddenly, I got nervous. I didn’t know what he expected right now. He knew Rimmel wasn’t coming home because she was with Romeo. So he also knew I was going to be in my room alone.

Was he expecting to be invited in?

I couldn’t. Just the thought of it locked up my body with stiffness.

“I’ll walk you to your door,” he said and climbed out.

I sat there twisting my hands in my lap nervously. I sat there so long he made it around to my side and opened my door like a perfect gentleman.

I smiled sheepishly and got out.

“Hey,” he whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I’m just walking you to the door. Nothing else.”

Relief filled me.

He chuckled. “Am I that scary?”

“No!” I burst out. I felt guilty. Trent was so nice. Nicer than I deserved. He hadn’t done one thing to make me think he just wanted me for sex.

Unlike some people who shall remain nameless.

“You aren’t at all. I just…” My words faded away as I searched for the right thing to say.

“Aren’t in a habit of sleeping with guys you aren’t dating?”

That stung. Like a lot.

He meant no harm. He said it without knowing.

But damn, did the words cut me like a knife.

“I’m sure I have a reputation,” I began carefully, thinking of all the parties I’d been to in the past year.

“Lots of people have reputations. The BuzzBoss sure likes to remind everyone of that.”

I laughed. “True. But I don’t think the Boss has ever perpetuated my rep.” They hadn’t needed to. I was who I was loud and clear.

Trent smiled. “I like to form my own opinions of people.”

“And I’m trying to get back the girl who would have given you a really good opinion.”

“From where I’m standing, you don’t have very far to go.”

I stopped in front of the building entrance. “You’re a really good guy, Trent.”

“Ah, that’s the kiss of death.”

“Definitely not. Being good isn’t a bad thing.”

“Don’t girls usually like the bad guys?”

“I don’t.”

I still don’t like you
. The words echoed in my head.

“Maybe I didn’t want to just walk you to the door,” Trent admitted, looking a little sheepish.

“You didn’t?” I swallowed.

He shook his head slowly. “I was hoping to maybe ask you a question.”

“Okay.”

“You wanna maybe go out sometime? Like on a real date?”

“A date?” I echoed. The term was so foreign to me. I hadn’t been out on a date in a long time. Mostly, I just hooked up at parties or hung out with guys at football games.

“Yeah, the kind where I pick you up at the door and kiss you good night.”

Something pierced my heart. I wanted that.

I wanted it so badly.

But not with him.

I told that mean little whisper to take a long walk off a short pier.

“I’d love to.”

Trent seemed relieved this time. I smiled because it was so cute. “Yeah?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Oh,” he said. “Just so you know, I made sure it was cool with Missy.”

“You did?” I felt my brows shoot up my forehead.

He nodded. “I thought maybe you’d feel weird about going out with me when it was pretty obvious Romeo tried to hook me up with her. I know how much your friends mean to you.”

And didn’t that make me feel one inch tall?

“They do,” I whispered.

“She and I are just friends. In fact, she seemed pretty excited when I told her I was gonna ask you out.”

“She’s a good friend.”
Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

“So I’ll call you later? We can set something up, maybe for next weekend?”

I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

He smiled wide and started to walk off. Then he jerked to a halt like he’d forgotten something and turned back.

He moved quick, slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. I thought he was going to kiss me.

He did.

On the forehead. And then on the cheek.

When he pulled away, my heart was beating a little fast.

“Next time, it’s gonna be the lips,” he whispered and stepped back.

I watched him walk away, hands in his pockets and the cool spring air blowing around us.

I was the stupidest girl on this planet.

Like, I deserved an award for my idiocy.

Because even after that, even after the freaking panty-melting behavior of Trent just now, my panties were firmly intact.

And thoughts of Braeden were still running rampant through my heart.