The Girl Next Door
Chapter 25

"Welcome home, b***h," I shout, attempting to be heard over the pulsing beat of techno music as we clink our shots of Fireball together and toss them back. The cinnamon-flavored liquor burns a fiery trail down my throat, killing any bacteria in its path. "Holy s**t, that's terrible!" I sputter, coughing as tears gather in my eyes. "No more shots. I'm tapping out." She laughs and orders another round.

Alyssa is in her element, chatting with friends who have shown up to celebrate her return to Wesley. For the festivities, she bought a short sparkly silver dress that clings to every curve. Her hair has been curled and left loose so it can float around her bare shoulders. The girl looks seriously hot. And I'm not the only one who thinks so either. There's been a ton of guys sniffing around, and she's been flirting with all of them.

Not that I've been keeping track, but my guess is that she's downed at least half a dozen shots. More impressive than that, she's standing upright and doesn't look the least bit affected. Apparently, dancing wasn't the only thing she worked on in England. My head is already swimming, and I haven't consumed nearly as much. A few mixers and three shots.

When a song with a great beat comes on, Alyssa squeals and grabs my hand, dragging me to the dance floor. "I freaking love this one!"

We shove our way through the crush of bodies before carving out a tiny space. Our hands go in the air as we lose ourselves in the music. It's not difficult. All I have to do is close my eyes, and everything that has been nagging at me melts away into nothingness. The mounting stress of applying to law school and trying to figure out the next chapter of my life floats away on the beat.

One song bleeds into the next, and we continue to shake our asses, shouting the lyrics in each other's faces. At one point, I grab Alyssa's hand and twirl her around. A smile lights up her face as she laughs hysterically.

Friends come and go as the music continues.

As the DJ plays another song, Alyssa leans in and shouts, "I need to use the bathroom."

"Want me to come with you?"

"Nah." With a shake of her head, she waves me off. "I'll be back in a sec, stay here so I can replace you."

In the blink of an eye, she's swallowed up by the crowd, and I'm surrounded by a writhing mass of bodies. The club is dark with strobe lights that flicker. It's difficult to tell what limbs belong to who. Music reverberates off the walls before seeping into my bones. Even though I'm alone, it's all too easy to lose myself in the rhythm.

Alcohol pounds through my system, making me feel alive and free. I want this feeling to last forever. Or, at the very least, until the end of the night.

Male hands wrap around my hips and tug me close. I turn my head and replace a guy I recognize from a few of my classes. He's always seemed nice enough. "Hey, beautiful, want to get out of here?" he slurs.

"No, thanks." I shake my head, hoping Alyssa returns quickly.

"Aww, come on," he growls against my ear, tugging me uncomfortably close. "You're so damn sexy."

"Thanks, but I'm not interested." Why can't these guys take no for an answer? Is it really that difficult of a concept to comprehend?

As I attempt to knock his hands away, they disappear on their own, and a deep voice I recognize all too well says, "You heard her the first time. She's not interested, so do us both a favor and back off."

I spin around, surprised to replace Beck standing beside me.

The guy jerks his chin in my direction. "Is she with you?"

"All you need to be concerned about is that she's not with you."

The guy's lips flatten as he glares. From the look on his face, it's obvious that he's thinking about starting something with Beck. Which is surprising. Most people take one look at the muscular QB and back away. This i***t must be drunker than I suspected. The last thing I want is Alyssa's welcome home celebration ending with a brawl.

In an attempt to avoid conflict, I press my body against Beck's. His arm snakes around my shoulders, and he hauls me so close that my b****t flattens against the steely strength of his chest. Tingles of awareness shoot through me as my n****e pebbles. When I try to put some distance between us, he pulls me closer.

There's no way he doesn't feel my arousal.

"Whatever," the guy grumbles before disappearing through the crowd.

Now that it's just the two of us, Beck repositions me until I'm crushed against his front. I inhale a breath, and the scent of his woodsy cologne wraps around me.

"I don't like other guys touching you," he growls in my ear before nipping the delicate flesh with his teeth.

His possessiveness sends a sharp thrill through me. As much as I don't want to like what he's saying, I do.

Way too much.

With a groan, my arms slip around his neck to tug him closer.

"You're f*****g killing me in that dress, you know that, right?"

Alyssa made sure I was appropriately attired in club-wear. The black dress I'm wearing is short and probably a size too small. It showcases all of my curves. Normally, I don't have the girls on display, but they're out tonight.

"I didn't wear it for you." That's a big fat lie. I knew there was a chance he would show up after Alyssa issued an invitation. Maybe I wanted him to see what he couldn't have.

Considering that I'm wrapped up in his arms, it would seem like that plan backfired spectacularly.

His fingers bite through the material and into my backside. "Is there another guy I should be concerned about? Someone I need to rip apart with my bare hands for touching you when you look like this?" His voice deepens. "Because I will if I have to." The muscles in my belly clench at the jealousy filling his voice.

"There's no one else," I admit. It would be easy to pretend that he has reasons to be envious, but there's no point, and I've never been one for games.

His body loosens, and his jaw unlocks. "Good to know."

When he steps away, his warmth disappears, and a sense of loss fills me. Before I can figure out where he's going, he grabs my hand and spins me around until his front is aligned with my back. His fingers brush over my sides before wrapping around my ribcage. It's been so long since his hands have been on me, and I've missed his touch more than I've wanted to admit.

With a groan, my head lolls back until it can rest against the solidness of his chest. Beck lowers his face to my neck so that his warm breath can feather against my skin. My arms loop around his neck as he holds me close.

Why does this have to feel so right?

It would be so much easier if it didn't.

One song blurs into the next, and the throng of people dancing fades until it's just the two of us. Beck holds me so close that I'm not sure where he ends, and I begin. The feel of him wrapped around me is intoxicating. His fingers rest under the swells of my breasts, singeing me through the slinky fabric of my dress. I writhe against him, wanting to feel his hands on me.

"I can't take any more of this," he growls before spinning me around to face him. "I need to touch you."

Not waiting for a response, he grabs my hand and tows me through the crowd.

"Where are we going?" I stumble in my heels, trying to keep pace with him.

"I don't know. Some place where we can be alone."

A thrill of anticipation spirals through me before settling in my core. As turned on as I am, there's a tiny voice in the back of my head that questions whether we should be doing this.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask.

"It's the best damn idea I've ever had," he throws over his shoulder.

As we move past the long stretch of bar, I catch a glimpse of Alyssa through the crowd. Instead of smiling and laughing like she's been doing all night, her brows are beetled together, and there's a scowl twisting her lips.

"Alyssa," I murmur, pointing to her as Beck hustles me along.

"Leave them alone. They need to get their s**t hashed out." Huh?

That's when I realize she isn't alone. Colton is with her.

No wonder Alyssa looks so pissed off. Before I can decide what to do, the bar area disappears, and we're turning down a narrow hallway and past a set of bathrooms. When we come to a door, Beck reaches out and turns the handle. I think we're both surprised when it swings open. And I'm even more alarmed when he tugs me inside and locks us in the dark space.