I giggled and nodded.

“Good, then you should be safe from any unwanted advances from my roommate,” she teased.

Without breaking stride, Meg then turned around and looked at me. “Being of age isn’t going to save you from me sweet thing. Not only do you have an angelic face and a hot ass body, but you’ve got a pussy that has never been tainted by a man’s cock, and oh how’d I love to know what that innocence tastes like.” She winked at me and turned back around. “Isn’t that right, Ash? Can you imagine how sweet she tastes?”

My face burned with mortification, and I wasn’t sure how I should respond to Meg’s comments, so I didn’t. I knew part of what she said had been for dramatic effect, to get Jess to shut up about Vicki; however, for a brief moment, I found myself wondering if she really was attracted to me… and why my stomach fluttered when I thought about kissing her. What was wrong with me? Did Evie slip me some women’s Viagra tonight or something?… Before I could contemplate the thought any further, Ash turned around and gave me an awkward, uncomfortable half smile. And then it all made sense.

I was sure that the only reason Ash had acted the way he did towards me was because I was a virgin… the conquest of all conquests for guys, right? Jess had just told him about my not dating and strict parents. I was such an idiot. Jess had made it clear that he was basically a man-whore, and he never denied it. She even went as far as telling him to leave me alone because she knew exactly what he would do. He was probably just toying with me, knowing I would easily fall under his spell of compliments and flirtatious gestures, trying to see how quickly he could get in my pants. I was so pissed at myself for thinking there was some kind of spark between us. But he was just a master manipulator, an experienced player, and I immediately knew it would serve my best interests to stay as far away from Ash as possible. I had completely overreacted to, LITERALLY, the first guy I had been introduced to.

The remainder of the walk, Jess continued to ramble on about other people we would meet ~ who was dating who, who had dated who, who to stay away from, etc… I tuned her out and instead spent the time silently brooding over my own naïveté and gullibility. When we turned off the sidewalk to walk up to the house where the party was, Evie grabbed my arm and pulled me back away from the others.

“Are you okay? What the hell happened back at the house?” she asked with genuine concern.

“I’m fine… I don’t know what you’re talking about, nothing happened… Everything is just great, couldn’t be better,” I lied with forced enthusiasm.

She gave me the I-don’t-believe-a-word-you-are-saying look, but didn’t press me. “Okay, but any time consider using you’re ready to leave, just let me know.”

I nodded in response. I didn’t want to talk about it, not then, not ever.

“Now come on, let’s have some fun, we have some boys to meet! Oh, and don’t forget, tonight is preppy college boy night not hot surfer playboy night… you have to stick to the rules or it doesn’t count,” she said light heartedly as she grabbed my hand and led me up to the front porch.

Chapter 4

“There y’all are! I turned around to introduce you to someone and you were gone,” Jess exclaimed as we found her waiting for us outside the front door.

“Sorry, we had to make a quick stop, but we are good now,” Evie responded, not giving her any additional details of our conversation. “Lead the way, Cuz.”

We followed Jess into the house, and the scene that greeted me was very much what I had expected it to be. The furniture in the living room had all been pushed up against the walls, leaving an open space for dancing in the middle. There were a handful of people moving their bodies in harmony to The Killers song that blared from the iPod player in the corner, but most people were either lounging on the couches or standing around, drinking and talking. Meg and Ash were nowhere in sight. We followed Jess closely as we wove in between other party-goers and entered the kitchen. Her eyes immediately lit up as she saw a dark-haired cutie standing by the island. She snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He jumped at the contact but when he spun around to see her, a huge smile spread across his face. An unexpected twinge of jealousy ran through me, as the need to feel wanted and loved emerged, but I quickly dismissed it.

After we each took a shot of tequila to “get the blood flowing” as Jess recommended, we grabbed a beer and the introductions began. Jess pulled Evie and I from one group of people to the next, I was overwhelmed by all of the new faces and names, knowing I would never remember any of them. I smiled, shook hands, I even got a few hugs from some guys that were obviously trying to press themselves against my breasts. I didn’t mind though, I enjoyed the attention and even contemplated a couple of them for my “nightly prey” as Evie had so eloquently put it. I tried to keep myself from looking for Ash’s whereabouts, but failed miserably. However, when the back door opened, and several people shuffled in from the back porch, I realized that when Ash was in the same room with me, I would never need to look for him, I could feel his presence. I turned around to see him flanked by two beautiful blondes. He guided the one in front of him into the kitchen with his hand at the small of her back, while the one behind him tagged along, her fingers threaded through his belt loops. The three of them walked over to the island and he grabbed three beers from the cooler. I didn’t want to stare at them, but for the life of me, I just couldn’t stop myself.

“I warned you, didn’t I?” Jess’ voice interrupted my trance but I continued to watch him. “That’s just Ash… he’s always been that way. I’m not sure he’ll ever find a girl that will make him settle down. I just don’t think he’s wired that way, ya know?” Without waiting for an answer, she bounced off to say hi to some other people, leaving me alone with my unanswered questions.

Almost as if he could sense us talking about him from across the room, he looked up at me and our eyes locked. Again, I felt something pass between us. I wasn’t sure what it was, or if I was just imagining it on my end, but Ash definitely made my body feel things I wasn’t quite prepared for. Then he cocked his head to the side and gave me that panty-dropping, dimple-showing smile. I knew he was only interested in me for one thing, and I’d be damned if I was going to give it to him. I scowled and broke the gaze. I then turned my attention to the two girls that still stood on either side of him. They were both looking up at him with admiration and adoration, as if he was some sort of sex god. I laughed at the pathetic sight they were and then looked back at Ash. As if he knew exactly what I thought about him and his entourage, he dropped the smile and then what I thought was a look of guilt washed across his face. I wasn’t sure what his deal was(,) but I didn’t need to spend any more time thinking about Ash or his dubious expressions and intentions. I rolled my eyes and turned to go find Evie. As I walked towards the back door, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as Taylor Swift sang about knowing trouble when it walked in the room. The timing could not have been more appropriate. Unable to resist the temptation to sneak one last glance at him; I turned around and ran straight into a hard chest and stumbled backwards.

“Oh, excuse me, I’m so sorry,” I apologized as I tried to catch my balance. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

The guy I nearly ran over held me by both shoulders to steady me and I looked up into his face to see if he was someone I had been introduced to earlier in the night, but immediately knew I hadn’t. I would never forget a face like that. He was… wow.

“No worries, little lady. Are you okay?” he asked not letting go of my arms.

I nodded and bit my lower lip, embarrassed by my clumsiness. I wasn’t sure who this guy was, but he could give Ash a run for his money in the appearance department. He looked like an Abercrombie model. What was up with all of the drop-dead gorgeous guys around here? His blonde hair was styled in a messy, spiky kind of do. His eyes were a deep, dark blue and he donned a perfectly straight smile. Dressed in a striped polo, khaki shorts, and tan deck shoes, he was the image you would find in the dictionary under “All-American male,” and he was the perfect preppy college boy to help me win tonight’s contest and forget all about Ash Walker.

“You’re new around here, I’ve never seen you before. Are you going to be a freshman at St. Thomas?” he asked in a deep voice with a hint of a Southern drawl .

“No… I mean yes… I mean…” I stammered, feeling my face flush as I continued to embarrass myself. Taking a deep breath, I tried again to answer his questions. “What I meant to say was yes I’m new around here, and yes I’m going to be a freshman, but not at St. Thomas. I’m a student at Rice. I’m just here with my roommate’s cousin, Jess Johnson.”

“Oh, well, do you have a name or should I just call you ‘Jess’ cousin’s roommate?’” he teased playfully.

“I’m Scarlett, Scarlett MacGregor,” I smiled as I held my hand out towards him. As a rush of confidence flooded through me, I flirted back, “So do you have a name or should I just call you ‘guy who likes to flirt with all of the new girls?’”

“Touché, Miss Scarlett. You’re not only beautiful but witty,” he said while still holding onto my hand. “I’m Dylan Stephens and it truly is a pleasure to meet you. Would you like to join me outside for some fresh air?”

His smile made my knees weak and my heart rate increase; I wanted to learn more about this Dylan Stephens - like how his lips tasted on mine(,) and how his hands felt on my body. Just as I was about to agree, I felt someone walk up behind me and place their hand on my shoulder.

“There you are Scarlett, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Ash said in his husky voice. “I’m getting ready to start playing and I know you had said you wanted to hang around for it.”

I had no idea what he thought I wanted to hang around and listen to him do, but I knew exactly what he was doing - coming between Dylan and me. Without turning around, I said in a shitty tone, “You appear to have your hands full tonight, so instead I think I’ll grab some fresh air with my new friend Dylan here. Enjoy your playing.” And with that, I grabbed Dylan’s hand and led him through the back door.

Once we found a secluded area on the porch to sit and talk, Dylan asked, “Do I even want to know what that was all about?”

“I’m not really sure,” I admitted. “I met Ash over at their house right before we came here tonight. I don’t know, he just rubs me the wrong way and I think it pisses him off that I’m not falling all over myself trying to hook up with him.” Okay, so that was partially true.

“You just met him tonight? And he’s acting like that?”

“Yeah, just a couple of hours ago or so… why? Should I be worried about something?”

“No, nothing to be concerned with. It’s just not like Ash to get all territorial and shit…. He usually doesn’t care what his hookups do or who they talk to…just kind of weird,” he said.