by Lexi Lawton
“What could be more important than hanging out with you?” He winked, and she rolled her eyes, which made him laugh. “Really, don’t worry about it. I was just sitting home anyway.”
“Well, I appreciate you doing this. I couldn’t stay in my room a second longer.”
“Is your roommate really that bad?”
“You have no idea.”
“Then why don’t you move out? Or request a room transfer?”
“She’s really not as bad as I’m making her sound. She’s just a lot more social than I am, and she likes to bring guys back to the room at all hours of the day and night.”
Tanner nodded. “That’s why I moved out of the frat house. Too much socialization and noise. It was a real bitch trying to study.”
“Do you live off-campus?”
“Yeah.” He grabbed another slice of pizza, folded it in half, and took a large bite. “Jason’s in the pre-med program, too, so it works out well living together.”
“That’s cool.” She shifted so her hands were in her lap.
He watched her for a moment as he chewed and swallowed another mouthful of pizza. Her mood seemed to have soured, although he had no idea why. He took a long drink of his soda. “So, got any plans for Saturday night?”
“I don’t think so, why?”
“Because I want to take you out on a date.” He grinned, knowing full well she was going to say no. But if it got her smiling or talking again, he’d happily take the rejection. He tossed what was left of his pizza back into the box and wiped his hands with a napkin.
The corner of her mouth quirked up, and then she laughed softly, shaking her head. “Hanging out with you tonight has been a lot of fun, and I’m sure we’ll have a great time tomorrow night, too.”
“But?” He raised a brow, letting his finger wind around another curl.
“But…I told you. We’re friends, and friends don’t date.”
“Okay, so hang out with me Saturday night. As a friend.”
“I like you, Tanner. I really do.”
He groaned and let his head fall back. “That’s the kiss of death.”
“Stop.” She swatted him, her gorgeous, full lips tipped up in a breathtaking smile. “You know better than anyone how demanding this pre-med program is, and on top of our normal courses, I’m taking two extra classes this semester. I don’t have time to date.”
“Okay, so we’ll have study dates. Problem solved.” He should stop pushing while he was ahead, but he’d never been as desperate to spend time with anyone as he was with her. And the taste of said desperation was bitter and vile. Acting like an insecure, needy guy wasn’t going to get him what he wanted.
She gave him an exasperated look. “I have a feeling there would be very little studying going on.”
His eyebrows shot up at her implication.
“But all kidding aside.” She averted her gaze. “I got out of a pretty serious relationship not too long ago, and it didn’t end well. He cheated on me.” She lifted her head and met his gaze, which he was sure was full of disbelief. “Repeatedly.”
Tanner cringed. He had zero respect for cheaters, and the idea anyone could—or would—cheat on someone like Juliana? Whoever the guy was needed a serious wake-up call.
“So, even though I do like you, I’m not ready to jump into anything,” she said softly.
Things certainly made a lot more sense now, but this newfound knowledge wasn’t going to stop him from trying. “Not every guy is like your ex.” He sure as fuck wasn’t, and he was going to prove that to her, no matter how long it took.
“I know that.” There was a hint of defensiveness to her tone. “But I also know I’m not willing to risk another broken heart. It’s better if we’re just friends.”
I would never break your heart. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them. He may be parked in the friend zone right now, but he wouldn’t stay there for long. He refused to end up like Devon: the guy secretly in love with his best friend. Hell no! Tanner would be more than that to her. For her. He wanted to be her world.
She gathered the pizza box and her cup and tossed them in the nearby trash can.
He stood then draped his arm around her shoulders, angling her in the direction of his car. “Okay, no more talk of ex-boyfriends.” He pulled her closer, and she didn’t object, nor did she make any effort to move his arm from her shoulders. “Where to now?”
She looked up at him, and his steps faltered. Half an inch. That was all the distance between her lips and his. He momentarily closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. Jules stepped away, and his arm fell to his side. She licked her lips and avoided his gaze, but her thoughts were clear as day—she wanted to kiss him as badly as he wanted to kiss her. There was no doubt in his mind about that.
“It’s probably safe to go home now,” she whispered.
He gave a quick nod. “Home it is then.” And hopefully, after spending tomorrow night with her, he’d be closer to breaking out of the dreaded friend zone.
Chapter Seven
Juliana’s stomach flipped from excited butterflies to nervous nausea. She flattened her palm on her belly and took a deep breath. Tonight isn’t a date. She repeated the reminder silently in a pathetic effort to calm herself. There was no reason for her to be so worried. She’d hung out with Tanner last night, and it had been fun. Even easy. She’d told him a bit about Zach and how she only wanted to be friends. Granted, Tanner didn’t seem to want to be just friends, but he wasn’t pushing her.
“Damn, girl.” Rebecca whistled. “You’re hot. You sure you don’t want to come to the Delta party with me?”
She laughed. “Yes, I’m sure.”
“You can bring your mystery guy. I know you two will have a lot more fun at the party than you will at the stupid Student Union thing.”
“Maybe we’ll stop by later,” she said, mostly to shut her up, because Jules had no plans to attend a frat party tonight. And if she did, it would be at Devon’s frat, not the Deltas.
Rebecca stood behind Jules, both of them reflected in the full-length mirror. Rebecca’s bottom lip was stuck out in a childish pout. After a second, she straightened and smiled broadly, hiding her disappointment. “Fine, but you are going to go to a party with me before the semester is over. It’s my new mission to make you have some fun and get laid.”
She didn’t need help with either of those things, and if she wanted to get laid, she knew where to go. Her heart rate kicked up, and her breath caught at the idea of having sex with Tanner. She swallowed hard. Thoughts like those were not helping her nerves.
She spun around in front of the mirror and grinned. He was going to be so surprised when he saw her, and she couldn’t wait to show him what she’d done with her costume.
“You’re totally do-able.” Rebecca nudged her way to the front of the mirror.
“Thanks. I think. Okay, I’m out of here.”
“Wait, he’s not picking you up?” Rebecca snorted. “What kind of date is this?”
“It’s not a date.” She grabbed her purse. “And I told him I’d meet him at the Student Union.” Because she was terrified of him showing up here and catching Rebecca naked. “Have fun at the party.” She left the room.
The best part about living in McKenzie Hall was the location. It was one of the few residence halls centrally located and within close walking distance of the quad, which was where the Student Union was. The entire trip took less than five minutes, and she was happy to see she wasn’t the only one walking around campus in seventies clothes and go-go boots.
There was a crowd near the Student Union entrance and a line waiting to get in. She blew out a breath and glanced around for Tanner. He said he’d meet her near the bench at the south end of the building, but there was a crowd forming there, too, and she couldn’t see a thing. A ball of panic formed in her chest and rose up her throat. Had Tanner changed his mind? No. She had no reason to think he’d bail on her. Hell, he’d texted her
four times throughout the day to make sure she was still going.
She headed toward the building, and there, leaning against the brick all the way down at the end of the building, was Tanner. Her eyes widened, and her heart jackhammered in her chest. She’d seen him in the costume last night, but that hadn’t prepared her for seeing him now. He oozed confidence and sex appeal. The top two buttons on his shirt were undone, giving her a teasing look at his perfect, tanned skin. And those pants? Holy mother of Jesus were they nice. And tight. She could see the definition of the muscles in his thighs and legs and the outline of his package. Her body erupted with heated lust. His hair was slicked back, which only enhanced his already handsome face.
In the next moment, Tanner’s gaze landed on her. His dimple seemed to shine as he pushed off the wall and swaggered toward her. Christ, how did he make something as normal as walking look so damn sexy? He closed the distance between them in a few long strides, and then his eyes darkened.
“You bought the dress?” His confusion was evident in his tone.
She nodded. “I went back and bought it today.”
Her stomach dipped, and she prayed he didn’t ask why. She was not going to admit she’d done it for him, because she knew he liked the dress better than the pants and she wanted to see the simmering desire in his eyes. Despite not wanting to get into a relationship, she liked when he looked at her like she was the only girl on campus, like not being able to touch her was physically painful for him. Because after what Zach had done and the things he’d said…she needed to know she was still desirable. And wanted.
He stepped closer, and she sucked in a breath. “I really like the dress.”
The breath rushed out of her, and she laughed. “I know.”
A deep, rumbling noise emanated from him, and the sound sent a tremor through her. “You’re absolutely positive we can’t turn this into a date?”
It was so tempting to throw her arms around him and confess she did want to date him—until Zach’s words crowded into her mind, pushing away all other thoughts. You’ll never be long-term material, Jules. She drew in a shaky breath and forced his ugly words away.
“Sorry.” Tanner frowned.
“No, don’t be sorry.”
“Were you actually considering it?” His expression was hopeful.
“C’mon, let’s get in line.” Her hands trembled, and her palms were sweaty. Thankfully, he didn’t push the issue, and they fell into an easy conversation as they waited to get in the door. Fifteen minutes later, they were inside. The décor was stellar, but her attention was on the massive disco ball hanging from the center of the room.
The main skating area was in the middle of the large room, while tables were placed around the edges and near the walls. A temporary, waist-high wall separated the two areas. The concession stand was open, and there was a line forming there as well.
“This place is busier than I expected,” Tanner said, leading her toward the skate-rental booth.
“Yeah, I figured more people would be checking out the rush parties.” They waited in line a short five minutes to get their skates, then they moved to some empty chairs a few feet away. She sat and laced her skates.
Tanner stood and wobbled a bit before regaining his balance. Then he held out his hands. “Ready?”
She smirked. “Do you know how to skate?”
“Yes.” He laughed. “I might not be good at it, but I do know how.”
Taking his hands, she stood, needing a moment to get her balance. She hadn’t been on roller skates since junior high, but it was like riding a bike, right? At least she hoped so. He kept a firm grip on her hand and, carefully, they made their way onto the makeshift rink. Pushing off with her right foot, she found a slow pace. Tanner kept pace beside her. His hand was warm and strong wrapped around hers. He gave a slight squeeze, and her heart raced in response. If simply holding his hand in a purely platonic way had this effect on her, she couldn’t begin to fathom what it would be like to have him touch her in other ways.
Like the rest of the place, the rink was crowded, and people whizzed by so fast, Juliana’s hair whipped around her face. Tanner was quick to reach up and brush it back, his long fingers lingering on her cheek and jaw, causing goose bumps to erupt all over her body. And then his foot slipped out from under him, and he released her hand, his arms circling frantically as he tried—and failed—to steady himself.
His eyes widened. “Oh shit,” he said, seconds before his ass hit the floor with a hard thud.
She cringed in sympathy but couldn’t hold back the fit of laughter overtaking her. Covering her mouth with her hand, she kneeled beside him, trying to stifle her giggles. “Are you okay?”
“No.” He groaned. “I think I broke my ass.”
“Oh my God.” She burst into another round of giggles that were so intense, she had tears forming in her eyes.
“Keep laughing and you’ll be the one giving me a butt massage.” His eyes danced with humor. He pushed himself off the floor.
Jules stood, too, taking both of his hands to help steady him. “You know, you really could pass for John Travolta’s double in Saturday Night Fever. Minus his rhythm and grace, of course.”
“Haha. Funny.” He shook his head, a panty-melting grin firmly in place. “Didn’t realize you were such a fan of corny movies.”
She gasped with shock and placed her hand over her heart. “Corny movies? That’s a pretty serious accusation for a movie I’m sure you’ve never even seen.”
“Oh, I’ve seen it.” He moved forward, slowly at first, then faster.
Jules skated to catch up with him, a dorky thrill shooting up her spine at the knowledge he’d actually seen one of her favorite movies. “Moulin Rouge?”
“Seen it.” They fell into a steady rhythm and made a loop around the rink.
“Burlesque?”
“Seen that one, too.”
“Chicago?”
“Yep.” He laughed. “I’m starting to wonder if you’ve seen any movies that don’t have singing or dancing as the main plot.”
“I happen to like them.” She shrugged. Zach used to tease her all the time about her taste in movies, calling her idealistic and naïve.
“What’s your all-time favorite? The one movie you could watch over and over again without getting sick of it?”
“Dirty Dancing,” she answered without hesitation.
“Now that one I’ve never seen.”
“Shut up!” She attempted to nudge him but lost her footing. Her heart dropped, and her stomach lodged in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact of her ass meeting the hard floor, but Tanner’s arm shot out around her waist, stopping her fall.
Instinctively, she wrapped one arm around his back while her other arm went to his chest, tightly gripping the front of his vest. She was now very firmly pressed against him, and his costume did nothing to mask the feel of his hard body. And God, he was hard. Everywhere. She risked glancing up at him, afraid she might see the same embarrassment she’d seen in Zach’s expression too many times. What she saw knocked the breath from her lungs. He was devouring her with his eyes, his gaze heated and hungry, his lips plump and wet, as if he’d recently licked them in preparation. Holy hell in a hand basket. She attempted to back up, to put some much-needed distance between them, forgetting there were wheels strapped to her feet, and she started to flail again.
Tanner’s hands settled on her lower back, and his hold on her tightened. “Easy there, honey. We wouldn’t want you showing off your ass to everyone, now would we?”
Her throat went dry, and she swore cotton balls had suddenly sprouted in her mouth. “No,” she croaked. “Um, I could really use something to drink, though.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. And then, as easily and quickly as he’d wrapped her in his arms, he released her. Her legs were shaky as she focused on staying upright until they were off the rink. Tanner waved to a group of people, and then led her toward them.
She smiled. “Likewise. I thought you and Lucas were going to the frat party?” At least, that’s what Devon had said in his effort to convince Juliana to go, too.
“We were there for a little while but wanted to check this out. We’ll probably go back before the night is over.” Mariah returned to where she was sitting—in Lucas’s lap.
They were a cute couple, and a pang of jealousy landed in her gut. Was it too much to want a healthy, normal relationship with a guy who could keep his dick in his pants and not say mean, horrible things? Of course, if she could keep a man happy and satisfied, maybe she’d be able to have what Lucas and Mariah had.
“Dude, nice outfit.” Lucas laughed and gave Tanner a fist bump.
“Hey, Tanner, who’s your friend?” a guy sitting next to Lucas asked.
“Juliana,” he said, moving closer to her, “you obviously already know Mariah.”
“And me.” Lucas tossed a wink in her direction.
“Right. Jules, that’s Spencer.” Tanner nodded toward the guy who’d spoken, then to the other two people seated at the table. “And that’s Brittany and Kyle.”
“Hi.” She gave a small wave.
“Damn, Tanner. Where you been hiding her?” Spencer’s gaze lingered on her chest.
She crossed her arms and shifted uncomfortably.
“Don’t be a dick.” Mariah reached over and slapped Spencer’s arm.
“Yeah, seriously, Spence. If you want to perv on a girl, go find one who isn’t here with someone else.” Brittany shook her head.
Juliana liked her immediately. Tanner grabbed a chair from the nearby empty table and set it behind her. She sat and crossed her legs, tugging at the hem of her dress so she was as covered as possible. She wouldn’t put it past pervy Spencer to try to sneak a peek. Tanner took a second chair, flipped it around, and straddled it, folding his arms on the back.