AllFreeNovel
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Our car is pulling out of the crowded parking lot now, taking a left. We turn the corner to a street that’s only one block away from our dorm. We’re pulling up behind the kind of villa-style house that’s popular with the fraternities. The car pulls to a stop and our chauffeur jumps out to open the door for us. “Here you go.”
Isla thanks the guy and we climb out. I allow her to guide me toward the house, despite my hesitations. “We’re doing this because they’re worried about him, Zara.”
Half of me wants to make a break for it because I know that what I’m about to do isn’t something I can come back from. I can’t tread lightly when it comes to Elias O’Shea. I’m already head over heels in love with him. How can I not be? It’s the first time I’ve admitted that to myself and even though it’s happening at lightning speed, I forgive myself. Because no matter what happens here tonight, my heart’s going to get broken into a million tiny pieces either for one reason or the other.
I follow Isla to the back door, which is already open. Music is coming from inside the house. They’re having a party. I guess they have a lot to celebrate.
And they’re expecting us. Gabriel’s standing in the doorway. He waves to the driver, yelling something about Venmo before following us inside. “Don’t worry, Zara, it’s only us.”
Which is exactly what I need to hear right now. Maybe it’s still possible to keep this little rendezvous between our group of insiders. No one else has to know.
“Hey, Pix,” Gabe says to Isla, closing the door behind us.
She kisses him on the cheek. “Good game tonight, bro.”
He grins but his gaze is on me. “Hey, Zara.”
“Hi, Gabe. Well done on those touchdowns.”
“Thanks.”
I feel like I’m entering a portal into The Realm of Bad Decisions. At least I can console myself that there are probably multiple orgasms waiting for me on the other side of those bad decisions.
Stop it right now.
And there he is.
Leaning against a counter in the kitchen as West tells some animated joke to him and to Jake, who’s sitting at the table. It’s almost like West is deliberately distracting Elias from something.
They all look up as Isla and I walk into the kitchen.
“Hey, pixie girl,” greets Jake. “Hey, Zara.”
Isla helps herself to a chair. “You guys need to stop calling me that.”
“Never.”
Oh hell.
I barely hear the conversation going on around me.
The look in those stormy blue eyes instantly melts every barrier I might have hoped could withstand him.
All he’s wearing is a pair of worn, low-slung jeans.
And nothing else.
No shirt.
No shoes.
Just jeans. Showing off those sun-tanned, inked muscles. His corded neck that’s so fascinatingly male to me. Mussed-up dark hair, still damp from a shower. Clenched jaw. Abs that could be classified as the Eighth Wonder of the freaking World. Stern, sexy eyebrows. Had I noticed before how sexy his eyebrows are?
Get a grip!
For a second I wonder what I must look like to him. I’m still dressed in my white mini-skirt and the red Wildcats jersey that matches Isla’s, Mollie’s and Lauren’s. We bought them yesterday at a stand in the Green. Apparently girls try to outdo each other in the sex appeal department at football games and these tight-fitting tops were the consensus of my friends. Lauren thought they’d look good in an Instagram post. My face is still painted with the red and white stripes across each cheekbone and I feel flushed from the excitement of the afternoon. And now this, coming face to face with the one person in the world who makes me feel both crazily alive and totally out of control.
“Hi, Zara,” says West. “Look, Elias, it’s your good luck charm.”
