Before my briefcase was back in my hand, a series of dings had me looking around the tree-lined sidewalks, leading to the maze of buildings on campus. The short hairs on the back of my neck stood on end at the uncanny timing. A shiver slithered down my spine.
My heart thumped wildly. I spun around, scanning the kept lawns and stately buildings of the school. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Still, I couldn’t let it go.
The parking lot, a short distance away, drew me like a bullseye. In the distance, I saw a man getting into an older pickup truck. The slanted angle of the winter’s sun hit just right to make it difficult to see well.
The creepy crawly sensation intensified as the rumble of the engine came to life. Another shiver quivered over me. The building’s front doors burst open. Students and teammates spilled out loud, with excitement. The eerie notion released its hold as suddenly as it had gripped me.
I started for my car again, parked not too far away from where the pickup truck had been. A few weeks ago, I woke to a new Audi R8 in my driveway, technically not available until later thisyear. My father didn’t appreciate its handling and passed it on to me. It drew gawkers everywhere I went. Maybe that was it.
My vigilance became razor-sharp until I slid into the driver’s seat and locked the doors the second they shut. If my possible stalker allowed me to survive the night, I’d take action on these eerie feelings tomorrow.
Right now, I had a celebration to attend.
Maybe I’d been wrong about Parliament, a favorite watering hole for many local attorneys. The place reminded me of my dad. Stately and sophisticated with a constant humming vibration of deals being made while others were dissolved. I guessed most patrons, with the exception of the law students, didn’t allow themselves to become too mentally impaired. Deals needed a finesse to be negotiated properly. Vodka probably didn’t help as well as some may think.
The interior walls, bar top, and tables were steeped in deep reds and polished mahogany. Designed to appear sophisticated and exclusive. Very masculine. A prestigious and expensive networking hub.
I’d never been here before. My future path was set, no need for networking in bars like these quite yet.
“Everybody thinks you’re at Dedman because of your family’s influence, but you proved them wrong today,” Joshua stated boldly, his courage fueled by his alcohol consumption.
I appreciated the straightforwardness and believed most of my peers still shared his opinion—the latter one, not the new one. But nevertheless, I’d showed my worth today.
“We all thought that way,” Alexis seconded, noticeably tipsy, raising her glass in salute. “But you set us straight today. Cheers.”
With that, a chorus rang out in unison. The roughly fifteen attendees, half my teammates, half their guests, lifted theirglasses to the heart of the table before downing what was left of their drinks.
What I hadn’t judged properly was my attire. Amidst the sea of crisp, new suits and shiny polished shoes, I’d opted for pressed blue jeans and a relatively new SMU sweatshirt. If the clothing weren’t enough to make me stand out, I also refrained from drinking, choosing a club soda with lime instead.
My innate sense of responsibility didn’t allow me to drink and drive. The way things were looking, I’d be everyone’s designated driver tonight.
I lifted my glass for the toast then dropped an ice cube inside my mouth. I had somehow commandeered the best stool at the table, giving me a view of everyone. The Dedman pride resonated deeply throughout the entire bar.
The low hum of the music began to amplify, signaling it was ten o’clock. Time for the bar to go from sedate to popping. A Madonna hit replaced the previous instrumental playlist. Of course, I knew the song. An essential requirement in maintaining good standing with my gay card. My head began to nod to the beat of the infectious tune.
My simple move seemed to serve as an invitation. Alexis bounded from her stool, grabbing my forearm. I was yanked to my feet. “Dance with me.”
I barely managed to get my glass to the table when she tossed her hands in the air and began dancing. The sultry sway of her body aligned against mine. What was I to do with that?
As suddenly as Alexis started, she stopped. Whatever she saw had her standing to her full height, her attention laser-focused behind me. That same weird sensation from earlier resurfaced. I didn’t understand it any more than I did this afternoon, but also didn’t resist it.
I allowed the feeling to guide me.
Something unseen circled my heart and tugged me forward. My nerve endings sent in flight. A shivery sensation washed over me in continuous waves. Dark shadows encroached on the edges of my vision. What I was able to see came through saturated, vivid, and sharp, all at the same time.
“Damn…” Alexis declared appreciatively, craning her neck to see the front door. “I’ve never seen his kind here before.”
I scanned the bar, searching for the source of my unease and Alexis’s delight. My gaze zeroed in on one of the ornate support columns in the open space. My unsteadiness held the focus of two dark blue sleeves poked out from each side of that column.
As I moved closer, the world fell silent.
From the sweep of chestnut colored hair falling onto his forehead, to the strong jaw encasing such a handsome face, my vision began to tunnel. It was Beau. He’d changed. Larger, harder, and almost too gorgeous for my senses to absorb. My heart stuttered to a stop for one, maybe two seconds then began to race wildly as his familiar amber stare met mine. He left the waitress hanging as he zeroed in on me like I did with him. Uncontrolled tears spilled down my cheeks as I broke into a run, launching myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck, my legs tightly around his waist.
Even with a balancing step backward, I had no idea how he managed to stay on his feet after my forceful impact. Both his hands gripped my thighs, my ankles locked together. Inches from his handsome face, I kept my gaze fixed on his, afraid to close my eyes for fear I was once again dreaming.
My words faltered as I gently used my palm to brush aside the long strands of hair from his forehead. Through all of the tortuous time and distance, nothing had changed. Beau was with me again.
“You came,” I whispered seconds before my lips crushed against his, my eyes closed as my tongue insisted on entry intohis mouth. He opened, and I swiped forward, executing the perfect deep dive all the way in. My arms tightened possessively around his neck, determined to never let him go again.
