"Looks like she's just wrapping up with Digital Studios. If you miss her there you can catch her at Prescott Hall. That's her dorm." He frowns. "You're not a stalker or anything are you?"
"Nope, but if I were, you'd be fired." I mock shoot him as I head out the door. "Where's that Digital Design class at?"
"Digital Studios. Two buildings to your left-Doris Hall first floor, room B14."
"B14, got it." I fly outside, hell, float at the prospect of seeing her again, sans her big bros watching over us with their bloated frames, their menacing growls. Then there's Baya and Izzy hovering like a pair of old aunts. A wry smile floats to my lips. I like that Annie is well looked after, cared for. God knows if anyone deserves to be treated that way it's her. I make a beeline for her classroom just as a stream of bodies pour out the door. A pair of familiar sorority girls giggle at one another and pause once they spot me. I've seen them at the bar, front row, lots of cleavage, lots of leg-hot pink thongs if I'm not mistaken-always ready and willing for a one-night stand.
"Hey, you're that guy from 12 Deadly Sins!" The tall one with an elongated neck and chunky mascara squeals. "You think I can get you to sign something for me?"
"Sure." I glance past her in search of Annie. I'd hate to miss her because I needed to get my ego stroked. The truth is I don't mind doing stuff like this. One day I'm going to hang up the mike, and all these ego-stroking moments will come to an end. "I don't have a pen."
She pulls one out of her bag like a rabbit out of a hat and proceeds to unbutton her blouse.
"Right here, big boy." She dips her finger into her cushioned flesh.
I glance past her, still no sign of Annie. What the hell. I'll make it quick. It's not the first tit I've scrawled my name over. Signed a few more interesting places, too.
A flash goes off in the distance.
I glance over as I'm finishing up, and Annie waves with the camera in her hand.
"Sorry," I whisper, and she brushes it off like it's no big deal.
"I'm Johanna Woodley." The blonde shoves her hand in my face.
"And I'm Courtney Sage." The shorter one thrusts her arm at me, and, I happily sign the appendage because, thankful, it's rather G-rated in nature.
"Nice to meet you both." I try to make my way to Annie and the tall one, Johanna, blocks my path. "There's a get together tonight at Regency House if you want to hang out."
Regency. Isn't that the Frat I'm staying at?
"Thanks for the offer, but I might have plans." I smile at Annie as I make my way past them. "There's a very big problem-a tragedy."
"What?" She whispers it low, and I hear just the hint of her sweet voice and savor it. I love it. I'll take any sound she wants to give me.
"I don't have your number."
"Smooth, Romeo." The preppy I met in the bar a few weeks back pops up behind her.
I don't bother answering him since he didn't have the balls to say it in front of Annie.
She motions for me to hand her my phone, and I happily comply.
"So, like, you're seeing her, huh?" He asks from over her shoulder. Annie must have caught a whiff of him because she turns and gives him a look before signing something in his direction.
He rolls his eyes and signs back before taking off.
"See you later, sweetheart!" I call after him.
The hall clears, and it's just Annie and me, the way I like it.
She hands my phone back with the message, Now you have my number. Tragedy averted.
"Thank you." I pluck the lens cap out of my pocket. "I believe this belongs to you."
Her mouth rounds into a perfect O before she lunges at me with a quick hug.
"Whoa," I say with my hands still pleasantly touching her waist. I pull back so she can see my lips. "I might need to steal that again."
Her lashes flutter, and I die a little. Her cheeks deepen with color. Annie is a master tease whether or not she's aware of it.
"Um," she mouths as she slips my hands off her hips. She pulls my phone back out of my pocket and starts typing. I like this in charge, touchy feely version of her. Maybe all she needed was a little space between her and her brothers-some freaking breathing room.
I saw that Johanna mentioned Regency House. Are you going tonight? She looks up expectantly.
"Are you?" I don't tell her that it's technically where I'll end up no matter where the day takes me.
She nods, pausing to gaze at me, and my insides melt like a schoolgirl's. Annie has breathtaking sky blue eyes. Aquamarine, that's the exact shade. My mother used to have a ring with an aquamarine in it. And if I knew my father hadn't hawked it, I would have gifted it to her. Although I think we're miles from the ring-bearing phase of our relationship. Relationship. That goofy grin curves back up my lips. I haven't fallen this hard since-ever.
Her chest is just a hair from mine, and I can feel the warmth of her body. That easy sweet perfume of hers coils itself around me, and I take in a deep lungful, already as high off Annie as I can get.
Her lips twitch. That perfect mouth of hers has me mesmerized. I've never seen such defined lips. Annie is a natural beauty, not a hint of chunky mascara or a painted-on smile. She's the real deal. A far cry from any of the girls I'm used to. A far cry from Olivia, that's for sure.
That mouth. I lean in an inch and she does the same. Holy shit, this is happening. We're going to kiss in the halls like a pair of high school teenagers, and I'll take it. I'll take anything Annie wants to give me, anywhere anytime.
I close my eyes and lean in hard, hitting air only to find she's backed away a good foot.
Her teeth graze her bottom lip as she looks up playfully.
"I guess I'll see you tonight."
She takes my phone one last time.
You will.
* * *
Regency House on any normal night is a pigsty. For whatever reason every frat boy in the house turned into a Merry Maid, and you would never know that just last night a drunk coed took a piss in the corner. By evening the entire frat house is spotless, unrecognizable. It looks staged, a simple sofa, a bare table. Everything in the house looks like a theater prop. By ten the party is going strong, and I keep Danny and the guys from the band company at the beer pong table. No use in getting shitfaced when I'd rather spend time with Annie. Since Ben died, I haven't really drowned in my sorrows like I used to. Ironic since before he passed away I thought I had problems, and, now that he's gone, his death is the only real problem that matters. It sucks that there's no solution, just a lifetime of separation. I would have rather he moved out of state, went to China, went to prison-at least that way I could have visited him-brought him a cake with a knife in it. I loved him even if he didn't believe it was true half the time. Wyatt blinks through my mind. I do have one living brother. Maybe I should treat him with a little more respect.
Danny lets out a riotous whoop as one of the girls chugs down a pint. Danny's hair is dyed blood red and spiked out in all directions as he sports the chains and leather tonight. I've opted for a flannel and blue jeans. I don't think a person in this room would peg us for being in the same band. But I've never been showy like the rest of the guys. The way they express themselves day in and day out, they've got a budding career in Vegas if this whole band thing doesn't pan out. For me, I'll probably close out my business degree and dive into marketing-anything to get away from the shop. Another Harley rolled in this afternoon. I almost puked when I saw the front end bent in. Same thing that happened to Benji happened to that poor fool, but he was lucky enough to survive.
I spot Gunner and Eddie, the bass player and guitarist we hired last winter, and head on over.
"What's up?" I need something to get my mind off Ben, and there isn't a sign of Annie yet.
"Just shooting the shit." Gunner nods at a group of sorority girls. I recognize the girls from earlier today and hold back a groan. They were a little too friendly without booze. Who knows what parts they'll be willing to thrust my way after a few beers. "Which one you taking home?"
"None of the above," I say. "I'll leave that to you two." Gunner and Eddie are brothers- I won't lie, it hurts a little to be around them. They look like twins even though they're a year apart just like Ben and I were. "See those two?" I point over at the girls from earlier just as the tall one, Johanna, turns around and flashes her tits at me. Something glistens on the left one. Nipple ring? That might have interested me last week, but, thankfully, I've moved on. She waves and bops on over before I can stop this runaway train. Crap. Here we go.