“Come on, Brielle.” Nate sat up on Delaney’s bed. I hated the way he said my name. He cocked his eyebrow and smiled. “Julian will be there. Plus, it’s our Christmas bash. We’ve done it every year since I was a freshman and this is my last year. You don’t want to miss it.” A sideways grin grew on his face. They still had no clue that Julian and I were only friends now. I kept debating whether I wanted to tell him. His tongue ran across his lips and his green eyes pierced me. Thoughts of Julian vanished.
I was a fucking goner.
“Fine.” I tossed my hands in the air in defeat. “I’m in.”
The following night, I put on the shortest black dress I owned, let Delaney give me smokey eyes, and left my hair wild and curly. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn’t even recognize the person looking back at me.
“Holy shit, Brie. You look so fucking hot! Julian won’t be able to keep his hands off you.”
I wanted to impress a different Wright man. It was crazy to admit, but I wanted to feel desired by Nate. There was no greater feeling than to be wanted by a man you couldn’t have.
It was sick and twisted.
The forbidden fruit you could never taste.
I needed to tell her Julian and I were no longer together. “Del—” My words were interrupted by a tap on our door. Delaney rushed to answer it. Julian strolled into the room wearing a black button down shirt and dark jeans. His messy hair was styled back, giving him the boyish look I had grown to like. But his face instantly changed when he noticed me. His wide smile vanished and his lips pursed.
“Hi.” I walked toward him. My high heels made me come up to his nose.
“Is that what you’re wearing?” His gaze ran up and down my body.
“Doesn’t she look hot?” Delaney asked as she applied her red lipstick that matched her blood red dress.
“Do you like?” I spun around for Julian.
“You can’t wear that,” he snapped.
“What?” I was taken aback. Glancing down at my dress, I saw nothing wrong with what I was wearing. I looked up at him, my eyebrows pinched together.
“Change into something else. I don’t want you going if you’re wearing that.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“You can’t be serious.” I felt my forehead scrunch together.
“Very.”
I stepped closer to him and tickled his stomach playfully. “You’re silly.”
“Brielle.” He pulled away from me. His nose flared as his gaze scanned mine.
“Julian.” I matched his stance.
“You’re really not going to change?”
“No!” I shook my head and crossed my hands over my chest. “My friends don’t tell me what to wear.”
“Come on, you two.” Delaney handed me my clutch and coat. “We’ll be late.” Julian walked out of the room first and Delaney gave me a concerned look as I locked our door. “That’s new, huh?”
I knew she was referring to Julian’s jealous reaction over my dress. I shrugged. “Whatever.”
Julian drove us off campus and across town to where Nate and his roommates lived. The small red brick Cape Cod house was packed with stragglers stumbling across the lawn. We had to park a few blocks away and the music could be heard from where we were.
“That’s pretty loud.” I looked over at Delaney and bit my lip.
“This area is known for weekend parties since most of these houses are rented out to college kids who can’t afford to dorm. Most of them are probably at the party now.”
Julian reached for my arm, his grip tightening as we reached the house. Inside, we found most of the furniture pushed to the walls and each room filled with people. The kitchen had been designated as the bar area and the party overflowed onto the lawn. Tables ran across the grass as people lined up to play beer pong and flip cup. Julian’s hand never released mine as we walked through the house looking for his brother.
Nate was in the back den, a red Solo cup in hand. He was dressed in a Santa outfit minus the shirt, his chest bare for everyone to admire. Including me. His shoulders were broad, the bicep and tricep muscles impossible to miss. His chest was tight as though he spent hours at the gym. And then the abs . . .
But what caught my attention was the happy trail that started below his belly button and ran all the way down to the seam of his red velvet pants. Instantly, my body felt as if it were overheating.
“Can you hold this?” I handed my purse to Delaney. Her face was stoic and stilled as she stared at Nate. I desperately tried to take off my coat. I felt trapped, as if I couldn’t breathe.
“What are you doing?” Julian reached for my hand to stop me.