Clearly, that turned out to be a major failure.
“I’m fine.” I draw in a steady breath, trying to calm everything inside me before gradually releasing it back into the world. “You know what, maybe we should go to—”
My voice ends on a squeak when there’s a loud crash against the interior wall that connects with the guy’s apartment, and then the music is cranked up, which I didn’t think was possible.
Mia raises her voice in order to be heard above the ruckus from next door. “Maybe we should go out and grab something to eat.”
I grit my teeth and try to hold onto the last shred of my temper, but it’s useless. “I’m not going to be forced out of my own apartment! I’ve had enough. I’m going over there to put a stop to this!”
“Oh, God.” Even though she mutters the words under her breath, I hear them loud and clear. “This isn’t going to end well.”
“Not for them it won’t,” I agree wholeheartedly.
Before she can stop me, I stalk out of the apartment. Twenty steps bring me to their door. I raise my fist and pound on the wood. Now that I’m right outside their place, the music is almost deafening.
This is ridiculous!
Ten seconds tick by without a response. Why am I surprised? They probably can’t hear it. I grit my teeth and rap my knuckles harder.
Fuck!
I hiss out a breath before shaking my hand.
Oh, I am so going to let them have it!
After another twenty seconds, the door swings open, and I find Beck standing on the other side. There’s a cheerful smile lighting up his face. “Hey, neighbor! Wanna come in? We’re pregaming it. Lotta parties happening tonight.” He points at me. “You should really come out with us.”
My eyes narrow before I bare my teeth. A low growl rumbles up from my chest.
There’s a pause.
“Hold on and give me a sec.” He raises a finger before turning away and bellowing into the crowded apartment, “Colton, it’s for you!”
Instead of waiting, I push past Beck and stomp inside the tiny entryway. Jeez. There must be at least thirty people jammed in here. I recognize a number of guys from the football team. For each one, there are two girls hanging off them.
Unless you’re Colton Montgomery—then you have at least four groupies pawing at you.
A punch of unwanted jealousy surges through me before I can stomp it out. The thought is so disturbing that I quickly shove it from my brain. As soon as our gazes collide, he rises from the couch he’s parked on. Without a word to the chicks attempting to maul him, he cuts easily through the crush of people. His towering presence has them scattering out of the way. It only takes a moment for him to reach me.
Before he can say anything, I snap, “We need to talk.”
Carefully he searches my face. “Okay.”
When he doesn’t move, I growl, “In private.” Any moment, I’m going to totally lose it.
“All right.” He locks his fingers around mine and tows me through the cluster of people laughing and drinking in the small apartment.
Even though I steel myself for it, the moment he makes contact, a little zip of electricity sizzles through my veins. If there’s a way to turn off this unwanted attraction, I have yet to find it.
It’s only after he shutters us away in the privacy of his bedroom and clicks the lock into place that I wonder if marching over to give him a piece of my mind was the best course of action. He leans against the door, barring my escape, before crossing his arms against the wide expanse of his chest.
It’s official...this was definitely a terrible idea. I should have taken Mia up on her offer to grab something for dinner and gotten the hell out of here instead of taking matters into my own hands.
“What’s up?” he asks, interrupting the frantic whirl of my thoughts.
My mouth goes bone dry as I try not to notice how good he looks in the fitted navy-colored T-shirt that hugs his biceps. It occurs to me that this is precisely how I got in trouble last weekend.
I clear my throat and glance away. “The music is really loud.” Unconsciously, my gaze flickers to him. It’s like I can’t not look in his direction.
“Yeah, sorry about that. Things got a little out of control. I’ll turn it down. It’s not a problem.”
His easy apology takes the wind out of my sails. I shift my weight, unsure where we go from here.
One brow hikes up across his forehead. “Is there anything else?”
“No.” I shake my head as my teeth sink into my lower lip.
The room turns quiet as he pushes away from the door, eating up the distance between us. Every step sends my heart jackhammering against my ribcage until I’m positive he can hear it above the pumping beat of the music emanating from the other room. Every nerve ending inside me goes on high alert.