“Brad,” Wendy whined, “I’m so horny for you. Come on. Fuck me, baby. Hard and fast.”
My dick had lowered to half-mast. I wasn’t going to fuck anyone tonight.
I braced myself.
When I told Wendy, it wasn’t going to be pretty.
Chapter Seven
Daphne
Patty hadn’t returned to the room yet. She and Sean had been gone for over an hour on their walk. I knew nothing about my new roommate. Would she sleep with a guy she just met? I had no idea.
I looked at my watch. Nearly midnight.
I didn’t want to go to bed yet. The first night in a new bed—a new place altogether—was the perfect storm for my nightmares.
Part of me wished I’d told Mom about the dream, but she might not have let me come to college. She was pretty protective.
I wanted to be here. I wanted a fresh start.
No one knew me here. No one knew I’d been sent away for most of my junior year of high school. I wasn’t strange Daphne here.
I was Daphne Wade. College freshman, just like everyone else.
I wasn’t overly social, but I couldn’t bring myself to undress and get into bed. I’d go to the lounge on the first floor. Maybe I’d meet a few people.
Maybe Brad Steel would be there.
No, he wouldn’t. He’d told me he lived off campus in a condo with Sean. Even if he hadn’t gone straight home, he wouldn’t be hanging out in a freshman dorm.
Voices and laughter rang out as I neared the lounge. Definitely a party going on. With booze. Everyone here was a freshman, though. How did they get alcohol?
I walked in, and a good-looking young man approached me with a red cup like the one I’d drunk beer from earlier.
“Welcome,” he said in a British accent. “Try this.”
“What is it?”
He smirked. “Hell if I know. Some bloke’s brother brought it over. But it’s fucking delicious.”
“Uh…okay. Thanks.”
“No problem. I’m Ennis Ainsley.”
“Hi, Ennis.”
“That’s when you tell me your name, love.”
“Oh, sorry. Daphne. Daphne Wade.”
“Lovely to meet you, Daphne Wade.” He took a drink from his own red cup. “I’m on an exchange program, and let me tell you, it’s weird not being able to buy my own drinks here.”
“What’s the legal age in the UK?”
“Eighteen. I’m nineteen, nearly twenty.”
“What are you doing in a freshman dorm, then?”
“I’m a sophomore, technically, but since I don’t know anyone, they put me in here so I could meet people and go through orientation.” He took another sip. “You going to try that?”
“Yeah. Sure.” I brought the plastic cup to my lips and let a little of the pinkish liquid spill into my mouth. Sweetness with a tinge of pungent alcohol slid over my tongue and down my throat. “Wow. Delicious.”
“Told you. I’m not sure what the hell’s in it, but go slowly, love, or you’ll be sozzled before you know it.”
“Sozzled?”
“Pissed. Sloshed.”
“Drunk, you mean?”
“If you want a more mundane way of saying it. Sure.”
I smiled. “Thanks for the warning.”
“No worries. Want to find someplace quiet to talk?”
“I don’t think there’s any place quiet around here. This place is packed.”
“My roommate isn’t here yet, which means there’s no one in my room.”
“I don’t think—”
“I’m a gentleman, love. I’m not looking for a quickie. Just a friend.”
A friend?
How long had it been since I had a real friend?
A lifetime?
Had I ever had a true friend?
Only once, it seemed. Sage Peterson had moved the summer after sophomore year of high school, and we lost touch.
Maybe Ennis Ainsley could be my second friend.
“I’m not comfortable going to your room, but we could go to mine. My roommate isn’t back yet, but she’ll be home in a while.”
“Works for me. Lead the way.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s replenish first.”
He grabbed my cup, which, oddly, I’d drained just standing there talking to him. I felt at ease with Ennis. Was it the drink or him?
A little of both, probably. I loved his accent, and he’d been nothing but friendly and gentlemanly.
He was handsome, too. Light-brown hair and blue eyes. Tall. I liked tall, since I was tall. He wasn’t quite as tall as Brad Steel, but he was tall enough. I didn’t feel a spark, though. Not like I’d felt the first time I’d locked eyes with Brad.
We walked back to my room, and I unlocked the door.
“Come on in. We haven’t really gotten settled yet.”
“None of us have.”
“We can sit on my bed, I guess. Patty has the top bunk. Or the desk chairs.”
“Bed’s fine. A little more comfortable, I’d say.”
“Okay.” I sat and patted the spot next to me.
He sat as well. “So where are you from, Daphne?”
“Westminster.”
“You don’t have the accent.” He smiled.
“Westminster, Colorado, silly. It’s a suburb of Denver.”
“Ah. Didn’t know that.”
“Well, now you do.”
Okay, now what to say? I came up with nothing, so I took a big gulp of my drink. It seemed to get sweeter the more I drank.