Adam's List (3 page)

Plus, I really should make sure Kelly isn’t so drunk that she’s doing something she’ll regret in the morning. If only she had looked out for me like that the night I met Levi.

I push off the wall. “I should probably go inside and make sure she’s okay.”

His eyebrows lift as he takes a few steps closer. “You want company? Just say the word and I’m all yours.”

I pull in a sharp, stuttering breath. There’s an undeniable force pulling me to him, unmatched to any draw I’ve ever felt before.
I just can’t walk away and pretend we never met. I can’t ignore the tingle in my stomach, or the fluttering of my pulse. While I have no intention of giving my heart to another guy after what I did to Jason, it’s still impossible not to envision myself wrapped around this beautiful man.

He takes a step back. “If I’m making you uncomfortable—”

“You’re not,” I blurt, reaching out to touch his arm. When my fingers connect with his skin, dynamite shoots through me. “I mean, I’m kind of seeing someone.”

“You mentioned that.” The dimples reappear, giving him almost a boyish quality.

“Several times now.” When he gleams at me like that, it’s almost impossible not to smile back.

“Sorry.” I drop my hand from his arm to nervously slide my phone between my fingers. “I mean, it’s not like he’s got me bugged. It’s not even that serious.”

Adam seems to be standing much closer when he asks in a low voice, “It’s not?

Serious, I mean?”

The tingles I feel in this moment are so out of control, I consider leaping into his arms and taking him right on the freshly mowed lawn. “We haven’t even reached the ‘in a relationship’ status on Facebook.”

Adam shrugs. “So simply hanging out with me wouldn’t be considered
cheating
on this guy, right? Just because you’re seeing him doesn’t mean you’re exclusively committed to him for life. Especially if he isn’t smart enough to claim you as his girlfriend.”

The only sound aside from the muffled voices and music from inside are my ragged breaths. His lips are so close, so
edible,
all my thoughts become a jumbled mess. Levi isn’t here, and it’s not like I have plans to marry him one day. So—

I jump when my phone vibrates in my hands. A message from Kelly flashes across the screen.

Where r u?

I look up and sigh. “My friend’s looking for me. I should probably...yeah, I’m going to go.” After three steps I pause to look over my shoulder. “Are you coming, or are you set on holding that wall up for the rest of the night?”

Adam brightens in response. Although I really know nothing about him, I feel a thrill for what’s to come.

TWO

The beginning of my freshman year when I was still in constant touch with my high school friends and still with Jason, I was religious about hitting these house parties.

Jess and Lauren, two of the girls I was especially close with from the cheerleading squad, would come back on the weekends from their colleges to join me, and I’d introduce them to guys like some kind of match-maker. I was still in my element, still the popular girl who guys wanted to date, even though it was common knowledge I was off limits.

The last time Jess and Lauren came to stay with me, Kelly was home for a sister’s wedding, and I was beginning to fully understand what it would be like to date Jason all four years of college. He had just been sent over to Afghanistan, and I wasn’t dealing well with the fact that he was in harm’s way. I wasn’t able to handle the reality that we would see each other in person maybe once a year. It was that much harder to watch my friends flirt with a group of cute guys.

That night I scanned the busy room as I sipped my beer. At first when I chose to go to the local college, I was afraid I’d constantly run into people I knew. Not that it would’ve mattered, because I was on friendly terms with pretty much everyone by then, but I was looking forward to a fresh start away from the old gossip and drama. I was pleasantly surprised when I only saw two classmates my first semester. But having Jess and Lauren with me made me realize just how much I was starting to miss my old life.

“You’re like,
really
quiet tonight,” Jess said as she joined me. “Everything alright?”

“I miss him,” I told her, fighting back tears. “And there really isn’t anything I can look forward to. I don’t know when I’ll see him again.”

Jess pushed her long, straight black hair behind her shoulder before she hugged me. It was a sincere hug, the kind that said “I’m here for you.” She was always the most level-headed of my friends, always kind. She pulled back, her eyes bright and glossy from drinking.

“I’m sure it’s tough. I can’t imagine starting out college tied down like that when you don’t even get to see him. You should come hang out with me and Lauren. These guys are eating out of the palm of her hand. They’re kind of funny, too. It wouldn’t hurt anything if you flirted with them a little, would it?”

I agreed with her and joined them as she suggested. Innocent flirting was all I ever intended to do, but half a dozen beers and a few jello shots later, I found myself alone in a corner with a guy whose name I didn’t even catch. He was tall and lanky with an accent that my foggy brain had a hard time understanding. I remember how he stood close as we talked, his whiskey tinged breath falling across my face. I remember when his fingers brushed against my arm, I told myself it was time to walk away.

What I don’t remember is who initiated the intense kiss, or how I had become entwined with a total stranger before Lauren intervened, pulling me away.

For many days to follow, I was wrought with a crippling guilt. I knew telling Jason was probably the right thing to do, but I just couldn’t make myself do it. I kept picturing him sitting in front of a computer, thousands of miles from home, surrounded by violence, listening to his idiot girlfriend confess that while he was away, fighting for his country, she was off kissing another guy. So I did the next best thing I could think of, and broke up with him instead. I was ashamed, and started to realize that I wasn’t good enough for him anyway.

Jess and Lauren didn’t return my calls or answer my Facebook messages after that night. Before long I realized they didn’t know what to say to me anymore. They were probably even more disappointed than I was that I had cheated on a hero.

Searching through the packed house, stopping everyone I know to ask if they’ve seen Kelly, I realize just how totally over this scene I’ve become. I’m done with the leering guys, the eager girls trying to hook up with them, the mindless conversations, and the rancid stench of vomit in random places. It was kind of fun in the beginning, before I cheated on Jason, but now it’s just kind of sad and makes everyone seem desperate to get laid.

I push my way past the sweaty bodies, not even bothering to look up at their faces.

Kelly’s wearing sparkling flats from my closet, so there’s no way I’ll miss her feet.

Adam’s just a step behind me, his spearmint breath on my neck, his warm hand on my back whenever we have to stop for someone in my way. I don’t miss the way every girl in the place leers after him.

“Maybe you should try calling her again,” Adam suggests.

I nod and find my way to a relatively quiet corner to dial her number, holding my hand against my free ear. It rings half a dozen times before I’m greeted by her obnoxiously spirited message. “Hey, it’s Kel! I suck at returning calls, but leave a message if that’s your thing!”

Nights like these I feel like her unpaid bounty hunter. “Kel, I’m still here, but you seem to have vanished. Call back or I’m telling your dad all about the sushi buffet thing you did last weekend!”

Adam’s baffled expression matches my mood. “You think she’d leave without you?”

I stuff my phone back in my pocket, huffing. I hate to call my friend out like this, but...

“It’s possible she’s in one of the bedrooms.”

His eyes cast down as he nods like he completely understands. “Stay here, I’ll check.” When he steps away, I grab his arm to stop him.

“And what does she look like exactly? Oh, that’s right, you don’t have a clue. Looks like I’m coming with you.”

His eyebrows stitch together. “These guys aren’t going to like it when you come knocking on their door. What’s her last name? I’ll try calling her out.”

“Just take me with,” I insist, shaking my head. “We’ll say we’re just looking for a place to work off a little cardio.” Excitement stirs in my lady parts with the idea of the two of us together, pretending to want a room. Does it get any hotter?

A spark passes behind his eyes just before he gives in. “Fine, but let me do the talking.”

He slips his hand into mine. Every nerve in my hand jumps to life, shooting up my arm and settling in my already unhinged brain. My cold hand feels so small and insubstantial in his. Sexual energy pulsates through me.

Adam stops at the first door in the hallway. “Ready?”

I squeeze his hand and nod, my heart flapping like a crow’s wings. Danger signals pang against my skull. It’s like I’m walking right into the forbidden garden of flirtation.

Then again, Levi probably wouldn’t even fight for me if he was witness to my womanly ways. Last time a guy flirted with me right in front of him, he just turned his back, even though I wanted him to pull the guy off me.

Adam twists the knob. Suddenly, we’re inside the low-lit room that smells like incense, witnessing a couple making out on the second bed in. They’re both so drunk they don’t seem to notice us watch as the pant-less girl with frizzy red hair straddles the guy stripped down to his underwear, his chubby hands yanking at her skin-tight shirt until it’s over her head and lying on the ground.

They each grunt when their lips come back together, their artificial moans sounding like B-grade porn stars. The girl begins to grind her hips against him like a cowgirl getting aroused by a saddle. His mouth almost totally covers her, leaving a glistening trail of slobber across her cheek. It’s like watching a couple of middle school kids trying to imitate something they saw on TV. And failing. Miserably.

Hold on a second
.
The girl’s quite overweight with bright red hair. Definitely not Kelly.

We’ve been continuing to watch the awkward couple for no reason.
The guy slides a hand beneath her bra, lifting it.

I push at Adam’s chest, ushering him to the safety of the hallway.
“I may have forgotten to mention Kelly’s a skinny brunette.” A
hey, look at me, I’m embarrassed for
being such a perv!
flush burns my cheeks. “Something I probably should’ve told you before we were forced to witness that debauchery.”

A pinch of color rises to his cheeks, too. He clears his throat before turning to look over his shoulder. “Let’s try the next one.”

Still holding hands, we each take a deep breath of innocent air before slipping into the dark room. Low moans float through the room, met with tiny, breathless screams. I become rooted in place. We just walked in on someone actually having sex. I can even smell it among the stench of pot.

I turn to whisper in Adam’s ear. “Let’s go.” My breath catches in my throat when I realized that I just brushed his ear with my lips.

He squeezes my hand, and we tiptoe back to the door.

“What the fuck?” a deep voice barks.

A small light flips on, revealing a guy twice the size of Adam, fueled with dozens of tattoos and arrant rage, hovering completely naked over a small blonde I know from my psych class. “Were you pervs
watching
us?”

I greet the girl with an awkward wave. “Hey, Shalia.”

She yanks the sheet over her body, gaping.

I snuggle into Adam’s side, resting my hand against his chest that feels
totally
amazing. “Sorry, we were just looking for somewhere
private
. You know. To
get. It On
.

Kind of like what you were doing just now.”

Adam curls his arm around my back, holding me tight. From the bulge pushing against my leg, I wonder if he’s forgetting my suggestion is only a cover story. It does nothing to ease my hormonal rage that began when we met.

“
Get the fuck out
!” the tattooed guy yells.

Something sails through the air at us before he springs from the bed. We both hop out of the way, narrowly escaping a size 14 Vans. Adam yanks me back to the hallway, slamming the door behind us. We sprint for the stairway with shouts from naked guy falling behind us. Once we’re safely out the front door, we’re both breathless and laughing.

I hold my stomach. “Omigod, I just saw my directionless life flash before my eyes.”

“I told you it was a bad idea.” He tries to sound serious, but his smirk stretches up to his ears. He glances down at our still intertwined hands.

“Can I give you a ride back to your dorm?”

I pull away. “I really should find Kelly. She’s infamous for making choices of epic proportions. One time she brought a ferret back to our room. I mean, seriously, have you seen those things? They hide in your shoes. They’re just creepy.”

“I get it, but you’re not going back up there.”

It’s not a question, and I actually don’t even mind that he’s telling me what I can and can’t do. It just adds to his overall charm. It’d be nice if Levi would show that he cares about my well-being like that every now and then.

“Fine. I’ll try texting her again.”

Adam paces at my side while I type.

Srsly, u need 2 call. I have your parents on speed dial
.

Adam runs a hand through his hair, shifting his weight. “Maybe you and your friend should find some other way to spend your Saturday nights. Guys at these parties are always slipping stuff into girls’ drinks. Seriously. You have no idea.”

I barely have my phone back in my pocket before it buzzes. Relieved, I whip it out.

But the message isn’t from Kelly. It’s from Levi.

Miss u babe
.
Want 2 FaceTime
? Here alone thinking of what I want to do 2 u.