Stealing Harper (23 page)

I’d never felt so out of place in my life. Just watching the way these people were groping each other was making my cheeks burn, I tried to follow Bree’s lead but I ended up just stumbling around from people rubbing up against me. I turned my head to see the most recent encounter and found myself being glared at by the most beautiful blue eyes I’d ever seen. Taking in the rest of him I could see I’d gotten in the way of his dry humping with a busty blonde and tried to quickly move away. Pointing to the kitchen when Bree tried to stop me, I slowly made my way through the packed bodies and out of the living room.

“What’s up Harper?”

I turned to see Drew standing beside me. “Uh, nothing. Just had to get out of that,” I said pointing over my shoulder.

“You don’t like to dance?”

You call that dancing? “Not really my thing.”

Drew put an arm on each side of me trapping me against the counter and pressing his body into mine. “Is there anything else I can I interest you in?”

Not you. “Is there a bathroom I can use?”

As soon as I asked, a bunch of guys started chanting and I turned to see what the fuss was about. My eyes about bulged out of my head when I did. The same guy I’d last bumped into on the dance floor was now taking shots out of a girl’s mouth, running his tongue and lips all over her neck and chest between each one. When he sprinkled more salt on her, I realized why he’d been licking her. After the third one he looked right into my eyes and winked before putting his mouth to the fourth glass. I shook my head and didn’t even wait for Drew to respond, I went off to find the bathroom on my own. After opening the doors on two couples having sex, I finally started asking more people where to find one. Once I got in, I locked the door and tried to calm myself. I may have heard disgusting stories from my brothers trying to get a rise out of me when I was young, but hearing it and seeing it are two completely different things.

I stayed in the bathroom until people started pounding on the door and dashed down the long halls trying to avoid looking at the doors to the other rooms I’d already opened. When I rounded a corner I ran right into a broad muscular chest and almost fell on my butt before he caught me.

“I’m so sorry, I—” I shut my mouth when I looked up and saw those deep blue eyes again.

He smiled and I momentarily got distracted by his perfectly straight, white teeth and full lips. Cocking his head to the side, I saw the recognition flash across his face that was soon replaced by a sexy smirk. By the way my heart started pounding, I was sure he’d perfected that look years ago. “Now who are you?”

I blinked and tore my gaze from his mouth and tried to move around him but his hands were still holding me in place.

“What, you’re too good to tell me?”

I thought about the two girls I’d seen him with, and for the first time since running into him, realized there was a new blonde with her arm wrapped around his waist. Wow three girls within half an hour. I raised an eyebrow at him, “Apparently.”

He and the tall blonde both scoffed. After releasing my arms he crossed his in front of his chest exposing even more muscles and a good bit of half sleeve tattoos on both arms. His stance may have looked intimidating if his face didn’t appear so shocked and amused. “Excuse me Princess?”

Narrowing my eyes I started to shoulder my way past him, “You’re right,
excuse
me.”

He let me pass and I made my way back outside, to where most of the activities happening didn’t make me want to shut my eyes and turn away. Bree said we’d be here all night, and I know it’s childish, but all I want to do is hide out. I found a couple chairs in a dark corner of the backyard and plopped into one. It’s obvious I’m not going to be a fan of parties. I pulled out my phone and texted Carter.

Me:
So . . . I don’t understand why you guys get so excited about parties

J. Carter:
You at one?

Me:
Yep.

J. Carter:
Are you drinking?

Me:
A little.

J. Carter:
. . . please be careful. I know better than anyone that you can take care of yourself. But you’ve never had alcohol before. Don’t let anyone hand you an open drink, and don’t set yours down ever.

Me:
Okay Mom.

J. Carter:
I’m serious Blaze. Be careful.

I smiled at his nickname for me. I was known for blushing.

Me:
I will. Miss you already.

J. Carter:
Same here. No one left this weekend, we’re all too upset knowing you’re gone.

Me:
I doubt that. You’re probably on a date right now, already forgetting about me.

We texted for hours and I realized the party had thinned out immensely by the time Breanna found me.

“Harper! What are you doing out here by yourself? I’ve been looking for you forever.”

“Sorry, guess I’m not as good at this as you.”

Huffing, she fell into the chair next to me. “You’ll get used to it, once you know more people you’ll have fun. Did you talk to anybody?”

I shook my head, “After I left you I only saw Drew and some other guy.”

“There were a lot of guys here, you’re saying you only saw two in the last few hours?”

“Not that, he just . . . stood out I guess.” Not only because he’d given me a nickname I’d lived with and hated my entire life, but he is easily the most attractive guy I’ve ever seen. He had that bad boy model look going for him, and unfortunately he knew it.

“Really? And who is this mystery guy?”

“Apparently he isn’t really a mystery.” I laughed, “I saw him with three different women in like thirty minutes. He was kind of a jerk too.” Not exactly, but I didn’t like his entitled attitude.

“Sounds like my kind of man!”

I looked over at her, shocked.

“Kidding Harper! Kidding, oh my God you are too fun to mess with. Well, not to say I didn’t have my hands all over a few guys myself, but at least that was over the course of four hours.” She laughed and stood up, offering me a hand. “Come on, practically everyone’s already gone.”

“Are we going back to the dorms?”

“No way, crazy! I never drive if I’ve had anything to drink within the last three hours. It’s a rule.”

“Sooo . . . where are we going then?”

“Well first we’re gonna find my brother, and then we’ll crash in his room.”

“What? No! I’m not sleeping in his room.”

“Chill Harp, it’ll just be you and me in there. I always get his room after these parties.” She pulled me across the lawn toward the back door.

I groaned and tried to keep up, almost losing my flip flops on the way.

“YYYEEEAAAH, Bree and fresh meat are sleeping over tonight!” Breanna bounced over to where Drew and another guy I didn’t recognize were pouring shots and grinning while staring at my chest.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the princess.”

My body tensed and I frowned when I saw him approaching. Narrowing my eyes, I plastered on a fake smile. “I almost didn’t recognize you without a tramp attached to you.”

Drew and the other guy snickered.

Leaning into my ear he harshly whispered, “Would you like to change that? I’m not up to my limit tonight yet.”

Gah, why did he have to be so hot? My body was practically humming with how close he was. I leaned away and replied with the most innocent expression on my face, “Oh I’m sorry, but I don’t have any STDs, I’m not your type.”

Drew started choking and Breanna spit her next shot all over the counter. Sputtering and choking, she finally composed herself enough to chime in, “Chase, you better stay away from my roommate. I told the guys she’s off limits.”

I tore my eyes away from his to look at Bree, “You know him?”

Everyone started laughing except for the guy standing next to me. His eyebrows were raised and his perfect mouth was slightly open. I guess women don’t turn him down often.

“Well I’d like to think so, he
is
my brother.”

Oh. Crap. Heat instantly spread to my cheeks and I took a step away from him. Now that I’d been informed, I realized I should have known it. They had the same blond hair, blue eyes and killer smile.

“Wait, Harper is this the guy you said was a jerk?”

My eyes widened and I looked at the ground.

“You said I’m a jerk?” Chase laughed and turned to the bar, “She’s the one that just practically called me a dirty man-whore.”

“Don’t be rude to my friends Chase!” Breanna took another shot then punched his arm, I doubt he felt it though.

Without saying anything else I went back outside to my chair in the dark corner of the yard, and stayed there until the music was turned off. As a rule, I don’t let guys push me around, but I felt horrible that I’d said that to my new roommate’s brother. Not to mention we were currently at his house and about to stay in his room. I planted my face in my hands, elbows on my knees and groaned at myself. I should have just kept my mouth shut. As if he knew I was thinking about him, Chase fell into the seat next to me. I removed a hand and looked into his dark blue eyes.

“You hiding?” That stupid sexy smirk was there again.

“Is it that obvious?”

He looked around the empty backyard, then glanced back to me, “A little.” He stretched out his long legs and sank farther into the chair, “Tell me, what’s a princess like you doing at my party?”

I bristled and literally had to bite down on my tongue. “I’m not sure what you mean, but I was invited.” It came out a little harsher than I’d meant it to, but I wasn’t about to apologize for that.

His smirk was gone, and he looked pissed, “You don’t have to be invited to come to the party, but if you didn’t notice, you don’t exactly fit in here,
Princess
.” He sneered.

My mouth dropped open with an audible pop, I quickly shut it. He was right, I didn’t. But seriously? Rude. At least when I was snide, you could hear the sarcasm.

“If the way we are disgusts you so much, feel free to stay at school next time.” Standing quickly, he shot me one more glare before turning away.

Aces. I’ve been here a little over a day, and my time here in California was already starting off so well.

“Chase,” my voice stopped him, “I’m really sorry, I was out of line.”

He turned to look at me, head cocked to the side. When he continued to look at me with a confused expression I went on.

“I was raised not to back down to people, but what I said was too much. So, I’m sorry. I don’t know you, I shouldn’t judge you.”

A huff of a laugh escaped his chest and I saw the corners of his mouth slightly tilt up. He shook his head, still looking confused and now a little stunned before he took off around the side of the house.

This was going to be a long night. If I had any idea where we were, I’d try to walk back to campus.

“Haarrrrrpppeeeerrrr!” I looked over to see Breanna stumble out the back door. “Harper, come inside, everyone’s gone!”

When I got close she hooked an arm through mine and led me into the living room. “So did you kiss anyone tonight?” She raised both eyebrows and it looked like she had to struggle to keep them there.

“No,” I muttered.

The same guy she’d been taking shots with when I left yelled from the kitchen, “I can help with that!”

I shook my head and started to answer when Bree spoke again. “No, no, no. I told you guys, she’s off limits!”

“Come on Bree, what’s your deal?”

She leaned forward and fake whispered, “Cause she’s
pure
. Completely. Pure.”

My jaw dropped and I grabbed her wrist as she went to tap my lips with her finger. “Breanna!”

Putting her hand back to her own lips she held one finger in front of her mouth. “Shh! Harper don’t tell them!”

A little late for that. I was completely mortified. I wanted to be angry at her, but she could barely stay standing, I doubt she would remember any of this tomorrow. Looking up, I saw four guys standing there staring at me with wide eyes before busting up laughing. I needed someone to kill me. Now. No, first I needed to get out of here. Then someone needed to kill me.

One of the guys I hadn’t met was wiping tears from his eyes, “Oh my God! Princess, is she serious?”

Glad to see they all adopted my favorite nickname. Was there something about me that just screamed
Give me a nickname
? I couldn’t even respond, my throat had closed up and I thought I would actually cry for the first time in years. Unhooking my arm from Breanna, I made a beeline for the front door, intent on trying to find my way back to campus. I stopped when I realized Chase was blocking the hall that led to the entryway, he was the only one in the room not laughing. Instead, his lips were mashed together and he was shooting daggers at his sister.

“Please. Move.”

He moved, but it was to grab my shoulders and steer me back toward the living room. What was he doing? I dug my heels into the carpet trying to scramble back in the other direction.

“Don’t touch me!” I hissed.

“Just trust me,” he growled in my ear, walking me past everyone still laughing at Bree’s slip.

When we hit a hallway I hadn’t been down tonight, one of the guys from the kitchen yelled, “Looks like Chase is gonna take care of that problem for you Princess!” That brought on a new round of hysterics.

Chase paused for a second, cussed under his breath and started forward with me again. When we got to the end of the hall he stopped in front of a door, and pulled out a key to unlock it before towing me in. When the light flipped on, I blinked until I realized we were in a bedroom, I gasped and tried even harder to get out of his grasp. If I could just turn a little, I could have him on the floor in a few seconds. But his grip was firm, I couldn’t budge at all.

“No! Get off me!”

“Not until you stop trying to hit me!”

I stopped but stayed tense as he waited for almost a minute before releasing my arms. Once he did I turned on him and backed away.

“Calm down Princess.” He sighed sounding uninterested, “I’m not going to do anything to you.”

“I really wish you would stop calling me that,” I said through gritted teeth.