Uncovering You: The Complete Series (Mega Box Set) (221 page)

Every time the door opens to let more people in, I worry about the RA hearing all the noise we’re making. Katy promises me she’ll take the fall if anything like that should happen, then smiles mischievously and says she’s already on “good terms” with him.

I don’t even want to know what that means.

The first part of the night goes by in a flash of dancing, laughter, and lots of shots. I even play—and win—my first game of beer pong against one of the hockey players

Though I think he was a little bit distracted by Katy’s generously-exposed cleavage beside me.

It’s the second part, after the initial thrill of the party has diminished, where things start to get interesting.

I’m on the dance floor when somebody grabs my hand. I look up to find Katy holding me. She tugs me to a quieter area of the room.

Her eyes are sparkling when she turns to me. “I saw you flirting with that hot guy over there,” she sings out. “See? I knew you’d enjoy yourself.”

I giggle. “He is pretty cute.”

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me, babe,” she smiles. “But I think you might want to hold off for now.” Her head jerks in the direction of the hallway. “Someone else is here for you.”

“Who?” I look in the direction she’d motioned, but it’s impossible to make out anybody’s face in the dark

“Oh, I think you know him pretty well.” She holds her hand high. “About this tall. Brown, curly hair. Great ass, handsome face, but a little too serious for my tastes.”

“Andrew?” I ask, hardly believing it. There’s no way he’d come to a party as a
peer leader
.

“The one and only!” Katy spins me around by the shoulders and pushes me into the crowd. “Go get ‘em, kiddo!”

I see Andrew before he sees me. He’s leaning back against the wall right by the corner, alone. His eyes run over the sea of bodies, obviously looking for someone. I feel an excited giggle bubble up.

He’s looking for me.

He’s wearing slacks and a light blue dress shirt. The top button is undone, exposing a bit of his chest and the scruffy hair underneath. Even though he’s way overdressed for the party, he looks sexy.

“Heeey!” I call out. His eyes light up when he sees me. The alcohol is making me feel frisky, so I jump up and wrap my arms tight around his neck. I inhale deeply, loving his delicious, musky scent. I’ve missed it.

Andrew’s hands go to my waist, and he gently eases me off. I expect him to be smiling.

I’m thrown off when I find a stern expression on his face instead.

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” I ask. “Katy said you were looking for me. Well, here I am!”

“Of course I’m happy to see you,” Andrew mumbles. He sounds irritated. “I’m just not particularly happy to see you
here
.”

I scrunch my face up at him. “What do you mean?”

“You’re making a lot of noise. The RA asked me to come down and check if there’s any drinking. You know alcohol’s not allowed in the freshmen dorms.”

My good mood dies right away. “So what, you’re here to shut us down?”

Andrew blows out a breath. He holds his hands out in an awkward shrug. “I’m in a tight spot here, Paige. It was my responsibility to make sure all the freshmen in my group learned the rules. I’m the first one who has to enforce them if anyone steps out of line. If I can’t do it, then it escalates up to the RA, then the resident dean, then the administrative board. It’s in everyone’s best interest not to have things go past me. That’s when it gets nasty, with real consequences.” He makes a point of looking right at me. “For you, and your roommates.”

“I only have one,” I tell him, distracted. The wheels are spinning in my head. Andrew didn’t come here because he wanted to see me. He came to enforce the rules.

“One what?”

“One roommate.” Maybe I can sidetrack him somehow, make him forget why he came here.

I step into him and press my body against his. I peek up at him and bat my eyes.

“You know,” I start, tracing little circles on his flat stomach with my forefinger, “in the dark, nobody knows who you are. Maybe we don’t have to wait all the way till January. Maybe tonight can be the perfect opportunity for you and me to sneak away. To go somewhere… more private.” I hear the words coming from my mouth, but they don’t sound like my own.

Andrew stiffens. His hands grasp my upper arms and he moves me away. He turns us around, so that now my back is against the wall.

“You know I can’t do that,” he hisses in my ear. The bit of stubble on his jaw tickles my cheek. “You can’t—you shouldn’t—tempt me like that.”

“Why not?” I ask, emboldened by the liquor running through me. “Who says we always have to follow the rules? Who does it hurt if no one finds out?” I grab the collar of Andrew’s shirt and tug him down so I can whisper in
his
ear. “Every night since we kissed I’ve gone to bed thinking about you. I
want
you, Andrew. Kiss me. Right here. Right now.”

Andrew blanches and pulls away. He gives me a disgusted look. “Get a hold of yourself. How much have you had to drink tonight? God, I knew I should have shut down the party the moment I got here.” He points an accusing finger at me. “You’re drunk. I thought I could reason with you to get everyone out of here quietly, but I see you’re in no state of mind to do that.”

Immense shame rolls through me. Andrew turns around and starts to walk away. I grab his sleeve and pull him back.

“No, no, Andrew, wait. I’m sorry. I’m not drunk, I swear.” I enunciate each of my words so he doesn’t think I’m slurring them. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have… said all that.” I shake my head and laugh weakly. “My roommate must be rubbing off on me.”

He looks at me, considering things for a moment. Then he gives a curt nod. “I knew that wasn’t you speaking. You’re much too sweet for that.” He smiles. “I’m sorry if I seemed harsh. I just don’t like being here, you know? I don’t like getting people in trouble—especially when I care about one of them.”

I blink. After the horrible way he’d just made me feel, this is the last thing I’d expect. “You… care about me?”

He nods. “It’s just… it’s fucking hard, you know? Knowing that I have to wait so long to be with you. Trust me, I’ve considered breaking the rules many times. But, I can’t. My brother… I’m the only one he’s got. I need to keep my job for his sake. We’d be broke without it.”

“I had no idea it was that serious, Andrew. You should have told me before.”

He shrugs. “I didn’t want you to feel sorry for me. I don’t regret what I have. Jordan’s a great kid. I love him with all my heart. It’s hardest on him, you know? Being so young, not having his parents around…” Andrew’s face becomes hard in something I take for anger. “It’s not
fair
to Jordan that our father is an asshole. I do the best I can, but I know it can never be enough.”

My heart melts at his sincerity. So
this
is the reason Andrew is such a stickler for the rules. He has to be, for Jordan’s sake.

“What about your mother?” I ask.

“Dead,” Andrew says. “She got sick and died when I was eighteen. Jordan was four. He barely remembers her. Our asshole father remarried years before that. Jordan and I have been on our own since.”

“Andrew… I’m sorry.” It’s obvious to me how much he loves his little brother. I’ve seen it every week after swimming lessons. “If there’s anything I can do to help…”

Andrew gives a little laugh. “You can help by not making
this
—” he gestures at both of us, “—any harder than it has to be. It’s only a few more months, Paige. Then we don’t have to fight all these restrictions.”

“Okay,” I nod quietly. “I guess you’ll need me to have everyone leave, then?”

“It’ll be better if you do it,” he says. “I can go tell the RA there’s no booze here. But if he decides to check for himself, this place has to be empty.” Andrew smiles. “I’ll give you half an hour to settle everything first.”

“Thanks,” I start. Right at that moment Katy bursts out of the crowd and grabs my hand. She shoots a suggestive smile at Andrew, then pulls me a few feet away.

“What the hell?” I demand when she’s still. “Katy, what was all that?”

She cuts right to the chase. “Spencer’s here,” she says, watching for my reaction. “He heard about this little get-together and decided to come visit you.”

I groan. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. I’ve heard he’s been on good behavior for the past little while, so cut him some slack, will you?”

“I’ll see about that,” I mumble. “You didn’t invite him, did you?”

Katy makes the largest, most innocent eyes ever at me.

I just
know
she’s guilty.

“Never mind,” I mutter. “Just go keep Andrew busy while I deal with Spencer. He was sent here to shut down the party. By our
RA,
who you promised wouldn’t be a problem.”

Katy giggles and offers me a drunk salute. “Aye, aye, capt’n!”

I roll my eyes even as I smile, then jump into the mass of bodies to look for Spencer.

He’s not hard to find. He didn’t come alone, of course. There’s an entourage of fluttery sorority girls around him. Each one is wearing less clothing and more makeup than the last.

I push through their brightly-colored circle and take Spencer by the elbow. “You,” I tell him, “are coming with me.”

I lead him to a back corner of the room, ignoring the squabble of protests from the girls. I turn on him and feel my temper flare. “You have a lot of nerve coming back here like this, you know?” I lambast him. “Nobody invited you.”

“I heard it was an open party,” Spencer tells me, his eyes dancing. “Besides, I was getting worried about you. I haven’t seen you for weeks.”

“You were worried about me?” I snort. “I find that hard to believe.”

“You not believing it doesn’t make it any less true,” Spencer offers casually. “Plus, I didn’t like the way we left things last time. I think there’s still some unfinished business…” his finger trails lazily down my arm, “…between us.”

I step back and shake my head. I can’t take the way his touch
still
excites me. “There’s nothing between us, Spencer,” I say vehemently.

“So stubborn,” he mutters. “It’s a shame you’re always so cold. Lesser men would have given up by now.”

“Maybe that’s because they can take a hint,” I shoot back.

Spencer taps his lips as he looks at me. He’s got that half-lidded, lazy gaze thing going on again. It’s incredibly attractive.

“No,” he says finally. “No, that’s not it. You don’t want me to give up. You don’t want me to disappear before you’ve even gotten to know me.”

“Trust me, Spencer,” I tell him. “Nothing would make me happier.” I take a deep breath. “If you came here for the party, you’re out of luck. We’re just about to shut it down—”

“I don’t believe it!” Andrew’s voice filters over the sounds of the party. “You left me to talk to
this
clown?”

I turn back, surprised, and find an angry-looking Andrew glaring at me and Spencer.

“Hey, jackass, watch it with the names,” Spencer warns. “You wouldn’t want a fist smashing in that preppy little face of yours.”

“Yeah, fuck you too, Spencer,” Andrew spits. He grabs my hand. “Come on, Paige. I’m not going to stand here and let you talk to trash like him.”

Spencer barks a laugh. “She’s just fine where she is.” He takes my other hand and pulls me back. “Tell him, kitten.”

“Kitten?” Andrew mocks. “That’s a stupid fucking name. Don’t tell me you actually let him call you that, Paige.”

“I don’t let him call me anything,” I say, yanking my hands free of both men. I don’t like being pulled around like some rag doll. “What’s up with the sudden jealousy, Andrew?”

“Yeah,
Andrew
,” Spencer mimics. “Don’t you have some other party to crash? From what I remember, you take your job
so
seriously.”

Andrew steps around me, right into Spencer’s face. “Watch it, asshole.”

Spencer doesn’t shy back at all. He laughs. “I could kick your ass any day of the week. Are you sure you want to make a scene?”

“Try me,” Andrew growls.

“Stop it, both of you!” I cry out, squeezing myself between their bodies to break them apart. “Andrew, what the hell has gotten into you?”

“I don’t like you talking to him,” he tells me.

I balk. “I can handle who I talk to myself.”

“Besides, she found me,” Spencer notes.

I turn on him. “Don’t start,” I warn.

“I see you’re still wearing the bracelet I gave you,” Spencer grins. “That’s good.”

“You’re wearing something
HE
gave you?” Andrew roars. His eyes smolder like burning embers. I’ve never seen him this upset. It frightens me.

Before I can blink, Andrew steps around me again and shoves Spencer by the shoulders, hard. Spencer’s back hits the wall. People around us stop and take notice.

A mocking, half-smile forms on Spencer’s face. “Now you’ve asked for it,” he says, and launches himself at Andrew.