Above and Beyond (Twist of Fate 4)

It was more than some people I knew.

“Just go,” I murmured to Davis, most likely too quietly to be heard over the noise. I tucked my face into Rafe’s shirtfront and closed my eyes, trying to imagine myself in the arms of a certain older man. Rafe’s body rocked us to the beat of the music, and I let my buzzy brain turn off enough to simply feel.

At some point, Min came over and tried to pull me away, declaring it was time to go home, but I preferred Rafe’s offer of more shots instead. After ignoring Min’s hushed reminders in my ear to take it easy, I followed Rafe to the bar. The Easy A went down suuuuuper easy, and after a few more, I was in heaven.

Firm body, pumping bass beat, the scent of sweat and hard liquor mixed with colognes and perfumes. Sporadic colored lights flickered around the dim dance floor, changing the colors behind my eyelids. Rafe’s hands explored my body as I continued to try and appreciate the man in my arms instead of the one in my heart.

Live in the moment, Xander had always taught me. Let go of your fears and lean in.

That’s what I’d do. I was gonna do that. I was gonna experience all life had to offer.

So when Rafe pulled back and took my face in his hands again, looking for all the world like he was going to kiss me, I decided not to hold back anymore. My first kiss had been amazing, even if I’d discovered later that the guy who’d given it to me hadn’t been. I hadn’t wanted to make that same mistake twice, but what was the point? Maybe Zach was right. Maybe it was time to grow up and stop pretending that a kiss meant more than it really did. Why keep waiting for someone special when I could experience it with someone here in the moment? And yeah, Min was right, I wasn’t the kind of guy who hooked up with random people… or at all, since I was technically still a virgin. But maybe that was something else that needed to change tonight too…

I closed my eyes, let go of my fears, and leaned in.

Chapter 7

Zach

I’d just returned to the hotel from a late dinner with my buddy Tag to learn more about the flight training program when my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

Come to Ghetti’s and deal with this. He’s drunk off his ass and won’t let me take him home. Says he’s getting laid “even if it’s not with a Ranger.” This is all your fault, so you fucking fix it.

Another text from the same number appeared a second later.

Asshole.

It was followed by a photo of Lucky in the arms of some punk in a club. My stomach clenched in a strange combination of anger and nerves.

I recognized the name Ghetti’s as one of the bars near the school where the bartenders probably weren’t very picky about fake IDs. It would explain how a twenty-year-old had managed to get blitzed so easily, especially the last week of finals. What was he thinking? And what was Minna thinking, letting him get that drunk? He could get hurt. He could get taken advantage of.

Anger coiled in my gut as I slammed my way back out the door of the hotel room and raced to my truck. All I could picture was that tall stranger leaning down to take Lucky’s mouth in his, and it made me see red. If Lucky had waited five years to kiss someone…

Not someone, you, my inner voice interrupted.

I let out a violent curse. In any case, no matter who Lucky chose to kiss, he sure as hell shouldn’t be doing it in some shitty bar when he was too drunk to remember it the next day. His mouth was the kind that should be savored… cherished.

Anger mixed with desire as I threw my truck into gear and hit the gas.

Get a grip, Zach.

I somehow managed to tear my thoughts from Lucky’s lips to the task at hand. In the week since Lucky’s car had been vandalized and he’d inadvertently mentioned the presence of some notes as well, I’d tried to figure out who was harassing him and why. Despite the promise to myself not to, I’d spent most of the past week following Lucky or sitting outside his apartment to make sure no one tried to mess with him. But I hadn’t had the courage to confront him again.

Probably because I was already walking enough of a tightrope as it was. If Lucky’s phone hadn’t gone off that night when he’d admitted he was waiting for me to kiss him, I would have tasted him for sure. Hell, I likely would have taken him there against the wall.