Greek (Palm South University)

Skyler offers me a sympathetic smile and a touché before we’re rocking along with the performance, and at least for the moment, the conversation is dropped.

The longer the night goes on, the better the show seems to get. Not only are the fraternities and sororities battling it out for the karaoke title, but Kade has planned game-show-like events in-between each act that keeps everyone engaged. Prizes are flying like crazy, drinks are flowing, and there’s a massive foam pit dance floor keeping the party going.

It really is an incredible event — and pride for Kade swells in my chest.

When I’m teetering on the line between tipsy and drunk, I suddenly hear my name blast over the speakers, and I snap my gaze from the foam pit up to the stage to find Kade grinning wickedly and waving me up.

I instantly shake my head.

“Oh, come on now, J-Love. We all know you’re not shy.”

That earns some laughs and cheers from the crowd, along with a few whistles that make me laugh, too, before I flip them all off.

“Someone’s playing shy. Come on, guys. Help me out. J-Love, J-Love, J-Love,” Kade starts chanting, and Skyler is the first one to join in before the rest of the crowd follows.

I pinch her ribs, but she just giggles and scurries away from me before snatching my drink and giving me a playful shove toward the stage.

I sigh, knowing the argument is pointless. So I throw my hands up and yell, “Alright, alright!”

The crowd cheers and parts for me to make my way through, and then a couple younger Alpha Sigma brothers I don’t recognize help hoist me up onto the stage.

“There she is,” Kade says with a wide, lazy smile. He pulls me into him for a kiss far too inappropriate to have thousands of people witness, which earns us a slew of cat calls, whistles, and get a room!’s before he pulls back with a grin. “Ready for our duet?”

I blanch. “I’m a terrible singer.”

“Prove it.”

Before I can save myself, the music starts, and someone is shoving a microphone into my hand as Kade takes his off the mic stand and starts snapping along.

To “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John and Kiki Dee.

I burst out in a laugh as Kade jumps up, crosses his feet before he lands, and then does a full spin as the crowd goes wild. Then, he belts out the first line, and I don’t have any choice but to follow with my part.

Back and forth, we sing the lyrics, my eyes drifting to the teleprompter more than his. After the first few, he grabs my hand and spins me into him like he’s a professional dancer, somehow holding me steady when he twirls me back out. I’m laughing through my next line, and then he drops to his knees in front of me to belt out the pre-chorus bridge, which everyone else sings along with us.

The more the music goes on, the more I loosen up, letting my hips sway and playing into Kade’s antics. Before I realize it, it’s just me and him up there, the stars shining bright above us, the crowd and the music gone altogether. All I hear is my heartbeat in my ears. All I see are his warm eyes and playful smile. All I feel is his steady grip on my body, his muscles under my hands, the familiar, comfortable buzz of energy flowing between us.

And by the end of the song, I’m mesmerized by this man, wondering how the hell the douchebag, cocky sonofabitch I first met became this coolly confident sex pot that I’m so fucking obsessed with I can’t stand it.

When the music finally cuts off, the crowd erupts, and Kade picks me up and throws me onto his shoulders. I toss my hands in the air, one still holding the microphone, as he takes us for a lap around the stage.

He starts running so fast I have to hold on for dear life, and then with a wave and a breathless, “We’ll be right back with the announcement of tonight’s champions. Until then, enjoy this special performance by Red Leather Chains!”

The crowd goes even more crazy at the announcement of an up-and-coming band that’s been all over the music charts. I gasp, too, and try to scream over the noise to ask Kade how the hell he got them for this event, but I don’t get the chance before he runs us backstage. Darkness hits like a train, along with a strange kind of quiet. We can still hear the music, the crowd, but it’s slightly muted, like it’s far, far away.

My ears ring as Kade carefully helps me off his shoulders and drops me to my toes on the ground in front of him, my body sliding down every inch of his along the way.