Love You Better (Better Love 1)

“Thanks for the invite, man,” Kelley says to him, and then he introduces Scotty to Jesse and Bailey. Bailey excuses herself to the edge of the yard to take a phone call, and Jesse bounces off in search of beer. When Kelley and Scotty are done chatting, Kelley laces his fingers with mine once more and pulls me in the direction of the makeshift dance floor. I wave to Bailey, so she sees where we’re going, and she gives me a thumbs up.

The music is much louder when we enter the house, and some sort of bassy club song is pumping through two large speakers. When we reach the area where people are dancing, Kelley lifts my hand and twirls me, making my stomach flip and my heart skip. I swear I smile so much when I’m with him, my face hurts.

“You look gorgeous,” he says once he pulls me against him. “Have I said that yet?”

“Mmm, I think you might have mentioned it once or ten times.” I smirk at him and he nips at my lower lip. The pulsing beat of the next song is something slower, and we move our hips in time with the music.

Kelley runs his hands up and down my back. “This skirt is killing me tonight. And those fucking heels. You should let me fuck you against the wall when we get home. Heels and skirt stay on.”

Mmm. Yes please. The weather is uncharacteristically warm for November in Indiana, so I took a risk and wore a black, patent leather skirt paired with a tight, black, cold-shoulder sweater. The desire dripping from Kelley’s words tells me the risk definitely paid off.

“You sure you’re up for that? You just ran a marathon. I could always ride you instead—heels and skirt on.” I raise a suggestive brow and bite my lip.

“Yes,” he nods rapidly. “Yes to both.”

“Then why wait until we get home.” I run my hands up his chest as I speak, and he blinks at me, eyes flashing hot with need.

“Are you fucking with me?” he asks after a moment, and I give a coy shrug. “Baby, the thought of taking you anywhere in that skirt makes my dick hard.” He presses his pelvis into me so I can feel the proof of his words. “But you’re mine, and I’m not sharing. Not even a viewing. So, I don’t want to wait. But I will.”

I whimper. “Can we go home now, then?”

Kelley snickers. “Soon, baby.” He pulls me in for a kiss and it leaves me dizzy. The way he can completely disarm me with just a kiss? It’s sinful.

Both of our phones go off at the same time, so we break apart to check them.

“Mine’s from Bailey,” I tell Kelley as I text her back. “She’s getting an Uber back to the apartment.” Bailey says nothing is wrong, that she’s just tired, but I don’t believe it. So, either she’s upset about something or she’s meeting someone. I’ll get it out of her tomorrow. I text her back an okay and ask her to share her location with me, and when she sends not only the location but also a picture of her Uber driver, I put my phone away and look up.

Kelley finishes his text and puts it back in his pocket. “That was Preston. He’s here somewhere.”

Frick. I forgot about Preston. Now we can’t go home and do naughty things to each other. Kelley must be able to read my thoughts through my pout, because he leans forward and captures my lips in a passionate kiss.

“Soon, baby. Give me an hour, and then we’re going straight home and we’re not leaving until you come at least three times.”

“Promise?” My voice is breathy and needy.

“Promise,” he growls.

Gah. Stupid high school friends sex-blocking my sexy time.

I take a deep breath and peck him on the lips. “I’m going to find the bathroom.”

“Want me to come with you,” he asks, just as Jesse strolls up and hands Kelley one of the three beers he’s carrying.

>

“It’s fine. If I’m not back in fifteen, come find me.” I kiss him again, then gesture to the beer in Jesse’s hand. “Hold that for me, please.”

I weave through the throng of people, make my way up the stairs, and find the bathroom. There’s a group of girls inside, so I lean on the wall and scroll through my phone while I wait my turn.

Now that I’m not studying for the LSAT every waking minute, I’ve started reading some of the indie romance novels Bailey is always raving about. I was skeptical at first, because I tend to gravitate toward true crime stories, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. Holy moly, do I love smut now. I didn’t know there were so many different ways to describe a penis, though. Fascinating.

I pull up the e-reader app on my phone and select Bailey’s newest recommendation, but I can’t quite focus. The back of my neck keeps prickling and I get the strangest feeling that I’m being watched, but when I look around, I see nothing out of the ordinary.

When the group of girls leaves, I hurry in and do my business. The bathroom is actually communal with three separate toilet and shower stalls. It’s a lot nicer than some of the frat bathrooms I’ve seen. Two of the three toilet stalls actually have toilet paper, too.

Color me impressed.

Go you, Sigma Nu Chu! Or whatever frat this is. Scotty deserves a high five.