Slow Play (The Rules 3)

I don’t care. I’m coming over.

Tristan I don’t think so…

Yeah. I won’t try to give you the big D. We can just talk.

Talking gets us nowhere.

Okay fine we’ll make out. It’ll be awesome. See you in ten.

I leave the house before she can convince me to stay.

I toss another piece of bark at Alex’s bedroom window as hard as I can but it just pings against the glass and lands in the rosebushes. I knew I hated those stupid rosebushes for a reason the first time I saw them. And it’s not like I can throw rocks at her window. With my luck I’d probably break it and make her mad.

So I stick with the bark.

The nervous energy bubbling inside of me is making me agitated and I pace, telling myself I’m being stupid by trying to get her attention this way. I could just knock on the damn door. Walk inside, say hi to the guys, ignore the smirk on Kelli’s face that I know will be there and head to Alex’s bedroom.

But I don’t want them to know I’m here. I want this to be between us. Our little secret. Hell, I’m pretty sure Alex isn’t feeling me coming over here but I didn’t really give her a choice.

Typical behavior on my part, but I can’t help myself. I’ve been dying to see her all day.

All. Damn. Day.

Deciding to hell with it, I pelt her window with the bark I’ve been cradling in my palm. One piece after another, splat, splat, splat against the glass until finally she cracks open the blinds and there she is, illuminated by the light glowing behind her.

My heart lurches at first sight of her pretty, slightly scowling, totally confused face. I wave a finger at her, indicating she should open her window and she pulls the cord to lift the blinds, then pushes open the window.

“What are you doing?” she whispers as I approach.

“Coming to see you.” I stop just in front of the damn rosebush, suddenly feeling unsure. What if she tells me to leave?

“I do have a front door you know.” She rests her hands on the windowsill, looking cute as hell in a green long sleeved shirt that has a white dove in the center and says Old Navy 2010 in Christmas-y colored plaid across the top.

“Nice shirt,” I tell her.

She glances down. “I’ve had it since high school.”

“Ready for Christmas?”

A flicker of something unrecognizable shines in her gaze. “Not really. I hate the holidays.”

“You do?” I’m surprised. I thought most girls loved Christmas. Tinsel, sparkle, cute little Santas and presents—what more could they ask for?

“Yeah.” She considers me, tilting her head to the side. “I should tell you to go home.”

“Why?” Dread sinks like a stone in my gut.

“It’s late. I’m tired.” She runs a hand through her hair and yawns as if to make a point. “It’s cold out here.”

“No shit,” I mutter. I’m wearing my thickest pullover hoodie and sweats. It’s fucking freezing but I’m starting to realize I’ll do just about anything to see this girl.

Which is scary as hell.

“Aren’t you tired?” she asks.

I shake my head.

“Cold?”

I nod.

“Come back tomorrow then. This is crazy.” She starts to close the window and I make like I’m going to push past the rosebush. I don’t care if those giant thorns that seem to glitter in the night scratch me up. I’m that determined to get in Alexandria’s bedroom. “What are you doing?” she asks incredulously.

“If you’re going to make me hack my way through this fucking rosebush to see you, I’ll do it,” I tell her.

“Tristan.”

“Alexandria.” I grin.

“Oh my God. Let me go unlock the door.”

“Don’t tell anyone I’m here,” I say immediately, stopping her in her tracks. “Do you have another door you can let me in through?”

She considers it. “There’s a weird door that leads to the backyard at the end of the hall.”

“Let me in that way.”

She smiles. “You’ll have to hop the fence.”

I lean back and consider it. It’s tall, at least six feet but shit. I’ve hopped a few fences in my life. “Meet you there in two minutes.”

“You’re insane.”

For you, I want to tell her but I keep my mouth shut. She shuts the window before I can say anything and the blinds drop with a loud thud. That’s my cue to head over to the fence, which I do, contemplating how I should attack it.

Glancing over my shoulder, I make sure there’s no one driving by before I make the leap. Hopefully a police car won’t drive by because right about now, I look like a prowler ready to break in.

Fuck. If she only knew the lengths I’ll go to spend just a few stolen minutes with her…

I haul my ass over the wobbly wooden fence, landing on the ground with a solid thump, jarring my knees. In another life—all through high school—I played football. I was decent, I enjoyed it but the main reason I played? The jocks got all the pussy. And man, did I get a lot of pussy back in the day.

My sneaking around is reminding me of those old days. When I would go see a girl in the middle of the night, slip into her room and make out with her on her bed for hours. Those had been good times—made especially good because we never got caught. I was a lucky son of a bitch.

Tonight, I’m hoping I’ll get lucky again.

The door swings open as I approach it and Alexandria is standing there, waving at me to get inside. I climb the steps and enter the warm house, her scent wrapping all around me, making me want to grab her, haul her in close and kiss her.

But I keep my hands to myself, watching as she quickly shuts the door, turns the lock and then indicates she wants me to follow her. I fall into step behind her, crowding her as we head toward her bedroom. I can’t resist—my hand goes to her waist and she lets me touch her, seems to pause so our bodies can bump against each other and I close my eyes, breathe in the delicious scent of her hair.

She smells so damn good. Feels even better.

We’re in her room in seconds and I pull her to me, kissing her briefly. Too brief.

“I shouldn’t have let you in,” she says, sounding breathless. She takes a step back and I let her go.

“Why?”

“I don’t need the distraction.”

I smile. Well, that’s a hopeful admission. “I’m a distraction?”

“Totally. You do realize I went on a date already tonight,” she says wryly.

“Yeah.” I rub the back of my neck, trying to ease the tension. I can’t stand the thought that she was with Steven. The only reason I’m not punching holes into the walls is because of what she told me. “But you said you two decided to be friends.”

“We did.” She nods.

“And that he’s interested in Kelli?” Crazy.

“Yeah.”

“She’s also interested in him?”

“She is.”

“Kinda like how I’m interested in you?”

“Exactly how are you interested in me, Tristan?” she asks.

“Let me show you.” I make like I’m going to grab her and she dodges out of my way, slipping past my fingers. “Come on.”