Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
CHAD
Ithrow back a shot of vodka, purposely not looking in Bailey’s direction. He’d been serious about Lucas, then? Here I was thinking we were all jokes, but this doesn’t feel like a joke to me.
The taste in my mouth from thinking about those two doing it is worse than this vodka. I throw back another shot, then do a lap of the party.
We’ve hit the time of the night where the champagne glasses and mini quiches have disappeared and been replaced by jelly shots and party favors.
And jelly shots go down way too easily. I’m buoyed with the boosted confidence alcohol gives me and the burning drive to snap Lucas’s hand. It’s a dangerous combination, and you can bet your ass that if I had any firecrackers, I’d be setting off every one of them.
I’m repeating the mantra of respect Bailey’s wishes as I join a bunch of drunk sorority sisters on the dance floor. The more distance I keep between us, the better. Touching him before was too hard, and I won’t be doing that again.
The girls are hot as hell, tits out, asses you can bounce a quarter off, but like with everyone I’ve made an attempt with lately, there’s something missing.
I’m supposed to be in prime hookup time, but my fucking brain is stuck on Bailey.
Since we hooked up, I’ve made out with a few women but ended up going home alone.
And don’t even get me started on guys. I can’t look at another dude.
It’s getting irritating.
I glance back toward Bailey and find him watching me, finally detached from Lucas’s grabby mitts.
Keeping eye contact with him, I loop an arm around the nearest girl and pull her back against me.
She doesn’t break a beat as she throws her arms around my neck and grinds her ass into my junk.
It does nothing for me. And maybe for the first time in my life, I feel a bit sleazy.
Bailey cocks his head, narrowed stare dropping to my hand on her stomach that I immediately slide to her hip.
I’m not sure if it’s to push her away or pull her closer, but I grip tight, trying to at least make it look convincing.
To make it look like he hasn’t got this stupid hold over me that I can’t shake.
His eyes flick back up to meet mine, and a corner of his mouth tilts up in a grin. Then he abruptly turns, says something to Lucas, and heads for the house.
I watch him until he disappears inside, then thank the girl for the dance and follow him.
Pledges are stationed at the back door, so after a quick check behind me to make sure no one is watching, I duck down the side of the house. The narrow walkway is starting to feel familiar as I approach Bailey’s window, hoist myself up, and slide it open.
I check the room before I creep inside, but it’s empty, and I try not to let that get to me. It’s probably too much to hope that he’d be here waiting.
Whatever.
I’m not above sneaking through the house. If they have people watching the doors, then there probably won’t be anyone inside hanging around, and if they are, I’ll claim King of Thieves and be thrown out. Easy.
I just hope with that option, Bailey doesn’t hear about it and realize I was creeping after him.
I crack the door to the hallway and hesitate, trying to decide which way to go, when I hear his voice in the kitchen up ahead.
“… use the bathroom.”
Bingo.
My footsteps are quiet as I creep along the hall, and when he ducks into the bathroom without seeing me, I jog the final few steps. The door is already locked.
Shit.
I’m antsy as I wait, prepared to make excuses if anyone else walks down here. The toilet flushes, the water sounds like he’s washing his hands, and a few seconds after, it shuts off.
Come on come on come on.
The lock clicks, and he opens the door.
Bailey starts in surprise. “What are you—”
I push him back inside, slide through the gap, and quickly close and lock the door behind us.
“Bailey.”
He looks amused, which is a good sign, right? “Chad.”
“Fancy running into you here.”
“The bathroom in my own house that you’ve obviously had to sneak into? It does seem like an unlikely coincidence.”
“A good one though, right?” I clarify.
“It depends.”
“On?”
“Whether you’re here to maul me.”
“And if I was, would we call that good or bad?”
He dodges the question. “I thought we agreed to call this off.”
I step closer. “Yeah, I’m not known for making smart choices, so we can’t rely on my judgment.”
“And mine?”
“Yours is … misguided. I get your reasons, but no one has to know.”
He catches his bottom lip with his teeth, and fuck it’s adorable.
“Come on, Bailey.” My voice drops.
He crosses his arms and leans his hip against the counter. “What happened to that girl you were dancing with?”
“Who the fuck knows. I couldn’t even tell you who it was. I was too busy watching you.”
“And the one you hooked up with last weekend?”
It’s my turn to cross my arms. “How do you know about that?”
“I have eyes, and you’re avoiding the question.”
“Shit …” I drag a hand back through my hair, tired of playing games. “Not avoiding, just embarrassed. I’ve kissed a few people since us, trying to make things happen, but … I can’t …”
“Can’t what?”
“I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Bailey closes the distance between us. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“What is it about me that makes me any different to all the other people you hook up with?”
“Ah …” How the hell do I answer that? “I … well, I really like you.”
His lips purse, like he’s not happy with that answer, so I keep talking.
“It’s too hard to put my finger on it. We don’t know each other very well, and yeah, I think you’re hot, but I also like talking to you. It makes me all nervous and excited, and I’ve missed not having that.”
Bailey takes a long breath. “I’ve missed it too.”
“So can we please, please talk again?”
“Sure.”
I heave a sigh of relief, and before I can stop myself, I reach up and trace his pouty lips. “I promised myself I wouldn’t do this.”
“What?”
“Touch you.”
His lips twitch beneath my fingers. “Why is that?”
“Because now I’m struggling to stop.”
Bailey knocks my hand away, then brings our mouths together. My groan is long and low as I finally taste him again. He backs me into the door, long body slotting perfectly against mine, and I cup his face like he’s glass. Or an illusion.
“I was so pissed off when I saw that photo of you kissing someone,” he murmurs into my mouth.
“I wanted it to be you.”
“I wanted it to be me too.” His lips are soft against mine. “Why are you so addictive?”
“Me? Fuck, Bailey, I—”
My words are cut off by a pounding on the door. It’s loud in my ears, and Bailey immediately pulls back and covers my mouth with his hand.
“What?” he calls.
“Hurry up in there, I need to piss.”
Charles.
Bailey’s eyes widen to match my own. This … isn’t good.
“Shit,” he mouths.
There’s only one tiny window, which I sure as hell won’t fit through, so I guess it’s into the shower I go.
The curtain is pulled halfway, so I leave it in place and step around it, then press myself against the tiled wall.
“You okay?” Bailey whispers.
“Relax. If he catches me, I’m stealth stealing, and you never saw me.”
“Think you can get to my room?”
“If it takes me all night, I’ll be there.”
He looks like he has to drag himself away, and I get it, I don’t want him to leave either, but it won’t take me long to get back to him.
He thanks Charles for being patient as he leaves, and it almost makes me laugh. The only thing that stops me from slipping is the knowledge that if I’m caught, it’s going to take even more time to get to Bailey.
So I stand there, hidden from Charles, listening to him hum while he takes a leak.
And, fuck, even his pissing is boring.
How does Zeke deal with him?
After the longest few minutes of my life, Charles washes his hands and walks out. Only, another brother walks in, and then another.
I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry, and I’m starting to think that giving myself away might be better than having to listen to one more Kappa piss, and then the room is empty.
I make a break for it, only pausing long enough to pick up the soap dispenser and check underneath.
Easy ten points.
I tuck it under my arm and then dart down the hall and around the corner to Bailey’s room.
My heart has kicked up a notch as I dart through his door and slam it behind me.
“Took you long enough,” he says. He’s lying back on his bed, shorts showing off enough thigh to make my mouth water.
“Apparently every brother in your house needed the bathroom. Haven’t they ever heard of a tree?”
He snorts. “Sorry we’re slightly more civilized than you Sigmas.”
“Less initiative, you mean. If it was me waiting on you, I’d be naked by now.”
Bailey chuckles. “I figured you’d want to do the honors.”
“I can work with that too.” I place the soap dispenser on his desk and point at it. “Mine.”
The lamp he stole from me is gone, so if he’s handed it in, we’re going to need those ten points. It also means he traded it to make friends, so should I be pushing this?
He pops his top button.
Annnd that’s a yes.
I rid myself of my shirt and climb up the bed until I’m hovering over him. His smile is beautiful, all soft and genuine. I kiss it. Because I can.
“I want to do this again,” I say.
“Uh … isn’t that what we’re doing here?”
I shake my head. “After tonight. Can we see each other again? Text?”
“Shouldn’t we worry about tonight first?”
“But I need to know if I should make the most of it. Because I wanna touch you and get you off fast, but if it’s the only time, I’m going to take things slow.”
His fingers burrow into my hair. “Considering we failed at the one-time-only thing, I have a feeling tonight won’t be enough.”
“Thank fuck.” I might not be able to answer Bailey’s question about why him, I just know that my body’s reacting to him in a way that’s completely new and different for me.
And I don’t hate it.
This year might not be going the way I thought it would, but as far as direction changes go, I’m not complaining.