Taking Chances

Without saying anything else I went back outside to my chair in the dark corner of the yard, and stayed there until the music was turned off. As a rule, I don't let guys push me around, but I felt horrible that I'd said that to my new roommate's brother. Not to mention we were currently at his house and about to stay in his room. I planted my face in my hands, elbows on my knees and groaned at myself. I should have just kept my mouth shut. As if he knew I was thinking about him, Chase fell into the seat next to me. I removed a hand and looked into his dark blue eyes.

“You hiding?” That stupid sexy smirk was there again.

“Is it that obvious?”

He looked around the empty back yard, then glanced back to me, “A little.” He stretched out his long legs and sank farther into the chair, “Tell me, what's a princess like you doing at my party?”

I bristled and literally had to bite down on my tongue. “I'm not sure what you mean, but I was invited.” It came out a little harsher than I'd meant it to, but I wasn't about to apologize for that.

His smirk was gone, and he looked pissed, “You don't have to be invited to come to the party, but if you didn't notice, you don't exactly fit in here, Princess.” He sneered.

My mouth dropped open with an audible pop, I quickly shut it. He was right, I didn't. But seriously? Rude. At least when I was snide, you could hear the sarcasm.

“If the way we are disgusts you so much, feel free to stay at school next time.” Standing quickly, he shot me one more glare before turning away.

Aces. I've been here a little over a day, and my time here in California was already starting off so well.

“Chase,” my voice stopped him, “I'm really sorry, I was out of line.”

He turned to look at me, head cocked to the side. When he continued to look at me with a confused expression I went on.

“I was raised not to back down to people, but what I said was too much. So, I'm sorry. I don't know you, I shouldn't judge you.”

A huff of a laugh escaped his chest and I saw the corners of his mouth slightly tilt up. He shook his head, still looking confused and now a little stu

This was going to be a long night. If I had any idea where we were, I'd try to walk back to campus.

“Haarrrrrpppeeeerrrr!” I looked over to see Brea

When I got close she hooked an arm through mine and led me into the living room. “So did you kiss anyone tonight?” She raised both eyebrows and it looked like she had to struggle to keep them there.

“No.” I muttered.

The same guy she'd been taking shots with when I left yelled from the kitchen, “I can help with that!”

I shook my head and started to answer when Bree spoke again. “No, no, no. I told you guys, she's off limits!”

“Come on Bree, what's your deal?”

She leaned forward and fake whispered, “Cause she's pure. Completely. Pure.”

My jaw dropped and I grabbed her wrist as she went to tap my lips with her finger. “Brea

Putting her hand back to her own lips she held one finger in front of her mouth. “Shh! Harper don't tell them!”

A little late for that. I was completely mortified. I wanted to be angry at her, but she could barely stay standing, I doubt she would remember any of this tomorrow. Looking up, I saw four guys standing there staring at me with wide eyes before busting up laughing. I needed someone to kill me. Now. No, first I needed to get out of here. Then someone needed to kill me.

One of the guys I hadn't met was wiping tears from his eyes, “Oh my God! Princess, is she serious?”

Glad to see they all adopted my favorite nickname. Was there something about me that just screamed Give me a nickname? I couldn't even respond, my throat had closed up and I thought I would actually cry for the first time in years. Unhooking my arm from Brea

“Please. Move.”

He moved, but it was to grab my shoulders and steer me back towards the living room. What was he doing? I dug my heels into the carpet trying to scramble back in the other direction.

“Don't touch me!” I hissed.

“Just trust me.” He growled in my ear, walking me past everyone still laughing at Bree's slip.

When we hit a hallway I hadn't been down tonight, one of the guys from the kitchen yelled, “Looks like Chase is go

Chase paused for a second, cussed under his breath and started forward with me again. When we got to the end of the hall he stopped in front of a door, and pulled out a key to unlock it before towing me in. When the light flipped on, I blinked until I realized we were in a bedroom, I gasped and tried even harder to get out of his grasp. If I could just turn a little, I could have him on the floor in a few seconds. But his grip was firm, I couldn’t budge at all.

“No! Get off me!”

“Not until you stop trying to hit me!”

I stopped but stayed tense as he waited for almost a minute before releasing my arms. Once he did I turned on him and backed away.

“Calm down Princess,” He sighed sounding uninterested, “I'm not going to do anything to you.”

“I really wish you would stop calling me that.” I said through gritted teeth.

He rolled his eyes and went to a drawer, after throwing a pair of basketball shorts at me he walked back to the door. “Put those on, I'll be back.”

“Why?”

“Did you want to sleep in that skirt? He bit his bottom lip, his eyes glued to my legs. I swear I won't mind it, I figured you'd be uncomfortable though.”

“Brea

“I can assure you she'll be sleeping in the bathroom. I'll give you a minute to change, I'll be right back.”

“I am not sleeping with you in here.”

“Look, you're seriously hot, that alone is going to have them chasing after you. But top that off with the few words you've even said that shows me just how snarky and sweet as hell you are, that is one hell of a tempting combination. Trust me when I say they're going to want to change what they just found out about you. So if you don't mind, I'd rather make sure that doesn't happen.”

He slammed the door shut and not more than three seconds later I could hear him yelling at the guys in the kitchen and telling Brea

“That was rude, she's your sister. She should be in here too.”

He looked at me incredulously, “Are you serious? You're go

I shrugged my shoulders and put the skirt on a chair, keeping my back to him so he couldn't see my cheeks flaming again. “She's drunk. I'm sure she didn't realize it.”

“That's not an excuse.” His voice was soft as he pulled down the covers, “Come on Harper, get in.”

The way his voice wrapped around my name sent a warm shiver through my body and I had to fight to keep my eyes away from his now-bare chest as I crawled into his bed. Even the quick glance at his sculpted chest and abs had my heart racing. After he flipped off the lights, I felt the bed sink down from his weight and I sat up.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“You can't get in here with me!”

He chuckled, “It's my bed, I'm sure I can do what I want.”

I know he couldn't see me, but I glared at him anyway. Flipping the cover off me, I grabbed a pillow and sank down to the floor.