COLTON

WHEN I STEPPED OUT of my room, Finn cornered me in the hall. “You are so fucking in love with that girl, it’s sickening.”

“Whatever, dude, get outta my way.”

“Fowls, you’ve been screwing this up for years, and if you don’t fix it this summer, you might never get the chance.”

“You don’t think I fucking know that, Finn?” I asked, irritated as shit. If this fool could see how much I cared for Alex, why couldn’t she?

“You need to make her jealous, Colton. Stop following her around like a lovesick puppy and treat her like one of your bros. Business as usual. We’ll go out to the club. Have girls over to the house. Let her get a taste of what it feels like to see what she’s missing. That’s my advice.”

For an idiot, he was making a lot of sense. I’d worn my heart on my sleeve for years, and if she couldn’t see it, then what did I have to lose? I’d already lost the girl.

“All right, man. I’ll give it a shot.”

When I walked into the kitchen, Al was already sitting at the table with Blex, deep in conversation. “Hey, guys,” I said, taking the seat beside her.

“Oh, there you are,” Allie chimed with a mouth full of pizza.

I laughed. “That’s really hot, Alex.” I dabbed the sauce dripping from the corner of her mouth with my thumb, and her face turned red. “You in the mood to go dancing?” I asked, reaching into the box for a slice of pizza.

“Really? I’d love to. I mean, I need a few hours to get dressed, but yeah!”

“A few hours? Allie, you look fine in what you have on.” And she did. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a black flowy top. I saw no reason she’d need to change.

She scoffed. “I’m not going out in Los Angeles dressed like I just got off a plane, Colton Fowler. It’s still early. We have time, right?” Her face was beaming. I couldn’t wait to get her on the dance floor.

“Yeah, you have time, Al.”

Alex wasn’t exaggerating. Almost three hours after she’d gone upstairs to get ready, I finally heard her footfalls on the stairs. I turned my body on the sofa to get a good look at her, and my jaw damned near fell through the floor. What the hell?

Finn whistled. “Hot damn, Lexi. Those legs!”

She walked around the couch and into the living room, and I still couldn’t find my voice. “Y’all ready?”

I shook my head.

“Do you need more time to get ready, Colt?” she asked innocently. Like she didn’t know what her body in that tiny black dress and fuck me heels did to a man. A woman knew what she was doing when she put on a dress like that.

“Explain,” I rasped.

“Huh?” She looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

“Explain what? Colt, are you okay? Are you sick?” she asked, leaning over to press the back of her hand to my forehead.

“Those,” I said, staring at the cleavage that was very much on display. “Explain those.”

Finn sucked in his lips, trying to hide his laughter, as Allie stood up straight, crossing her arms over her chest.

“The boobs, Alex. Explain the fucking boobs. Where’d they come from?” Those were a new development.

“Fuck, Fowler, are you trying to embarrass the girl?” Blex gritted out.

Alex shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Colt’s always had something to say about the size of my breasts, haven’t you? First, they were too small...Now what? Too big? Too fake?”

I shook my head. “I never said your boobs were too small Alex. Why? Why’d you do that? You were perfect. Now every guy in the club’s gonna be looking at you like you’re trash.”

The look on her face told me that was the wrong thing to say. She laughed a humorless laugh. “Now I look like trash. Please, Colton, keep going. Destroy what’s left of my self-esteem while you’re at it.”

This was getting out of hand. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I didn’t get boobs for you, or Dean, or anyone other than myself. I got them because they make me feel sexy. Thank you for taking that confidence away from me, Colton Fowler.”

My friends both glared at me. She’d won their allegiance already. Traitors. “Take ’em back,” I growled.

Finn cracked up laughing on the sofa beside me. I was gonna deck someone before we’d even left the house.

She leveled me with a murderous stare. “Fuck. You.”

I wasn’t done digging myself into a hole just yet. “I’ll pay for it. There has to be a place somewhere around here that can remove those things and put you back to normal. It’s fucking LA for God’s sake...There’s a plastic surgeon on every corner.”

“I don’t want to take them out,” she gritted. “I think they look great. I could have never filled out a dress like this before. What do you think, Blex?” She cupped her breasts, rotating from side to side the way girls do when they’re trying on a new outfit, to give him a good look.

He choked. “Uh, I think they are some very nice breasts, Alex.”

I was going to kill him. “Well, at least go change.”

“I will not.”

“Fucking, hell...” I said, standing from the couch. I walked over to Alex, which was mighty brave on my part, I must say because she was seconds away from castrating me. “Will you at least wear a jacket?”

“It’s ninety degrees, Colton.”

“I liked you better in your T-shirt and jeans,” I groaned.

She shook her head, revealing the tiniest of smirks. “I didn’t ask.”

“Right. Let’s go, then.”

We took her to Night Caps, where a buddy of ours worked the door. None of us were twenty-one yet, but he always hooked us up.

While he was checking her I.D., I yelled over the music, “She’s with me.” Randy smiled, handing back her license and slapping a yellow bracelet on her arm.

Al looked at me hesitantly, and I nodded, ushering her inside. “Does that mean...?”

“You can buy alcohol. Just don’t go crazy.” I laughed, all of a sudden wondering how great of an idea this was.

Alex went directly to the bar to order her first drink. I came up behind her, handing the bartender my card. “She’s with me. Put her on my tab.”

“You don’t have to do that, Colt.” She looked back at me over her shoulder. Her lips were so close I could almost taste them. I could barely hear the bass over my own heart hammering in my chest.

I brushed a strand of hair out of her face, needing an acceptable reason to put my hands on her. “I know. I want to. Sorry ’bout earlier.”

She shrugged. “It’s fine. I just thought if anyone could appreciate a nice pair of tits, it’d be you,” she teased, elbowing me in the stomach.

I groaned. She’d be the death of me.

We grabbed our usual table near the dance floor, and as expected, it didn’t take long for the girls to begin flocking around us. Candy, a tall, lanky blonde I’d hooked up with a few times before, walked over, grinding her barely covered ass in my lap. I started to push her away and then remembered the game plan. “Let’s dance?” I whispered into her ear.

Candy worked my body like a stripper on that dance floor, shaking her ass like her next meal depended on it, yet I couldn’t take my eyes off of the couple dancing beside us. Alex’s moves made Candy look like she was two-stepping at a country club. She and Blex commanded the attention of everyone in the room. It was scandalous and hot, and I wanted to wrap a blanket around my girl and beat the fuck out of my boy. This was not going according to plan.

I tried not to let my annoyance show...but when I glanced over to find him with his tongue down her throat, practically fucking my Allie on the dance floor, I lost it. I moved Candy aside and stalked over like a jealous boyfriend I had no right to be. I grabbed Allie’s arm, yanking her out of Blex’s grip. I’d deal with him later. “What the fuck, Al? You buy a pair of tits, and suddenly you’re a slut? Did you sell your self-respect to pay for ’em?”

The slap that followed nearly brought me to my knees, and I knew I deserved it, but I was never one to give up while I was ahead. I traced the edge of the thin scrap of fabric that did little to hide her quivering breasts. She stood there staring at me with hurt and disdain, but she didn’t move my hand, and she didn’t walk away. “You like that, Allie?” I asked, dipping my finger just inside. “If you wanted to be touched, all you had to do was ask. Wanna see what it’s like to be with a real man before you decide if married life’s for you?”

“All right, man. That’s enough,” Blex said, stepping up beside Alex.

With both hands, I shoved at Blex’s chest. He barely budged. I wanted to hurt him, to take every ounce of frustration I felt out on him, but it would have to wait because when I heard her scream and saw the look of fear that crossed her face just before she turned and ran off, nothing else mattered.

I chased after Alex and finally caught up to her in the parking lot. “Come back, Allie. I’m sorry.”

She kept walking quickly. “This was a mistake. I-I shouldn’t have come here.”

“Don’t say that, Al. I’m a jerk and I’m sorry, but I’m still so happy you’re here. Please don’t go. I’ll be better.”

Alex stopped walking but kept her back to me. “I don’t know where to go,” she whispered.

“With me, Al. Just come home with me.”

“I don’t like you right now,” she cried, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, and her body tensed. “I don’t like me either,” I agreed.

We stood there in silence for a few minutes before she finally gave in. “Let’s go home.”

When we arrived back at the house, much to my surprise, Allie went right up to my room. I moved to follow her, and Blex darted his arm out in front of me. “You need to give her some space, man. What was that? I thought you were friends?”

I whirled around to face him. “I thought we were friends, man,” I said, shoving him. “What the hell was that?”

Blex leaned in close. “I don’t know what that was, Colt, but you better get your shit together before you scare Alex off. That big brother shit isn’t going to fly anymore.”

“Leave Alex alone.”

“You staking your claim?” Blex asked, and I started to tell him that hell yeah, I was...but I looked up and found Allie peeking out of my bedroom door and decided to stick to the plan. I couldn’t risk her overhearing, and Blex would never understand the game I was playing with Alex. He’d already attached himself to her, and having three sisters of his own, I knew there was no way he’d approve. Besides, laying my heart at her feet for her to trample on hadn’t worked out so well for me in the past, and I needed this to work.

“Nah, man. Just protective of her is all.”

Blex sucked his teeth and nodded. “No worries. I won’t disrespect her. I’m not looking to get into her panties. We’re just having a little fun, but if you don’t want to send her right back to Texas, then you better go do some groveling.”

He was right. I really fucked up tonight. I nodded my head and pushed past him. “See you tomorrow. I’ve got an ass to go kiss,” I called out as I made my way up to my room.

I pretended not to notice Al when she pulled her head inside and even walked a little slower to allow time for her to get away. Shaking my head to myself, I pushed the door open and found her perched on the end of my bed, still seething, acting as if she’d been there the whole time.

I’d had only seconds to brace myself for the tongue lashing that was about to ensue. Alex flew off of my bed as soon as the door clicked shut, her mouth running a mile a minute, and all I could think about was getting that little black dress off and having a good look at those man-made tatas.

“Are you even listening to me?” she shrieked, jabbing her finger into my chest.

I shook my head and lifted my gaze from her cleavage. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Were you just staring at my boobs, Colton Fowler?” She was incredulous.

I chewed on my bottom lip nervously. “I’m sorry. They’re, uh. Well...they’re distracting, Al.” I shrugged.

She rolled her eyes. “They’re just boobs, Colt. I’m still just Allie.”

“You were never just anything,” I answered a little too honestly. How much had I drunk? I was screwing the plan up before it ever even got started.

“I really want to be mad at you right now...but I think I’m gonna—”

Before I had time to move away, Allie gripped the front of my shirt and puked all over us both. Then she covered her mouth and took off running to my bathroom, leaving a trail of vomit the whole way. Lovely.

I followed behind her to make sure that she was okay, but ended up slipping in a puddle of slime. I’m sure to anyone watching, the scene would have been comedic, but it was pretty high up there on the worst moments of my life. My clothes...my hands...everything was coated in pink puke. The smell, oh dear God, the smell. I started to gag as I pushed myself up and got to the bathroom just in time to empty my stomach into the sink.

What a sight the two of us must’ve been.

After we’d both emptied the contents of our stomachs, we took turns showering, cleaned up, and fell into bed. I was just starting to doze off when I heard Allie whimpering beside me. “What’s wrong, Al?” God, I’d always hated to see my girl cry.

She shook her head, sniveling.

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Yes, but that’s not why I’m crying.”

Ouch. “Okay, then why are you crying?”

“I think I cheated on Dean tonight...I haven’t kissed anyone else since the summer we got together. That’s not what I came here for.”

“Was it that forgettable? Jesus, Allie.” How could she forget the night before California? She had kissed someone else. She’d kissed me. That night...it meant everything, and apparently, it also meant nothing.

She gasped. “No, I...I don’t know. I try not to think about that night, to be honest.”

Was she trying to gut me? “No?” I cleared my throat. “Did you feel guilty then?”

“No,” she whispered. “No, I didn’t...”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. We laid in silence for a few minutes before I could hear her softly snoring. What a disaster our first day together had been.