Fall is in full swing by the time Halloween comes around. Fallen leaves blanket the yards; a chill fills the air every day. On my way to Brady’s, I pass college kids in droves, dressed up in costumes. The Invisibles are playing at Aces tonight, but Brady and I have opted out of wearing costumes.

The last few weeks have been amazing. I talk to him at least ten times on any given day. He takes me on dates, and we meet at the Student Center for lunch. I’ve even revealed my lack of math skills to him, so he’s my new tutor, giving me a killer reward system when I get a correct answer or score high on a test. Let’s just say, I have extra incentives to study harder.

Hands have roamed while our lips have locked. Brady freely smacks my ass when I walk by and never hesitates to take me into his arms. The awkwardness that a new relationship brings has been replaced by the calm security of knowing that he’s mine, and vice versa. But the butterflies still run rampant when Brady even grazes my body.

We haven’t slept together yet, literally or figuratively. Tonight might change all that. I packed an overnight bag, just in case I’m brave enough to face this. Brady’s been patient, never rushing or pushing my limits, letting me choose our pace. I’m trying to take Jessa’s advice and put my trust in him. God knows he deserves it.

I ring the doorbell since the other three guys live here, and I don’t feel comfortable with just walking in. I hear big footsteps before Dex opens the door. I laugh at his costume.

“Hey, Sadie. Come on in.” He moves aside and lets me through the door.

“I like it,” I compliment his green-painted body with purple ripped pants and no shirt.

He definitely has the body to pull off the Hulk. My eyes rest on his stomach as I try to count the number of grooves. Is there such a thing as an eight-pack?

“Thanks. The guys made it easy. Brady’s upstairs.”

He sprints down the basement steps. I assume he needs to grab some instruments for tonight’s show.

The house still amazes me. Do they hire a cleaning lady, like the frat houses do? Every time I come here, there isn’t one speck of dust anywhere, not even on all the oak railings going upstairs.

Brady’s door is closed when I get up there, so I knock softly. He opens the door, and I bust out laughing before walking in. He’s dressed in a pair of khakis with a crease down the middle of each leg and a polo shirt with a sweater tied around his neck. His brown hair resembles a pop star, parted to the side while long strands cover his right eye. With the way he looks, he could model for Ralph Lauren on a yacht in the Hamptons.

“Nice. Did I just walk into the movie Grease?” I turn my head up to him, confused.

“First off…” He puts his arm around my waist and pulls me into him, shutting the door behind me. His lips find mine in two-point-two seconds, exploring my mouth.

If this is the start of the night, my bed at the dorm will be empty tonight.

As suddenly as his lips found mine, they’re gone.

“You trust me, right?” He smirks down at me, and my stomach turns into knots with the possible intentions of that question. “I got you a costume.”

Relief washes over me until I see where he’s pointing.

On the bed is a neatly folded pile of black clothes. A pair of red Dr. Martens boots rest on the floor at the edge of the bed. I can’t imagine what’s in that pile, and I’m scared to find out.

“I thought we weren’t doing costumes?” I ask, picking up a black tank top from the stack.

“It’s Halloween; we have to dress up, Sadie. Funny, right? It’s like we’re the opposites of who we are.” He plops his body on the bed and rests his head in his hand, staring over at me.

“I guess so. I think my naughty witch and sexy nurse costumes had more fabric than this.” I hold out the fishnet stockings he bought.

“You can’t blame me, can you?”

When he turns the right side of his lips up, I know I’ll be wearing it.

“Well…leave, and I’ll change.” I wave my hand to the door.

“Come on, baby! I’ll turn my back. I don’t want to miss one second of you in that outfit.”

“Fine. Turn around,” I reluctantly agree, twisting my finger in a circle.

Brady places his back to me, facing his headboard. Leaving my eyes locked on his back, I take off my black boots and skinny jeans. Thankfully, I wore a nice black panty and bra set tonight on the off chance that Brady would peel them off me later.

By the time I’m finished dressing, I have to admit, Brady did a good job. A black miniskirt is paired with a black tank top and a red shirt that has a wide neckline, exposing a bare shoulder. The black fishnets run down my legs, ending in bright red boots. This might be the sexiest outfit I’ve ever worn. Definitely the most revealing.

I stare down at myself, taking deep breaths, with the hope that I can pull this outfit off.

Straightening out the skirt with both hands, I say, “Okay, turn around.”

My eyes look up at him, and his eyes roam up and down my body. I think he could ignite me into flames with the fire that fills his eyes. His desire is something I’ve never felt in my life.

“Jesus, Sadie.” His Adam’s apple rises up and dips back down. “I’m speechless. You’re gorgeous…you’re sexy…you’re so fucking perfect.”

In two steps, he’s an inch away. Without my heels, he towers at least a foot over me.

“You have no idea how hard it is for me not to grab you and throw you down on my bed right now. It’s taking every ounce of self-restraint I have to be this close to you and not be inside you.”

Not even a finger has touched me, but we’re so close. Our breaths rise and fall at a matched rate.

For the first time, I see small green specks in his brown eyes as they bore into mine.

“Do you want me to dress like this all the time?” I can’t help but feel like he would prefer me to be more his style.

“No. I’d never want you to change, Sadie.” His voice is steady. “I like my little preppy girl,” he says. He reaches out and tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

“Promise?” My own insecurity with our differences shines through.

“I promise.” He rests his hands on either side of my face. “I hope I don’t have to beat too many guys’ asses tonight.”

A smirk begins to take over his face as he brings his lips close to mine, but I slightly push him away, and he shoots me a puzzled look.

“Brady, no fights,” I say sternly as my fingers spread across his chest.

“All right, no fights,” he jokes.

Noticing he doesn’t see my sternness, I warn him again, “I’m serious, Brady. I hate fights.”

I pull away, but he grips my waist and yanks me back.

Those desired eyes are now filled with concern. “Okay, Sadie, I won’t.”

He shakes his head, and I trust that he knows how serious I am.

“Please let me kiss you now.”

He’s tentative to lean down toward me again, but I welcome him this time, and he smiles against my lips.

---

After The Invisibles finish playing, we head out to go celebrate with all the other students downtown, where Western’s bar and clubs line Main Street. The streets are packed from building to building with drunken students dressed in some of the most absurd costumes.

When we left Brady’s, I thought I was dressed like a slut, but some of these girls take the cake. Trey catcalls over to a group of four girls dressed as beer cans made out of duct tape, causing them to giggle and wave over to him as they stick their chests out a little more.

One guy passes us, only wearing a pizza box around his downtown area. Brady jokingly covers my eyes, bringing me closer to him. I guess he hasn’t figured out yet that he’s the only one I want to look at. The image of him wearing just a pizza box makes my body tingle in all the right places.

Dex stops us at a small corner bar. Surprisingly, it’s fairly empty.

I guess everyone would rather party in the streets. Just walking the three blocks to get here, even with Brady keeping my body firmly against his, we were pushed and knocked around.

Trey walks over to the girl bartender behind the bar and embraces her in a hug. She appears to be thrilled to see him as she wraps her arms around his neck, and then she playfully smacks his back when he lifts her off the ground. Then, he whispers something in her ear, and she smiles and shoos him away.

Dex leads us to a long table in the back of the bar. When we sit down, I’m happily situated between Brady and Trey. Jessa is across from me, and Rob is thankfully down by Dex. Crossing my legs, I pull my skirt down a little bit, but it won’t budge, resting higher than mid-thigh. When my eyes move up to the man responsible for my getup, he’s bearing a devilish grin, and I roll my eyes with the permanent smile I always have when I’m with him.

“Don’t try to pull that down on account of me,” Trey jokes while his eyes fixate on my legs.

“Back off my girl, Trey.” Brady places his arm across my lap and positions his hand on top of my right thigh, blocking Trey’s view.

“Don’t get all paranoid, Carsen. I was just admiring.” Trey grabs the pitcher and pours himself a beer. He seems just as easygoing as Brady; nothing bothers him.

“Go admire someone else’s girl.” Brady scoots his chair a little closer and pulls the table over our legs.

His tone isn’t the same as it was with Grant, which tells me he isn’t threatened by Trey, like he seems to be with Grant. I can’t shake the feeling that Grant and Brady were close at one time, and I’m curious to know what happened to that relationship.

“So, Gucci, you ready to drink like a real girl?” Rob screams over to me.

My body automatically tenses.

“Girls who dress like you are tonight take shots.”

“Leave her alone, Rob!” Jessa shouts over to him.

But he ignores her and walks up to the bar.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Sadie,” Brady whispers in my ear while he massages my thigh, rubbing his thumb back and forth. His touch reminds me of how much I want him and a relationship with him.

“I have to shut him up once and for all,” I admit.

“Let me settle this. I’ll tell him to go to hell.” Brady stands up to leave the table.

“No, I’ll fight my own battles, Brady. Sit down.” My voice is sterner than I intended it to be.

“Yes, ma’am.” He sits back down and resumes rubbing my thigh. “I like this feisty side of you.” He leans in close, and his nose rubs against my neck as his lips flutter along my skin.

Rob comes back with a round of Jack Daniel shots. Placing the tray down on the table, he passes each one out, positioning one right in front of me.

“Let’s go, princess.” He knocks his glass against mine, and the dark liquid spills over onto the table.

“You can call me Gucci, Chanel, or whatever the hell you want, but not that.” I tip the shot glass back, downing it like it’s water.

When I don’t cough or grab a chaser, he nods his head a few times at me.

“You surprise me, Gucci. You want another?” Rob doesn’t wait for my answer. He just saunters back over to the bar where Trey is now flirting with the bartender.

“Sadie, what are you doing?” Jessa asks quietly from across the table.

“Just wait. I can handle this,” I assure her.

Rob walks back to the table. This time, he has only two shots—one for me and one for him.

“Cheers, Gucci.”

He clinks my drink again, and I down it just as fast as the first. This one goes down even easier, just like old times.

“Nice.”

But he and I both know, nothing has changed our feelings toward one another.

Fifteen minutes later, the shots start to hit my bloodstream. My lips tingle, and my body relaxes. Trey hangs out with the bartender, and Dex is at a table of giggling girls who seem to be counting his abs. That leaves the four of us—me, Brady, Jessa, and Rob.

After the showdown of drinks and name-callings, Rob has shut his mouth and is paying more attention to Jessa. They’re wrapped tightly around each other, engrossed in their own private conversation. I still think Rob is an asshole, but the way Jessa’s face lights up when he’s around forces me to have the tiniest of soft spots for him.

Brady’s hand hasn’t stopped caressing my leg all night, and suddenly, all I can concentrate on is his thumb making slow, gentle circles on my thigh, burning into me like the smoldering embers of a fire. His fingers inch further up to the hem of my skirt, skimming just underneath it. My breath hitches in my throat, and I stretch my arm out, massaging the back of his neck, letting my fingers play with his soft brown hair.

He inches his chair closer, so we are hip-to-hip and thigh-to-thigh. His lips graze along my neck. “I want you so bad right now,” he whispers, sending chills up my back.

“And…I want you,” I whisper in return.

As though I granted him permission, Brady’s fingers maneuver their way between my legs and then along the outside of my panties. My heart races, and I’m barely breathing with the anticipation of his fingers finding their destination.

My eyes close automatically with the slightest brush of his fingers on the edge of my silk panties. His fingers tease me for a few minutes before he pushes the fabric to the side, allowing his fingers to slip between me, revealing how wet he makes me.

He leans toward me, his lips pressing against mine in order to absorb my moan, as he plunges two fingers into me. Unable to think of a single other thing, I place my hand on his shoulder, begging him to keep his hand in place. Our tongues explore every part of each other, and Brady’s lips match the aggressiveness of his fingers forcing themselves in and out of me. Right when I’m ready to combust, his thumb finds my clit. As he rubs the nub in small circles, I release the buildup that Brady instilled. Unfortunately, it does nothing to fully satisfy me. My body begs my brain to allow him to take me.

Thankfully, the music has gotten louder, and more people have found their way into the small bar, so people most likely assume we are just making out. To me, it’s him and me, and no one else is in the room, but when his fingers leave me, emptiness follows.

When he pulls his lips off mine, the smirk across Brady’s face makes me grin back, turning a slight shade of pink.

“That was the hottest thing I’ve ever witnessed,” he whispers so that no one else can hear him.

I slowly nod my head, agreeing with Brady, when Rob’s obnoxious voice rings loud. I roll my eyes, and Brady laughs.

“Hey, Frat Boy and Joan Jett. Break it up. Another round.” He places two more shots in front of us.

Brady pushes them back to him, and Rob pushes one to me in return.

“Weak, Frat Boy. You take his shot, JJ.”

I look at the dark liquid in the two shots. Taking one in hand, I bring it to my mouth. The smell nauseates me now. All I want to do is go home with Brady and have him burn through me instead of this alcohol, but I’m not about to step away and lose my footing with Rob. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol giving me that courage I saw Theo get too many times, but I’ve had enough of Rob’s mouth, and it’s time I shut him up.

“All right, so if I down these two shots, no more name-calling. This will be our truce. I’m sick of it, Rob. I know you perceive me one way, but that’s not me…at least not anymore.” I lean over the table and stare right in his eyes.

“Okay…truce. I still think you are going to break my boy’s heart when your daddy finds out, but if you down those two shots, I promise never to call you princess, Gucci, or any other goddamn names. On one condition though.” He puts up his finger. “No throwing up. You throw up, and the bet is off.” He takes Jessa’s shot from her. “We do them together,” he finishes spouting his terms as he raises his shot glass to me.

I glance over at Brady, who is all smiles, probably hoping the drama ends between Rob and me. I stare right at Brady as I tip the glass to my lips and down the shot with the hope that he knows I’m doing this for him. If it’s going to work between us, I want his friends to like me—that is, without Jessa’s influence on Rob.

“One down, Guc—Sadie,” Rob stammers, stopping himself.

That might be the first time I’ve heard my name cross his lips.

Picking up his second shot, he holds it out for us to clink glasses. Jessa smiles up at us as our glasses knock together. I let the alcohol run down my throat, happily not feeling the burn any longer.

“Done.” I slam my glass down on the table. “We’ll see you all later.”

I grab Brady’s hand and yank him up from the seat. His eyebrows scrunch together in confusion, but he slowly follows me away from the table.

“Remember, my room is right next door. When I get home, I don’t want to hear any, Oh God, Sadie, or, Fuck me, Brady.” Rob’s voice bellows throughout the bar, but we ignore him.

When I push the door of the bar open, I notice the night has turned cold. The streets are emptier, but there are still fellow partiers stumbling down sidewalks. Now though, some are throwing up on curbsides and practically having sex on park benches.

“Where are we going?” Brady stops us just outside, sheltering me against the brick wall.

His question could either be our relationship as a whole or just tonight, and I’m not sure which answer to provide first.

“Back to your place.” I attempt to give him my best flirtatious eyes.

“Sadie, you have no idea how bad I want to sleep with you, especially after what just happened in there. I’m still coming down from that, but you’ve been drinking, and when we have our first time together, I don’t want anything between us. I have to know every moan is pure ecstasy from you feeling me. When you scream my name, I want you to be completely sober.” Brady leans in, briefly kissing me before backing away. “I still want you in my bed tonight. I want to wrap my arms around you, hold you close to my chest, and feel your heartbeat against mine.”

My knees go weak, but Brady holds me firm, not allowing me to collapse onto the sidewalk.

“Come on, let’s go.” Intertwining our fingers, he leads me down the road toward his car.

The walk takes forever, and my body resembles a pinball between Brady and every object on my right, bouncing back and forth. I don’t remember the walk taking this long before, and the farther we go, the more tired I become. My feet hurt, and these boots are too heavy. I pull my hand out of Brady’s and take a seat on the curb, leaning against a wrought iron trash can. My eyes droop, and I can’t fight it any longer. I have to sleep.

Big arms pick me up, and I nuzzle my head in his neck. That light scent of his cologne and the feel of his crisp linen shirt tell me I’m safe. My arm stretches over his broad shoulder, and my hand rests on his neckline, touching his hair.

He always takes care of me. He’s forever my protector.

“I love you, Theo,” I mumble before everything goes black.