Jax

The mystery girl is no longer a mystery. Raegan Winters.

I knew exactly who she was when she walked in the classroom. Running girl. I didn’t know her name, but she drew my attention like a moth to flame. There was nothing I could do to stop my eyes from following her across the room—untamed blonde hair, wearing the same sweatshirt she had on yesterday. She floated across the room like a cloud drifts through the sky—slow and with intent.

The girl next to me touched my arm, but I didn’t give her the time of day, too captivated with Raegan—someone I didn’t even know.

Everything in me hummed alive when she was near. Something foreign coursed through me, like I’d been abducted by some unknown force that had to know everything about the girl who was unintentionally drawing me in.

I watched as she fell to her chair and nervously played with her blonde hair, twirling the same strand around her finger until class began.

I was able to draw my eyes away from her during the lecture, only stealing glances at her when the professor went off on a tangent. She sat high with her head hung low, and I had the strangest desire to wrap my arm around her shoulders and comfort her.

How did I go almost two months without noticing her?

Truth is, I’ve had my head stuck so far up my own ass, I’m surprised I know what day it is. I’ve been focused on classes and getting laid. I haven’t for one second thought about anyone else.

I did look at the paper our professor had passed out, and a pit settled in my stomach when I saw her last name next to mine. Why couldn’t the professor have picked anyone else? Anyone besides the beautiful creature who has taken me captive.

When Raegan stood in front of me, full of attitude and annoyance, I thought I would push her buttons and see how she reacted. But the truth? I know I’ll get lost in her if given the chance, and right now, I can’t. It’s the reason I don’t want to work with her, so I threw a side of myself at her that I knew would drive her away. Cocky and above everyone else.

Then, I turned my back on her without giving her my number. I knew I was being a dick, but I had to get out of her personal space. The warm vanilla scent emanating from her was intoxicating, and I had to force myself not to groan when the smell wafted up my nostrils. I knew, if I didn’t run, I’d kiss her.

And that was exactly what I did. I ran, blending in with the other students and out of sight.

I’ll let her think I’m an ass, so neither of us does something dumb—like fall for each other.

My phone beeps with a text as I walk down the sidewalk to my next class. I fish it out of my pocket and see Graham’s name flash on my phone.

Graham: Wanna go out tonight?

Just what I need.

Me: Count me in.

I shove my phone back in my pocket and try to forget all about the blonde who has me twisted in a mess from only a few spoken sentences.

“Which one do you want?” Graham asks, motioning with his beer bottle to the two girls eyeing us from across the bar. “I’ll let you pick first since you’re being pissy.”

Neither, I want to tell him, but I don’t.

“The one in the purple,” I say for no other reason than she has long black hair—the opposite of Raegan. Her face has flashed through my mind more times in the last twenty-four hours than I care to admit.

I need the distraction tonight, and I know I can find it with the girl across the room, the one watching me like she wants to eat me alive.

Graham heads toward them, and I follow behind him, ready to forget all about the blonde with a mouth that’s not afraid to say what she’s thinking. The music blasts through the speakers, doing little to quiet my mind.

The crowd parts for Graham, his broad build causing people to step out of his way. If you don’t know him, he might seem a little intimidating. He’s over six feet tall with shoulders wider than a linebacker, but appearances aren’t everything. He’s one of the nicest guys I know. Even his one-night stands would say the same.

I stroll up next to the girl with black hair, dropping my elbows on the table she’s standing at, and appraise her from head to toe. The purple dress she’s wearing complements her olive skin tone, and her legs go on for days, accentuated by a pair of black studded heels.

I wonder if Raegan has a pair of heels like that.

What is wrong with me?

I push the thought out of my mind, forgetting about the feisty blonde.

The right side of my mouth tips up as I meet the girl’s eyes. “I’m Jax. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to tonight?” I ask.

“Jasmine.” She flicks her hair over her shoulder, giving me a view of her long, lean neck and the curve of her breasts.

I smile appreciatively. “How ’bout a dance?” I ask, holding my hand out to her.

She leans in close, her mouth hovering next to my ear. “How about we skip to the end instead?”

My eyes widen, as I’m taken off guard. It’s not every day you meet a girl who wants to cut out the foreplay and move to the finale of the night before it’s even started.

“If that’s what you want,” I say, informing her it’s her call. I’m perfectly fine with playing the part, dancing and drinking before the real fun begins.

Grinning, Jasmine grabs my hand and drags me away from her friend and Graham without a word. I turn to look at him, but he’s in a lip-lock, not paying me any attention, the girl’s hands fisting in his shirt.

I follow behind Jasmine, letting her take charge while I enjoy the ride.

We wind through several halls before she stops at the women’s restroom. She steps inside, hauling me behind her, not caring that two other women are inside. She stands next to them, waiting for them to take the hint and leave, as she grips my hand like she’s afraid I might bolt.

The two women walk toward the door, mumbling under their breath, as they narrow their eyes at me and the girl attached to my hand.

Once we’re alone, Jasmine locks it, and all bets are off the second her mouth crashes into mine.

My hands roam down her body as her mouth unapologetically attacks mine, her tongue snaking between my lips before I’m ready. Her hands wind through my hair, latching on to my head, like she can crawl inside my mouth if she gets close enough.

I don’t know why she’s in such a hurry, but maybe this is the way she likes it—rough and out of control. But there’s wild, and then there’s sloppy. Jasmine is teetering on the line, falling closer to the sloppy side.

I back her into the counter and hoist her body on top, situating her between the two sinks. She hastily undoes the button of my jeans, and my body tenses when she grabs me in her hand, hoping she’s not as untamed with it as she is with my mouth. Her hand moves up and down, squeezing, and I relax, pushing my hips forward, knowing I won’t end up with a fingernail through my dick.

I hike up her dress, shoving it out of the way, noticing she’s not wearing any underwear. She was a woman on a mission tonight. She knew exactly what she was doing when she set her sights on me.

She removes her hand from my pants and pulls down the front of her dress. I appreciatively glance down at her chest as my hand flies to my back pocket to pull out the condom I have for instances just like this. Not that I’m in the habit of screwing girls in restrooms, but I’m always prepared.

After I roll on the condom and wrap her legs around my waist, I fuse my mouth to hers, wishing she smelled of warm vanilla instead of a sweet flower. I groan, mad at myself for thinking of a chick I don’t even know, but Jasmine takes it as a sound of pleasure as her hand moves under my shirt.

I clear my mind, my thoughts slipping away, as I enter Jasmine, feral and all at once.

I move fast, not bothering to take my time because she hasn’t since we stepped foot in the restroom. I unfuse my mouth from hers. I hold her by the back of her head, lightly tugging her hair, as I repeatedly slam into her. Her breasts bounce in my face, and I’m thankful she took her top off, so I can watch the show.

I feel her body convulse around me in no time, so I let go, moving faster than before, searching for my own release. It takes longer than it should, so I close my eyes as my hips swivel into her, and the image of a pesky blonde pops in my head. Her beautiful eyes that shine like the sea and unruly hair that I’d love to sink my hands into. The smell of warm vanilla takes over my senses, and before I know it, I reach my climax, releasing everything I have into a random girl while thoughts of Raegan invade my mind.

My hips slow as the last of my release spills out of me, and I open my eyes to see the wrong girl—olive skin with long black hair. I should feel bad that I pictured another woman while I fucked Jasmine, but I don’t.

I pull out of her and clean up as she rights her dress and jumps off the counter. Once my pants are zipped, she places a chaste kiss on my cheek.

“That was fun. Thanks.” She unlocks the restroom door and walks out without another word.

I’m not sure what just happened, but if I could find a chick like that every time I needed to get laid, I’d be more than willing to go a few rounds with her, knowing she’d up and leave without a fight.

I squint my eyes as I stare at myself in the mirror, and my stomach rolls. I don’t know the exact moment I turned into the guy who used women to escape his own problems, but I pray the girl I would give my life for never finds anyone like me. Because I would kick his ass faster than he could blink.

The door swings open, and three women walk inside. They stare at me with their mouths hanging open and eyes wide as I move around them and out of the restroom.

I head back out to the main dance floor and try not to think about how I got off while I was fantasizing about Raegan.

This really doesn’t bode well for me staying away from her.

As I move through the crowd, I notice Graham leaning on the bar. I maneuver around the mass of people and stop next to him.

“Where’s your girl?” I ask, looking back to the table I left him at before I disappeared.

“Dancing with some guy.” He grunts. “She was the wingwoman.”

“Weren’t you making out with her?” I chuckle.

He huffs, quirking a brow. “All for show, my man.” He takes a gulp of his beer and places the empty bottle on the bar. “I have to hand it to her. She’s a better wingwoman than most guys. How was your night?” He smirks.

“Got what I needed.” But did I really?

“Bet you did.” He claps me on the shoulder. “Ready to head out?”

I nod my head, and we leave the loud club, making the half-mile walk back to our house.

I run a hand over my short brown hair before letting it fall back to my side. I sometimes wonder if I’m putting my best foot forward. If I’m being honest, I don’t think I am. I feel like a fraud, pretending to be a guy I’m not.

I don’t spend enough time with the girl I love more than anything in this world. I screw women I don’t know. I let people think I’m the guy who has it all, but I’m not. This isn’t who I thought I would be nor is it how I thought I would be living my life.

I blow out a long breath and stare up at the night sky.

My mind is even more of a jumbled mess than when I started out this night.