Music thumped through the thin walls of the townhouse. Even though the party was thrown by residents several doors down, ultimately, the place didn’t support the sheer number of people who showed up. The party had already spilled into the courtyard when I finally turned away from a paper due the following week and headed outside with Gavin.

“Tell me again what happened with the brunette?”

Gavin gave me an exasperated look. “I didn’t tell you the first time.”

“And that’s what puzzles me, mate. You tell all. Why not with this one?”

Before I could jab at him some more, there was Pink. My breath hitched. She stood with her friend sporting a shy smile. I still hadn’t gotten either of the girls’ names.

I didn’t want Gavin using me as conversation filler if he was into the brunette. So I hadn’t asked him any questions about Pink, pretending as though I was only half interested, and teasing him the other half of the time.

“I’ll be right back,” Gavin said, holding up a hand and heading toward them. I’d passed on the brunette’s message from that morning and they’d talked a while at the Great Race earlier. Apparently he’d decided to act on it.

Moonlight bathed Pink, only adding to her beauty. To keep myself from staring, I turned in the opposite direction and found myself very thirsty. With just one look, Pink had made my mouth extremely dry.

Inside, I grabbed a beer from the open cooler. I perched against a wall in my usual way, content just to watch. Time passed with a couple of girls stopping to talk in convenient intervals. I smiled, laughed, and gave them a noncommittal see you later as they were eventually whisked away by friends. I’d always played my cards right and never promised more than a hookup. And so far, it had worked out. Until her.

Pink walked through the door and stole my attention. Immediately, I was glued to her movements.

As if tethered, I headed for my quarry. A curtain of her hair hung loose on one side while the other was tucked behind an ear as she talked to her boat race teammates. I longed to run my fingers along her jaw and to brush the rest of her hair behind her ear to get an unobstructed view of her beautiful face.

Tonight, her lips were cherry red and begged to be kissed. She wore a sundress in yellow that again didn’t cling to her, but wasn’t sack-like either. Her eyes glanced up and met mine for a second before she ducked under an archway into another room. As much as I wanted to follow her, she’d turned me down twice and that should have been enough for me.

Gavin stumbled out of a room with the brunette at his heels. Along with swollen lips, her hair looked like she’d just woken up. Had I not seen her before Gavin had gone to speak to her, I might have assumed she’d shown up that way.

“Do you mind walking—” he was cut off when Pink came out of another doorway, “—her back to her dorm?” He pointed at Pink, but I knew Gavin. He was playing wingman.

Pink glared at him and pronounced, “I’m fine, I can get myself back to the dorm. I don’t need a babysitter.”

She stormed off and Gavin shrugged before the brunette stalked after her friend.

“Dude, what is it with that chick?” He chuckled. “She’s got a hard-on for you.”

“I think it’s just the opposite.”

“Does that mean you’re giving up?”

I didn’t get a chance to answer when the brunette came back.

“I have to go,” she said, eyes full of regret.

Gavin turned to me. “Bro, walk her friend home.”

His eyes spoke volumes as they grew large and begged.

“Fine.”

They both smiled at me before I headed for the door, stepping outside, needing air. The music was louder out there. Someone had set up portable speakers. I caught sight of Pink as she stood watching some people dance. The music changed and a catchy beat took hold of her hips, and she started to sway. Her movements were sexy as fuck and I found myself heading toward her.

When I reached her, I dared to put my hands on either side of her hips from behind, and the damnedest thing happened. She didn’t stop me. As the beat continued on, I tugged her closer to me.

“Are you going to tell me your name?”

At the sound of my voice, she stilled, whirling around, and pulled free from my grasp. Sometimes, I didn’t know when to keep my mouth shut.

“Why do you care what my name is?”

I held up my hands in surrender. And was that what I was doing?

“Can’t a guy ask what a pretty girl’s name is?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that all you look for?”

“No, that’s step one. The second step is to find out what’s in your mind. Though I have a pretty good idea that brain of yours works overtime.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “Why would you think that?”

I had to admit her snappy responses intrigued me more. This wasn’t a girl at all interested in how I looked.

“Your team put together a winning boat in hours. It didn’t sink like others. That takes skill. I should employ you guys to build me a boat.”

Something changed. The go fuck yourself expression disappeared in favor of fascination.

“You sail?”

“I sail, scull. But for the school, I’m on the rowing team.” So was Gavin, but I didn’t tell her that.

Right before my eyes, I watched her build a wall between us. But there had been something.

“I should go.”

“About that, I promised your friend and mine I’d see you home safe.”

Her gaze soared upward before landing back on me.

“As I said before, I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I’m sure you don’t. Cut me a break so I don’t go back on my word.”

She took a minute. “Fine.”

She stormed off, leaving me to trail behind her. The girl was skittish; probably some asshole had broken her heart and she’d sworn off men.

When I caught up to her, I asked, “Is there a reason that you’ve hated me from the very first time we met?”

“Hate? I don’t care enough about you to hate you.”

“Ouch.”

She stopped and turned to face me.

“Okay, that was wrong. It’s just I know your type and I don’t want to waste either of our time. I’m not interested in hooking up.”

“Who said I was?”

Though as I stared at her, I had a deep-seeded need to be inside her. She looked like a woman who wouldn’t just lie still in bed.

“Persistence, a quality I can admire. But let me put it this way. My schedule is full and it doesn’t include guys.”

“Are you into girls?”

She sighed like she’s had to answer the question a lot. “No. But right now, my only relationship is with books, not boys.”

“Fair enough.”

She tilted her head to the side as if she expected me to put up more of a fight. Though I wasn’t admitting defeat, there was a time and place for every battle. She wasn’t quite ready for more of my charm.

Her dorm wasn’t far from the townhouses so our walk to the place across from the football field was short.

She stopped in front of one of the small two-story structures. Having lived there the year before, I knew it housed four apartment dorms, two on each level.

“Thanks for walking me home,” she said with a smile.

There was that.

I held out my hand. “I’m Tade.”

She shook it. “Cade?”

“Close, but it’s Tade.” I waited a second for her to reciprocate. “You’re not going to tell me your name?”

“I don’t see the point.”

Two could play that game.

“Fine,” I said, feeling the smirk on my face. “I’ll call you Biscuit.”

“Biscuit?”

“You’re small and savory.” Which was true. The top of her head barely reached my shoulder.

“Savory?” She shook her head. “What you are really saying is that I’m sweet, sour, bitter and salty all rolled into one?”

“That’s not at all what I was thinking.”

I took her hand, and when she didn’t pull away, I brought her knuckles to my lips. I placed a kiss there before bidding her a good night.

To my surprise, she smiled. “And who will make sure you get home safe?”

I gave her my best winning grin. “Give me your number and I’ll let you know when I get there so you can sleep better.”

She laughed and it was a good one.

“I bet you sweet talk all the girls.”

“I’m only interested in one.”

Smiling, I gave her the two-finger salute and bid her goodnight.