“Forgetting something?” his voice came from behind me.
“No?” I froze.
His hands were on my shoulders. Slowly, he turned me to face him and handed the map and my packet to me. “There you go. Remember what I said, no walking alone at night and smile wide.”
“I’ll try.”
“Don’t try.” His grip tightened on the packet. “Be smart. Walk in pairs. Use the buddy system. Don’t drink things that smell funny—”
“And don’t go into guy’s rooms alone, even if he is an RA.”
His smile fell. “Touché.”
I jerked my packet free from his hands and walked out.
“Use the elevator!” he called after me.
So that was how he did it. Bastard. I looked up. Sure enough there was a sign that pointed to the elevator. I went to press the down button and refused to look back, even though I knew his door was open and he was still staring at me.
Chapter Four
Embarrass myself in front of the hottest guy on the planet? Check.
Kiersten
“Where were you?” Lisa sounded outraged at my absence as she threw up her hands in surrender. “I looked everywhere! And Gabe couldn’t find you either!”
“Gabe?” I walked into the room.
Lisa pointed to the couch. “Gabe.”
“I’m Gabe.” A guy with dark hair that fell to his chin lifted his hand into the air in a wave. He had a nose ring and so many tattoos lining his arms that I thought I was going to have a seizure from all the moving parts.
“Hey.” I waved back. “Nice to meet you. And how was Gabe looking for me if he doesn’t know who I am?”
“Facebook.” Lisa shrugged. “I stalked you, pulled up your picture, pushed it into his face and—”
“Yelled,” Gabe interrupted. “She yelled. A bit of an exaggerator that one. She had it in her mind that you got kidnapped.”
“Sort of did,” I grumbled.
“What!” Lisa shrieked.
“Are you on drugs?” I leaned in to examine her eyes.
“Coffee,” Gabe offered. “She’s had enough to kill a person.”
“Who took you!” Lisa grabbed my arms.
“Me,” a voice said from the door. Aw crap, did he have a tracking device on me or something?
Lisa’s mouth dropped open. It looked like she was going to pass out. Even Gabe looked stunned. Okay, right, Weston was hot, but not hot enough to render both sexes speechless.
I turned on my heel. “What do you want?”
“Ooh, touchy. I like.” He gave a sloppy grin. “You left your purse.” He handed me my black Dooney and Burke. “I didn’t look through it, just so you know.”
Well, I hadn’t even thought about that possibility. My pills were in there. He’d probably label me a freak if he saw them. What kind of person needed meds to deal with her life? I did. I just wish I didn’t have to take them.
“Uh, thanks.” I tried dismissing him. Instead he looked around the room, his eyes seeming to focus on every single detail from the paint to the carpet, and then finally, he stepped back out into the hallway. “Oh!” He held up his hand. “I almost forgot.”
Weston pulled a sharpie from his pocket and snatched my hand before I was able to put it back into my pocket. With swift movements he wrote a phone number onto my palm and blew across it until it dried.
I felt that breeze all the way down to my toes. I think I may have swayed on my feet too, but I couldn’t be certain because I blacked out for a few seconds.
“There.” He lifted his head and looked into my eyes. “Just in case the lamb can’t find her way home.”
“Cute.”
“Thank you.” He winked and walked out the door.
The room fell silent. I shrugged and turned to face Lisa. Her mouth was open, she looked alive, but nothing was coming out of her except for a slight moan. Was she having a stroke?
Gabe jumped up from the couch and went to slam the door closed
“Shit!” Gabe clapped his hands and swore again. “Outside of football games and class, I’ve never seen him. I mean, he doesn’t talk to people. He never leaves his entourage!”
“Entourage?” The only experience I’d had with that particular word was watching the show on my computer. Did that mean he had lots of people around him all the time? Weird, because when I was with him he was alone “He’s our RA.”
“SHUT UP!” Lisa looked faint. “Oh, I need to sit, I need to sit. Gabe bring a fan, I think I’m going to pass out.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “Good to know how I compare to the god.”
“You aren’t even in the same atmosphere as Weston Michels.”
Michels? Why did that last name sound familiar?
“Thanks, cousin.”
“Anytime.”
“Cousin?” I asked.
“Oh right, Gabe’s my cousin.” She waved me off and started doing breathing exercises.
Well, at least she wasn’t already bringing strange men back to our room. Gabe took a seat next to her, his grin wide.
“Okay, what am I missing?” I sat on the couch and leaned forward. “Is this Weston guy important?”
Gabe let out a laugh and then slapped his leg. “You’re shitting me right? Where have you been living?”
“Bickelton.”
“Huh?” He leaned in as if to examine me. I was speaking English right?