The Girl Next Door
The Boy Next Door Chapter 30

Am I really this stupid?

Ugh. Don't answer that. I'm well aware of the answer.

It was foolish to allow myself to get persuaded into this date with Colton.

Persuaded...ha!

I have no resistance when it comes to that guy. All he has to do is lay his hands on me and my brain leaks right out of my ear. It's disheartening.

For the hundredth time today, I pick up my phone and stare at it. I should cancel. That would be the smartest thing to do. Just as I type out a message, there's a knock on the apartment door, and my head snaps up as my belly crashes to my toes. I place my palm against my lower abdomen as if that will keep it in place.

It's too late. He's already here.

I straighten my shoulders. One date. One chance. That's all I agreed to. If he f***s it up in any way, I can walk away with a clear conscious. When my heart clenches at the idea of us really being over, I brush it aside and tell myself that it's for the best. Colton isn't the kind of guy I need in my life. He's just the one I'm attracted to.

For a moment, I force myself to relive the way he broke up with me. The text message that popped up out of nowhere. And then waiting outside his locker room when he refused to take my calls. A dull ache fills me as I remember the ugliness of his words. Come on, girl, you had to know this was a long shot when we got together. It was a gamble. You rolled the dice, and it came up snake eyes. You should be giving me props for remaining faithful this long. As much as I've enjoyed your unicorn p***y, this whole exclusivity thing isn't for me. I wouldn't mind keeping you in my back pocket and having a taste of it every once in a while. No strings attached, of course.

It's the rap of knuckles against wood that knocks me out of those troubling thoughts as I force my feet into motion. When I'm standing in front of the door, I inhale a shaky breath before reaching out and twisting the knob. Even though it's not a surprise to replace Colton standing on the other side of the threshold, my heart skips a beat.

Instead of his normal jeans or athletic shorts and a T-shirt, he's wearing a pale pink polo and chinos that hug his thighs. There's an oversized silver watch wrapped around his left wrist. A sprinkle of hair covers his bare forearms.

My mouth turns cottony as I take him in.

Why does he have to be so damned sexy?

I gulp as a fresh burst of nerves explode inside me. I am in so much trouble. This was a mistake. One I never should have agreed to. Already I know that there's only one way this will end and that's badly.

For me.

No matter what happens, I'm going to get hurt. And I'm nowhere near healed from the last time.

The way his gaze skims over me feels very much like a physical caress. "You look beautiful."

Heat seeps into my cheeks as I glance away. It's difficult to hold his stare. The possessiveness that fills his eyes makes me uncomfortable. "Thanks."

As much as I didn't want to dress with Colton in mind this evening, that's exactly what I found myself doing. Even though it's mid-September and the weather is seasonable, I know the temperature will drop and it will grow chilly. I decided on a thin, loosely knit, cream-colored sweater with three quarter length sleeves and a short red skirt with a white tear drop pattern. I've paired silvery sandals with the outfit. It's a little summer and autumn mixed together. Even though I've only just returned to the States, there's been quite a bit of sun and my skin has turned a nice, tanned hued.

If I was looking for confidence, this outfit gives it to me. Although maybe that approach has backfired because the appreciation is clear in Colton's eyes.

"Let me get my purse and we can go."

"Sounds good."

I give myself a silent pep talk as I grab my purse off the dining room table and return to the entryway. Nothing will happen that I don't want.

Unfortunately, that knowledge isn't as comforting as it should be given the fact that I fold like a cheap house of cards each time he lays hands on me. Thankfully, we'll probably head out to a party. Colton will be swarmed by groupies and I'll be on my own for the duration of the evening. Then I can tell him he had his chance and blew it. I remember all too well what it was like to go out with him. He has a zealous fan club and from what I've witnessed in the weeks since my return, they're as enthusiastic as ever. It's a comforting thought. One that calms the nerves dancing in the pit of my belly.

He steps aside as I stride into the hallway and close the door behind me.

A couple of hours and this will be over with.

As I move toward the elevator, he says, "We're not heading that way."

How's that possible? It's the only way to the exit.

I halt in my tracks before swinging around to face him. "I don't understand." How is he taking me out on a date if we're not leaving the building? It doesn't make sense.

One side of his mouth hitches at the confusion that must be written across my face. "I made dinner at my apartment."

My mouth turns cottony at the idea of being alone with him. "Oh." Well, s**t. This isn't good. "Um...I thought we would hit a party."

Heat fills his eyes, and his voice drops. "I'd rather be alone without any distractions."

I gulp down my growing unease.

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm afraid of.

I shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other before blurting, "I'm not going to have s*x with you."

"It's just dinner, Lys." A chuckle escapes from him. "That's all this is."

It's never just dinner.

Not with Colton.

Not with the way my heart is hammering under my chest.

And Beck won't be there to run interference either. His family is having an anniversary celebration this weekend for his parents. Both he and Mia returned home, albeit separately. Like they would ever travel together? Ha! Not likely. My bestie wasn't looking forward to it. Colton holds out his hand for me to take. "Are you ready?"

Nope! Not at all.

Instead of admitting the truth, I jerk my head into a nod and tentatively place my fingers in his. A sizzle of awareness shoots down my spine as his larger ones close around mine. Why does it have to be this way between us? After everything that happened, why is he still able to affect me like this?

A horde of butterflies erupt in the pit of my belly with every step that brings me closer to his apartment. Any moment, they're going to replace an escape hatch and break loose.

Once the door is opened, he ushers me inside. I pause in the entryway and glance around. The place is dimly lit, but it smells-I cautiously sniff the air-really good. Familiar.

When I realize what it is, I spin toward him. "You ordered chicken parmigiana?"

His smile widens. "Nope, I made it."

My eyes widen. "What?" Since when does Colton cook?

He laughs at my surprise. "Trust me, it wasn't easy. I had Jenna on the phone for an hour, walking me through the steps."

I...have no words.

"Why would you do that?" I whisper, trying to wrap my head around this.

"It's your favorite." He shrugs. "At least it used to be." The question lurks in his eyes.

"It still is," I begrudgingly admit. I love Italian to begin with but chicken parm is my absolute favorite. I've had it at every Italian restaurant I've ever visited. Some have been amazing while others have just been good.

When I continue to stare in puzzlement, he places his hand on the small of my back and propels me gently inside the apartment. Ten steps brings me into the dining room. The set up is exactly the same as ours. Two bedrooms to the left with a bathroom in the middle and a small living room straight ahead. Outside there's a balcony big enough for a cafe-style table or two chairs. The kitchen is to the right with all the essentials, minus a dishwasher, crammed into the tight space. A breakfast bar surveys the living room/dining room combination. While my apartment is decorated and homey with artwork and photographs, the guy's apartment is bare. More utilitarian in nature. It's a place to drop their bags at the end of the night and crash.

"Want a glass of wine?" he asks, interrupting my perusal.

Holy crap. He's offering me wine?

Well, he's certainly pulling out all the stops. It's a little frightening. At least, I'm frightened by it. As much as I shouldn't give in and have a drink, I need something to steady my nerves.

"Go ahead and sit down." He points to the table which is already set with plates and silverware. "Everything is ready."