This is from California during the truth or dare game.

D R A Y S • P O V

"Truth or dare cheer pear?"

"Truth."

I'm not surprised but I'm marginally disappointed. I'd decided that I couldn't handle it any longer. I needed to kiss Cheer. I needed to feel those soft lips against mine. When I had her trapped against the counter top, her gorgeous face hovering not a few inches from mine, I knew exactly how I could make it happen, because I wasn't ready to come right out and tell her what I wanted. She still hadn't shown me that she wanted me back and until then, I'd play it safe.

She's obviously chosen truth because she assumes I'd dare her too do something wild and outrageous but the truth is, I'm just going to be childish as hell and get her to lay those lips straight on me.

"Playing it safe huh?" I chuckle at the little shrug in her shoulders. I can still work this to my advantage.

"Okay.. what's your sexual weakness. What turns you on more than anything else?"

She rolls her eyes looking lightly amused but it doesn't take her long to take a deep breath and begin to answer. Damn I admire the way that she just takes the situation and rolls with it.

"Well"- she turns her gaze to the piece of thread that's unraveling from the bed spread -"I like being kissed with passion. Like, push me against the wall, hold my neck, tangle your hands in my hair and crush me kind of kissing. I also kind of love having my hair pulled during the actual sex."

Shit.

Holy shit.

Now all I can think about is gripping those blonde locks between my hands. Throwing her against the wall and kissing her like she's never been kissed before. Her long lashes flitter when she glances up and meets me with a small grin and I become all to aware of the hard on that I'm now sporting.

The heat behind her gaze makes it worse. She doesn't break contact, she just stares with those gorgeous dark orbs while my mind continues to picture her in various different positions that would drive her so damn wild.

"Y-yeah. Sounds good." I clear my throat and shift, wanting to stop the blood that rushes to my favourite appendage. "Okay, your turn."

I don't want her to realise that I'm struggling, so I adopt a lazy grin and gesture for her to go ahead and hit me with it. She'd nailed the first dare. Getting me to call reception and request a blow up doll. That was clever. I'd hate to think what else she could come up with.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

That seems to surprise her so she takes a moment or two to think of something. But I feel a little drop in my stomach when her glance meets my sleeve tattoo.

"What's the tattoos meaning?"

Well.. I'm no longer aroused so that's a bonus.

"It's just a tattoo." I lie. "It doesn't have any meaning."

"Really?" She glares with obvious skepticism. "It means nothing? It's just something you liked so you got it tattooed on your skin forever."

"Exactly." I smile and hope that she lets it go. It's not for lack of trust, or not wanting to open up to her. I couldn't bare for her to see me for the failure I see myself as. Not to mention that I'd rather not ruin the evening by bringing up the worst thing that I've ever done. "Alright, my turn."

"Truth or dare." I grin and wiggle my brows at her.

She looks disappointed for a moment. She'd wanted me to tell her, it isn't the first time she'd expressed interest. I feel like an asshole for disappointing her but she shrugs it off and smiles confidently.

"Dare."

Perfect.

"I dare you to kiss me."

"What?" She recoils with alarm but her big round eyes flicker down to my lips and I sure as hell hope that she doesn't back out.

"You heard." I lean in a little closer. "Kiss me."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" I laugh at the mildly mortified expression. "Because it's a dare."

And because I'm dying to have a taste of that gorgeous mouth.

"You're a child!" She pouts, sticking that pink bottom lip out further. It's so plump and begging to be sucked on. Despite the fact that she's hesitating, I can see the more rapid rise and fall in her chest while she lets her gaze sweep me.

I decide to make it a little easier, knowing that she'll continue to argue if she has to move to me. So I get on my hands and knees in one quick movement and lean over her, grinning when she arches back with a surprised expression.

"You don't have too." I assure her while I travel the features of her face, my glance darting between those delectable lips and enchanting eyes. Fucking perfection. "But if you back out, I win."

Man, I don't want to win and I sure hope that she doesn't want me too either.

She seems to be at war with herself, her sights switching between my eyes and mouth with an unreadable expression. It's impossible to tell what she'll do. At this point I'm a mere inch from her face and the tension is beyond thick. The fast breathing from her laboured breaths fan my face and I think that she might back out until a little quirk of a smile briefly lifts the corner of her mouth and she darts forward, pressing our lips together.

It's a feeling that I can't quite describe. I feel as though I've been waiting to kiss her for the longest time and now that it's happening.. it might be the best feeling in the world. Her soft lips mould so well against mine and to hell with settling for chaste, I want more.

So before she can pull away, I remember what she'd said about being kissed. How I'm able to think of anything right now is a miracle. I'm literally lost to her.

My hand winds itself around the back of her neck, tangling in the soft strands of hair and I push our mouths even closer. Much to my relief, she doesn't break apart, she kisses me back, letting me pry her mouth open so that our tongues can meet and wow... I'm hooked. One kiss and I can't believe how damn done I am.

I've kissed a lot of girls but I've never felt a future in those kisses. Behind her lips, I can taste the rest of my life. It's fucking startling to say the least. But I don't let that distract me. I just revel in her wandering hands that seem to be traveling the dips and crevices of my back and arms, leaving a trail of desire behind with the touch of her finger tips.

Her fingers brush through my hair, tugging on it while she moans so softly that I almost don't hear it, but I did and it almost kills me. But when I feel her drop her hands and pull back, I get a grip because the last thing I need to do, is show her how damn wound up she makes me.

"Damn cheer." I grin, unable to stop the shake in my breath. "You're a good kisser."

I sit back down on the other side of the bed and attempt not to look as though I'd just experienced the most life changing kiss I've ever felt. She looks a little flustered, her cheeks a cute pink and her hair ruffled in different directions.

"Yeah- uh so are you." She chuckles nervously.

Cute.

•

The next morning when I wake up, it takes a moment to register that I'm now alone in the hotel bed. It doesn't take long for the rest of my senses to fire up and I hear the shower running. A grin starts to form at the sound of her soft voice singing Anywhere by Rita Ora.

"Over the hills and far away, a million miles from LA. Just anywhere away with you."

"I know we've got to get away. Someplace where no one knows our names, we'll find the start of something new."

"Just take me anywhere, ohhh anywhere. Anywhere away with you. Just take me anywhere ohhh anywhere. Anywhere away with you-o-o!"

Oh and would I. I'd take her anywhere she wanted to go at this point.

Why?

Because watching her discover things she's never seen before is like watching magic. She has so much appreciation for the little details. Like when she sat next to the window of the plane and watched the take off, her eyes lit up and she bounced in her seat, slapping my arm every three seconds to show me something I'd already seen a thousand times. To be honest, I preferred watching her than the sights outside. I think she took my attitude for disinterest. That couldn't be further from the truth. She just didn't know what the object of my interest was.

I stifle a yawn and throw the bed covers back while my mind wanders back to that kiss last night. I won't lie, I wanted more. But I'd settle for kissing her like that any chance I can get.

My cellphone is flashing from the end of the bed so I stand up and pick it up, sitting back down on the edge of the bed but not checking the messages just yet. I'm too deep in thought. I'm driving myself a little crazy because damn I want her so much but the fact that she's moving away is a problem. As much as I don't want it to be. How can we make something of the situation if she wants to keep distance between us?

However, with the way that she'd kissed me back, it'd be easy to let myself believe that she might feel something for me too. She seems a little stubborn though. Like she might fight it.

Like a bright neon light, a thought springs to mind. UCLA isn't that far from here. Which means it isn't that far from her college... I suppose there wouldn't be any harm in checking it out. Dad would never go for it and shit, I'm getting a little ahead of myself but from the feeling her lips gave me, I can't just ignore that. So having a plan in place that would enable some sort of future with her, seems like a good idea.

There's no chance that I'll tell her about it though. She'll think I'm insane.

The phone in my hand bleeps again, snapping me out of the impulsive thoughts that I was lost too. Fuck, I'm a mess.

Graydog.
Yo. Mom knows you're not at Baylor. She ain't happy 😳

She'll live. How'd she find out?

Graydog.
Your credit card statements dude. Lol. Rookie. Are you having a good time anyway?

Man.. I think I love this girl.

Graydog.
Wot

Don't ask me. I don't even know. She's just... there's something about her. No wait.. it's not something about her. It is her. I just know bro.

Graydog.
..... yeah that makes sense. Cool tho.

I'm gonna check out UCLA while we're here.

Graydog.
Dude. Leroy will lose it.

I don't give a fuck. Dallas just got out of the bathroom. We're off to Valencia. Talk later.
P.s don't tell Spencer what I said. I'll throat punch you.

Graydog.
Later. Chill. I won't tell.

"Everything okay?" Dallas asks, shuffling through her duffle. I stand up and throw my cellphone on the bed, taking a moment to stretch out my fatigued limbs.

"Yeah. Mom's just flipping out because she saw my credit card statement saying that I'm in California and not Dallas where I said I was going."

Damn, I wanna be in Dallas though. I sure do.

• • •

"You're supposed to be my wingman tonight, Dray!" Dallas shouts, stepping back each time that I step forward. "You're doing a shit job. The point is to find me someone. Not scare them off!"

I fucking love it when she's mad. When she gets wound up and let's me have it. She's the image of perfection. Her silk shorts, her tight tank and those blonde curls that I want to wrap around my fingers.

"Do you honestly think any of them can make you feel the way I can?" My hands reach out and grip her waist, spinning her around and pulling her back into me. She doesn't resist and I'm fucking glad. "Do you think they know what makes you feel good?"

My hands move over her body. My fingertips tracing her figure. Sure, I know what makes her feel good because she told me. But there's a reason that she told me. She trusts me and perhaps, she wants me to use that information.

"Do you think they know that you like this?" My hand finds its way into her hair, gripping a fistful so that I can tug on it while my other hand travels the smooth skin of her thigh. I'm sporting a major fucking boner right now because having her breathless while I pull on her perfect locks is so hot that I can barely contain myself.

"I know what you like, Dallas." I whisper her name, getting a taste of her skin as my mouth grazes under her ear. She lets out a soft moan and like a reflex to her pleasure, my hand pulls harder. With my free hand, I grip her wrists and put them above her head, crushing her harder against the wall. Her plump ass pushes back against my crotch and I close my eyes for a minute, feeling everything that this goddess has to offer.

"None of them can make you feel this way, cheer." I spin her around, slamming her against the wall hard enough that she gasps with pleasure, but not so hard that it hurts. But damn, she likes it rough. The euphoria in her gaze is evidence of that.

"Kiss me." She mumbles, her breathing rapid and uncontrolled. And damn do I plan to. If she wants it, then I'll give it to her. Because I sure as hell want it too.

I lean forward, storing the expression on her face to memory. Her lust, the hooded gaze, the desire.

I'm about to lean in and meet those soft lips when I get a whiff of her alcohol tainted breath. It's like a cold bucket of water to the face. She's drunk. Of course she is. I should have realised it the moment that she asked me to kiss her. Dallas is more demanding. She doesn't beg. She takes what she wants and so as much as it sucks and despite the fact that I'm wound up and my boner is so damn big that the thought of not relieving it, hurts. I step back, dying inside at the disappointment in her gaze when she realises that I'm not going to kiss her.

"Not tonight, cheer." I mumble, my heart thumping with regret for making her think that I wound her up on purpose. "Not tonight."

~

"You're fucked Dallas. I'm taking you back to the hotel!"

"Nooooooo." She slurs, leaning against the kitchen counter top. Her silk shorts offer no grip so she slowly starts to slide sideways and is about point three seconds from landing in a heap on the sticky floor.

I reach out and catch her by the waist, needing a bit of reflex because her body goes limp and she's not doing a damn thing to help herself.

"I don't wanna leave!" She shouts with her eyes half closed, flopping about in my arms while I try to keep her steady on her feet.

This is probably my fault. After I'd got her wound up and almost kissed her again, she'd taken to downing a ridiculous amount of alcohol and attempting to ignore me. She couldn't create too much distance though. She's delusional if she thinks I'd leave her alone at a party like this.

"Come on. We're going." I hold her under the armpits and try to keep her on her feet, but it's no use, she just smiles and then falls forward, her face crashing against my chest before she slowly starts to slide downwards.

"Fine then. Have it your way."

I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder. Her protests are weaker than I'd expected which just goes to show how drunk she is. She hates it when I handle her.

"Everything algood?" Some dude asks. I think this might be his house from the way he's been buzzing around and keeping an eye on as much as he can.

"Yeah, just too much to drink." I roll my eyes and notice that his are on her ass which is a little exposed because her shorts have ridden up. I push past him and start dialling for a cab, deciding that we'll just wait on the street, where she can't embarrass herself anymore.

"Draaaaaay." She mumbles, lightly slapping my ass with both hands. "What are we doing?"

"Taking you back to the hotel."

"Are we gonna have sex?"

"What the fuck. No."

"Ouch."

"Call me old fashioned," I lift her waist and set her on her feet, still holding her up so that she doesn't end up in a heap on the grass. "I prefer to sleep with girls who are conscious and know what day it is."

"We could though. I'd be okay with that. You're hot. Like a bit of a dick. But still hot."

I some how manage to find her dark eyes underneath the smeared make up and frazzled hair. They're barely open and definitely not able to focus properly, but they're still beautiful. She has no idea how much I wish I could fulfil her request. But hell no. I'd never take advantage of her like that. She'd be upset in the morning. When and if it ever happens, she'll know how I feel, she'll want it too and it'll be perfect.

Last nights shit show continues to fuck with me while I walk the UCLA campus. There is so much that both of us could have done better. But fuck it. What's done is done. This morning she'd returned to the hostile little babe that I adore. I'd take her over the drunk, begging girl she turned into last night, any day.

I don't like that Cooper asshole. I really fûcking don't. And the last thing I wanted to do was let her go to that campus tour alone. Knowing that they'd be spending time together and getting closer made me fûcking wild. Which is unfair. At least he seems forward with his approach. I can't even fess up that I'm kind of falling in love with her.

But I let her go it alone because it gave me a chance to check out UCLA which is a pretty incredible looking college. I've seen a lot in the short time that I've been here and I don't see why I shouldn't consider this as an option. Especially if I'm offered a scholarship by a scout.

My phone starts to ring and I know the tune immediately.

Mom.

I stop in the courtyard I'd been crossing and move onto a bench seat that's offered shelter by a few large trees. My sights stay set on the people shuffling through the space while I retrieve my cellphone from my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Drayton.. darling." There's that tone. She's biting back an onslaught of threats. "What are you doing?"

"Just touring UCLA Mom. How about you?" Casual and noncommittal. Seems like a good approach.

"What the hell!?" Dads voice suddenly comes booming through the speaker.

"Why?" Mom interjects before I can piss off the old man even more.

"Because I've decided to keep my options open."

"Get your ass home... please." Dad seethes through the phone and I almost want to chew Mom out for the ambush. Bîtch.

"I'll be home in a couple of days."

"No Drayton. Today."

"Tomorrow. I promised someone I'd take them to Hollywood."

"Who?" Mom chimes in.

As if she's getting any answers now. Trust, broken!

"Oh shit, I gotta go. There's a live rendition of high school musical unfolding right before my eyes!"

I hang up the phone and control the urge to throw it across the concrete courtyard. That'd possibly result in hurting some innocent. So instead I switch it off and slide it into my pocket, leaning back into the bench seat with a huff.

I'm kidding myself if I think I have any hope of attending this school. Dad is a fucking dictator and what he wants, he gets. Perhaps it's best if I let Dallas do what she wants when it comes to this thing with Cooper. He'd be a better fit for her. He'd be there for her when she starts next year.

Perhaps if I give her his number she'll tell me that he isn't the one that she wants and she'll say something miraculous like, she wants me instead. Then I'd have a reason to fight Dad on going to Baylor. Fuck I don't know. It's all so damn confusing and this love shit has me fucked up. I don't know what to do.. I really don't.

• • •