Stolen Kisses Read online

  “Come on.” Lucky yanks me back.

  “Would you stop?” I grab her by the elbow and whisk her up the stairs before she changes her mind. Lucky drove us over in that beat-up pickup her brother gave her. Not that I’m knocking her ride. If my brother offered to buy me a beat-up anything, I would be the last to protest. Heck, I might kiss the bottom of his filthy sneakers for the divine act of vehicular kindness. “Grant isn’t a douche. There probably isn’t a single douche in the bunch. These are great guys, or Kappa G wouldn’t have anything to do with them.”

  “What about hoochie mamas?” Lucky stifles a laugh as she glances down to my skirt. “I guess we’ll find out if Kappa G wants anything to do with them, or should I say you?”

  Lucky for her, I take the merciless teasing she dishes out with a grain of salt.

  We enter the spacious frat house with its elbow-to-elbow room only, and the heat from the surging bodies makes it feel as if I’m about to melt in my fur-lined boots.

  Once I got back to Cutler Tower, I donned my shortest mini skirt—rolled it up once at the waist for good measure—and pulled on my longest, furriest boots to emulate the look those girls had going this afternoon. I figured if it turned Grant’s head once, it’s bound to work again—at least I’m hoping. I’m more or less a T-shirt and jeans kind of a girl, so this grapefruit flavored lip gloss, the sticky hairspray I doused my head with feels like a cross between playing dress-up and a Halloween costume.

  A crowd of guys adjacent from us erupts into baritone laughter, and I glance that way, only to have my living heart stop beating.

  “That’s him!” I hiss, navigating Lucky off to the opposite end of the room where we have a clear, yet slightly obstructed view of the golden god himself. “That’s him in the middle.” Grant stands flanked with two equally tall, dark-headed guys. Each one is dressed for coital success, with Grant being the most coital-worthy of the bunch, not that I would know anything about that. If Operation Keep-My-Sister-Chaste is the name of Owen’s mission for my vagina, he’s succeeding thus far.

  “Mmm, mmm!” Lucky shakes her head and rubs her belly as if she’s about to shove his entire beefcake into her mouth.

  I knock my shoulder into hers, hard. “Would you stop? What happened to all that I’d-never-let-a-guy-come-between-us crap? And, hey, where the hell’s that garbage bag you threatened to pull over your head?”

  “Stop. They’re all cute. You can have the one in the middle. I’m not choosy.” She gives a coy little wave, and the three of them look this way. Great. I should have known Lucky would make it her goal in life to humiliate me in front of the poor guy. All I need is for Grant to fall hard for Lucky. Honestly, he’s so cute, she’d be ironically lucky to have him. And, sadly, I like her a little too much to stand in the way of her happily ever after. Heck, I’d even cover for the two of them while she takes advantage of him in our room. Suddenly, I have the urge to sock my new best friend.

  “Relax.” She twists me around so that I’m no longer scowling at her or the trio of boys across the room. “I know where your little brain went. I’m not into him. You’re safe.” She gives a little wink. “For now.”

  The music dies down, and Kappa G’s captain, Jenna, is joined in the center of the room with what looks to be her Beta Kappa Phi matchup.

  “Hello and welcome, girls from Kappa G!” The boy by her side hoots so loud my eardrums thump in rhythm.

  Jenna giggles next to him like a smitten schoolgirl, and for all I know, she could be. “Thank you for the warm welcome, boys. Right now, I’d like to ask the incoming Kappa girls to step into the center of the room.”

  Harper is the first to fly into position. Her cute perky ponytail dancing alongside her as if it were vying for its own date or brother as it were.

  Lucky and I exchange glances before following the other girls to the white-hot spotlight. I count off sixteen of us, and suddenly that number feels awkwardly small for whatever it is that Jenna and her matchup have planned for us.

  “Eligible gentlemen of Beta Kappa Phi, please step forward.”

  An equal number of guys steps forward, Grant being one of them, and my heart beats wild and out of control as if the floor just threatened to open up and swallow us whole.

  Lucky gives my arm a tug as she butts up against me. “Ten bucks says they’re going to make us do the wild thing right here in the middle of the room.”

  “Would you shut up?” I hiss with a threat in my eyes that suggests I’ll make her if she doesn’t bother to do it herself. I haven’t found that magical nugget of info to lord over her and get her to adhere to my threats just yet, but I’d be remiss for not trying. Lucky is a loose cannon.

  She tosses up her hands and dances to the fading music just as Jenna woops the room to a quiet buzz once again.

  “To the incoming class of Kappa G! Tonight’s sibling ceremony is geared toward getting you intimately acquainted with Whitney Briggs and Greek life as a whole.”

  Intimately? I raise a brow at Lucky. Now there’s a dirty little detail I can work with.

  Jen continues, “Tonight’s sibling mixer is geared especially for you. This evening, you will receive, and get to know, your official big brother for the very first time!”

  Lucky and I exchange glances once again, and this time nary a sarcastic quip leaves her mouth.

  Jenna’s matchup steps in close. “Gentlemen of Beta Kappa Phi, tonight you will select the girl who will be your little sister for the duration of your stay here at Whitney Briggs and beyond. As a reminder, big brothers are forbidden to engage in crass conversation or enter into a big brother mentorship with perverse intent. You must, first and foremost, keep your sibling bonds chaste—no dating, no kissing, no heading up to the Witch’s Cauldron.” The room breaks out into howls of approval. Judging by the rise of the crowd, the Witch’s Cauldron has more than a few naughty intentions brewing.

  I’m pretty sure I’d like to visit the Witch’s Cauldron with Grant. I give a sly smile his way, and his eyes enlarge as if he heard.

  Lucky leans in. “He’s looking at you.”

  “I know. I bet he’s thinking the same thing I am. No way, no how, does that boy want to be my big brother.”

  Jenna strides between the girls from Kappa G and our potential big brothers. “Mingle and mix—please choose wisely. Compatibility is an integral part of the program. As soon as you’ve paired yourselves, alert either one of us, and we will make it official!”

  Grant waves his hand in the air a moment, and the room stills around him. Heck, every girl in the room has shifted her center of gravity toward his. There’s something supernaturally magnetic about him in general. He’s next-level gorgeous, swoon-worthy gorgeous, Witch’s Cauldron bubbling-in-the-brew gorgeous.

  “I’ve chosen who I want as my little sister.” He sheds that melt-your-heart-right-down-to-your-panties grin my way, and I die a little. An entire swarm of butterflies flutters through me in spasms as if they were on fire. Grant is about to choose a little sister? Clearly, it’s to prove the point that he would never choose me. In fact, this is a clear signal he does choose me and not in any little sisterly way. I’ve got a feeling the Witch’s Cauldron is about to get a little bit hotter later this evening, and that tender part of me is starting to quiver at the thought.

  He nods my way, that sexy smile melting right off his face. “I choose Ava.”

  Grant

  “What?” Ava’s complexion deepens to match her pretty pink lips.

  “See there?” Jenna snaps her fingers through the air. “We’re off to a great start!” Bodies circulate around the room once again, and the music cranks up in volume, but Ava hasn’t moved. Her jaw still hangs to the floor as a crowd passes between us.

  “Cool.” Rush slaps me over the chest, his eyes still very much glued her way. “Taking one for the team, huh? That frees her up for me, buddy, and don’t mind if I do.”

  My blood boils at the thought.

  “Down, boy. I’m her big brot
her, remember?”

  “You might be her self-appointed big bro, but she doesn’t look all that enthused to have gained another family member.” He takes in a breath, expanding his chest like some sexed-up baboon. I’ve known Rush as far back as high school. He’s the same beach rat, with the surfer hair and sunburnt face. His eyes glow an eerie shade because of it, and that usually sucks the girls right in. He’s the one that landed me in this alcohol-soaked frat house to begin with. “Here she comes, and she’s bringing reinforcements.” He tips his head back, unleashing that alley cat grin. If those girls knew he had anything but chaste intentions, they’d run far and fast.

  Lawson squints into the crowd of girls. “Dude, did we just get fucked? I’ve got plenty of sisters at home. It’s not too late for off-campus living, you know.”

  “Nope, fucked is something you’re not getting tonight. At least not by these girls.” I pump a dry smile. I have Lawson in a few classes, but he’s on the team with Rush and me, and one constant from playing basketball all these years is that the team somehow magically turns into family. “Chain it down, would you?”

  Ava strides over with two brunettes in tow, neither of which look half as pissed as she does. Her bookends both latch on to Rush and Lawson with Ava stepping up so close I back up a few notches. Before I know it, she has me backed against the wall. You can see the steam coming from her ears, and she’s downright adorable that way.

  “You’re welcome.” I relax a moment. Not sure why I was tense to begin with. I think it threw me a little to see her walk through that door. It threw me again to see her looking like a supermodel with legs to the ceiling, cherry-stained lips, and that hair. Ava is all body and hair. And those boots. I’m a sucker for a girl in boots. Maybe that’s why… My heart thumps straight down to the pit of my stomach. Hell, I know why I’m attracted to Ava, but what my body wants I can’t give it just yet.

  “What makes you think I’m grateful?” Those dark brows of hers turn into hooks, and I’m sunk. Ava looks every bit the Greek goddess she set out to be. Penelope to my Odysseus, only this is one odyssey I’m not ready for, not even close. It’s clear this vamped-up version of Ava is ready to play hard, not that she looks like she’s played hard often. The first thing that struck me when she sank herself in the seat across from me earlier was that Ava looked every bit the girl next door, a natural beauty—a typical little sister. A drop-dead gorgeous little sister, but I digress, and digressing into beautiful little sister territory is exactly what I don’t plan on doing. I promised myself I’d take it slow when it comes to girls—when it comes to relationships to be exact. Ava isn’t one-night stand material. Not even close.

  After spending the last few years glued to the hip with Darcy, it actually felt good being on my own again. Darcy and I sort of got off on the wrong foot. We started dating a week before Steph died, and then I clung to Darcy like a life raft, not realizing we probably didn’t belong together in the first place. Eventually, we devolved to an amicable friendship. It feels good having Darcy in my life on the friendship side of the fence, but this girl right here, I can tell she’s not looking for a friend.

  “What makes you think you shouldn’t be grateful?” I offer up that cocky bastard grin that’s landed me the attention of any girl I wanted all summer long. Then quick as it came, I sober up again. There’s something about Ava. She’s not some girl I want to run the bases with. She’s too cute and sweet for that. She deserves better. So I’ve done the only thing I could—taken her off the table. “Half the girls here would be grateful to have me as a big brother,” I tease. “I enjoy outdoor fun and long walks on the beach.”

  “You sound like a dog.” Her affect softens, but judging by the way she just folded her arms across her chest lets me know she’s still not buying my loyal Golden Retriever routine. That white fuzzy sweater clinging to her skin takes a dramatic plunge down to her cleavage, affording me just enough of a glimpse to sponsor curiosity. The light scent of her floral perfume offers up a mouthwatering kiss to my senses, and I’m suddenly regretting my choices. “So, you’re my new big brother, huh?” She smirks at the idea as if it outright offends her.

  “One and only.” I rock back on my heels, slightly pleased that I was able to get under her skin, and I’m not sure why. “How are those papers going? I’m a tutor at the essay lab. If you need help, just let me know.”

  “Papers?” Her lips part as she looks as if she’s about to be sick. Ava goes from horrified to mortified in a single bound, and if I didn’t feel like an asshole already, I do now. “Papers.” She offers up a furtive nod while blinking back tears. Ava bats her lashes so fast I can feel the hurricane winds coming my way with the sting of rejection, and I don’t like that I’ve made her feel that way. “I’m good with papers.” She lifts a shoulder between us. “Lucky for you, I’m okay with outdoor sports and long walks on the beach.” She says that last part with the beginnings of a devilish smile, and something tells me my effort to stave her off is about to backfire spectacularly.

  Just the thought of Ava in a skintight, teeny bikini has my blood pumping in all the wrong places. This is precisely why it was a brilliant idea to remove Ava from the short list of contenders—I’m not up for contenders this year, this semester anyway.

  The music picks up in both pace and volume. The cackles from the sorority girls grow wild as the voices and chants of my frat brothers fill in the gaps. It’s a clusterfuck of sight and sound, but the only thing I can see or hear is this girl right here.

  I lean in, and her shoulder grazes my chest, leaving a white-hot pang of wanting in its wake.

  “So, what do you want to do first?” I try not to linger on her eyes. They’re a blue-gray combination that’s lethal if you linger too long.

  “First?” Ava huffs a laugh, that pissed-off expression popping right back to her face.

  “What’s this?” a deep voice booms from above.

  We both glance up to find Rush and Lawson with the two girls Ava strolled in with.

  Rush nods to me. “You two making plans for noogie night? Or are noogies far too salacious for this brother-sister combo?”

  The shorter brunette by Lawson’s side laughs up a storm. “Ava prefers wedgies. I should know, I’m stuck looking at her murphies night and day. I’m Lucky.” She offers up her hand, and I shake it, cold to the touch but assertive. “Ava has the privilege of rooming with me at Cutler Tower. So if you want to stalk, talk, or lick your baby sister, we’re third floor last room on the right.”

  “Would you stop?” Ava waves her off before pulling in the girl with the long ponytail. This one has a look on her face that says she can take a bite out of you if she wants. “This is my friend Harper—my only friend around here.” She sneers at Lucky, and the three of us laugh.

  “Ava, this is Rush and Lawson,” I offer. “We’re on the basketball team.”

  Rush swoops in and blocks her body with his. “We are the basketball team. And if you ever want to get away from your big brother, just let me know. Believe me, I’ve turned dodging big brothers into an art form.” His hand glides around her waist, low and to the point, before I flick it off and stand shoulder to shoulder with her. Ava grins like a schoolgirl, her eyes set wide and sparkling as she laps up Rush’s offer.

  “Don’t listen to him.” A silent rage brews in me at the thought of Rush trying to put his stale moves on Ava. “He’s studying STDs for his upcoming thesis. He’s got a whole collection in his boxers, so I’d steer clear if I were you.”

  “Dude, do not reference my boxers.” Rush socks my chest with a mock heart stopper. “Besides, I’ve got my little sister here to look after.” He pulls Lucky in and wraps an arm around her shoulders.

  “Get that snake off her.” Lawson tosses Rush’s limb back at him.

  “Dude.” Rush laughs while knocking back the toxic filled red Solo cup in his hand. “I keep my snake in my boxers.”

  Lucky and Harper share a quick laugh, but Ava blushes ten shades deeper. She
looks just as pissed at Rush as she is with me.

  “Lawson is my big bro.” Harper wraps her arm around his. “We’ve already mapped out a plan to dominate the mixers. I’ll be his wingman.” She knocks her shoulder into his chest. “Come on. Let’s make the rounds. I’ve got a few sisters I can introduce you to that will gladly turn your boxers inside out.” The two of them get swallowed up in the crowd before anyone can protest.

  Lucky leans in. “She’s slightly insane. I, however, am totally put together.” She bites down on her lip and winks over at Rush. Something tells me a few cardinal rules might be broken starting tonight. “Relax.” She flattens her hand against his chest. “I’m totally cool with having a big brother. I’ve got a real one, by the way.” She smirks at the thought of him. “He’s mean as shit, and if you so much as wink at me, he’ll rip your arms off and shove them down your throat. He’ll have more interesting places to put your other limbs.”

  “She’s not kidding.” Ava shudders as if she’s witnessed the limb plucking event a time or two.

  “Come on.” Lucky grips Rush by his preppy collar and makes him follow her. “I’ve always wanted to dance with my big brother.” Her laughter trails long after they’re both out of sight.

  Ava glances my way, her anger set to simmer. “You dance?”

  “Nope.” A smile begs to come, but I won’t let it.

  “Didn’t think so.” She makes a face at the crowd before twisting her perfect little frame my way. Her shoulder drops, her neck extends as her lips purse just begging for a kiss. Then, just as quick as she fell into her flirtatious state of mind, she straightens, her face bleaching out as if she’s just come to a horrible realization. “Oh, wait—do you have a girlfriend or something?” She leans in with anticipation, and the hint of her perfume lights up my senses. Inhaling Ava’s scent is far more intoxicating than anything that keg can offer up.