"Have you talked to Michelle today?" he inquired.
"No, why?"
"We had a little chat last night after I left."
"Really?" she inquired innocently. "About what?"
"She apologized for the way she acted."
"That was nice of her," she said more casually than she felt.
"I suppose."
Sera looked up at him. "You really don't like her, do you?"
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather bomber jacket. "No, I don't."
She wasn't paying any attention to where they were going until she realized they were at the frat house. Trash, empty beer cans, bottles, and plastic cups littered the lawn. The front door was open, and two kegs lay on the sidewalk.
"Looks amazing," she commented dryly.
"The cleanup crew will be by later."
"Cleanup crew?"
"We paid some guys to come by at twelve to clean up the yard and first floor."
"I hope you paid them a lot." She wouldn't like to be the one who had to clean up this mess.
He chuckled and took hold of her hand. Sera almost jerked away as a bolt of electricity sizzled through her. "Are you going to come in?"
She stared at the trashed house as she tried to calm her racing heart. Just moments ago she wanted to get away from him; now, she would like nothing more than to go in there with him. "I don't know if I should."
"You won't get into trouble. Girls are allowed in here," he teased.
"That's not it."
"Then what is it?" he inquired.
She chewed on her bottom lip as she turned to look at him. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew he was staring intently at her. "I don't think I can control myself around you," she blurted before she could stop herself. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she hated herself for saying them and wished she could kick herself in the ass.
He gently took hold of her arm. "Come on; I won't bite."
"Liam, that's not it, I mean... oh, I don't know what I'm saying," she finished lamely.
His hand on her chin soothed her as he lifted her face. The sunglasses rested on top of his head. His eyes were intense, but the tenderness in them touched her and melted some of her reserve.
"I know what you mean, Sera. It will be all right, I promise."
The last of her defenses crumbled at his words, and she followed him into the home. More beer bottles, cups, and piles of garbage littered the floors and stairs. The furniture was scattered around the house, holes dented some of the walls, and the entire place reeked of beer and something even less pleasant she didn't want to identify. She picked her way carefully around the trash, and the guy passed out at the top of the stairs.
At the second floor hallway, the trail of refuse continued to flow. A few people were lying on the floor, but all the doors were firmly closed. They moved around the clutter as he led her to another set of stairs. The stairway was gloomy, but unlike the others it was immaculate, making it obvious the party hadn't been allowed to spread past the second floor. Stepping out of the stairwell on the third floor, he led her to the third door on the right.
She hesitated before stepping inside. A full-size bed was pushed against the right wall with a black comforter spread over it. A small nightstand was next to it with a lamp and an alarm clock perched on top. There was a desk in the corner with a computer and phone. On the other side of the desk was a small green recliner. A small wooden entertainment center sat against the wall by the door with a TV and DVD player on it.
"Have a seat," he told her.
She set her books on his desk and stood next to it; she was a little too nervous to sit down. He smiled at her wryly and walked over to the closet. Opening the door, he knelt in front of a small refrigerator. "Want something to drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
He pulled out a bottle of water and shut the door. He turned to stare at her as he leaned against the door. She began to feel incredibly uncomfortable and foolish. She shouldn't be here. She didn't belong here. And she had no idea what he expected of her. Swallowing heavily, she fully realized the situation she’d put herself in.
She looked toward the door. It was only ten feet away, but it seemed like miles. Would she be able to make it there in time if something happened? Her gaze darted back to him. He was still staring at her, but he was frowning, and his eyes were questioning as they studied her.
He straightened away from the door and walked across the room to sit on the bed. "Do you want to go to a party tonight?" he inquired.
"Where?"
"The Phi Beta house."
Her gaze involuntarily shot back to the door. She swallowed as she forced herself to calm down. He was doing nothing wrong, nothing at all. She was acting like an idiot, and if she didn't stop he was going to notice. The thought mortified her brain into action. "How did you manage to get into the frat house so soon?" she asked in a desperate attempt to distract herself.
He smiled, and she had the distinct impression he knew what she was trying to do. "I was in the same frat at my old college. Before I transferred, I arranged it so I'd be able to move in here right away. Besides, I've known Mike, Jack, and Doug since we were kids."
"Mike's a good guy, not so good at math though."
"He never has
