The Checklist (Explicit Version)

Chapter 1

"You didn't drive here, right?" He cracked a smile when I laughed at his question. Hardly anyone owns a car here. Everything was walking distance if you lived in the area. And most students did. "Just checking."

When his gaze flickered to the seat next to me, his expression flattened and scurried to make my drink. Before his back turned to me, I saw his eyes flare in surprise and nervousness.

Pursing my lip, I glanced to my side and didn't hide my surprise when I saw who filled the seat while I was distracted. And he was huge.

The newcomer was almost freakishly tall, despite sitting on the stool. The muscles in his biceps were bulging in his black turtleneck. Enough that I was sure my hands wouldn't be able to meet if I reached out and cupped it. He looked like someone who owned tattoos, and when my focus drifted to his hands and saw ink exposed on his wrist, I knew I was right.

Finally, my hazy gaze lifted to his face, and this time, I felt the wind get knocked out from me because this man was gorgeous. Dangerously beautiful. And not in the way I was familiar with.

The men I surrounded myself with were soft and lean, with a kind smile and matching eyes. To say this man was the opposite was putting it gently.

His skin had a golden tan despite us being in the middle of winter, and his hair... I was surprised to like it so much. It was nearly black and appeared to be shoulder length, but I couldn't tell for sure because it was in a bun. But his eyes were what got my cheeks burning red.

They were small and downturned but was big enough for me to catch fragments of green. He had hazel eyes, and his lashes were so dark, so curled. It made me instantly jealous before realizing his eyes looked fresh out from a Disney movie.

The thought made me scowl. No thinking of Disney princes' today, Thea.

My focus fell to his chiselled jaw and even stubble before glancing to his full mouth. The last thing I saw was his jaw clenching before he twisted his stool away from me. My mouth opened to strike conversation when a double shot slid in front of me.

I gave the bartender a big grin before drinking the vodka all in one gulp. "Thank you very much."

His smile was faint before he concentrated on the mountain of a man next to me. "You want anything man?"

Next to me, he said gruffly, "Whisky. Neat."

Once again, I was surprised to feel fluttery from the roughness of his voice. He sounded mature. Like a man. Definitely different than the people at my university. Different than him. The cheating mother fucker...

"Why do men cheat?"

It took a second to realize I was the one to ask that question. I didn't know who I was asking, but the man next to me stiffened, so I swivelled my stool and caught his empty stare.

He watched me silently, so I took the chance to explain, "Disney men don't cheat. Actually, maybe they would, huh? I'm sure after the credits roll, they're off to find another doe-eyed girl who can fall for their charms. Maybe the good ones aren't so good after all."

I snorted at my own analogy. "Cheating is cowardly. Especially when you've been in a two-year relationship. You want out, talk. Right? I'm not insane to think that?" Laughing forcefully, I pushed my long hair away from my face. "I need a guy's opinion on this. So please enlighten me."

Again, the stranger watched me, but something different flickered in his blank gaze. Something close to interest, before it disappeared entirely.

"I wouldn't know," his chest rumbled as he spoke, "I never cheated."