Loving Bad - Loving Bad Series (Sample of Published Book)

Chapter 4 - Part 1

Taylor

I was a little apprehensive as we walked to the party. I was dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans that I'd paired off with a royal blue halter-top that I'd borrowed from Jordan. Black ballets finished off my outfit. Jordan had tried to talk me into heels again, but I'd refused. She was wearing a black miniskirt with a tight, black sleeveless top that showed off her narrow waist and ample cleavage. The night air was a little chilly as we walked to the party. I rubbed my arms, trying to keep the cold away as I walked alongside Jordan.

She'd given me another lecture of dos and don'ts, emphasizing the point not to take a drink from a stranger. I didn't want a repeat of the last time I'd done that, although I couldn't wish away waking up next to a sexy bad-boy who still occupied my thoughts a week later.

It was just after nine when we arrived outside the house where the party was in full swing. There were people talking and drinking outside on the patio, and some were already unsteady on their feet. Jordan nodded her head to greet a couple of them as I followed her into the house. Music blared from the living room where people were dancing. We forced our way through the jostling bodies to the kitchen to get something to drink.

After we got a couple of drinks, we went back to look over the dance floor. My eyes drifted over the crowd as I took a tentative sip of my drink. I cringed as I drank the vile liquid. A guy across the room gave me an appreciative look. The fact that I didn't have a lot of experience with guys didn't mean that I didn't know that I was attractive. I was still getting the hang of dealing with some of the attention I was receiving from boys, so I gave him a forced half smile and let my eyes keep moving over the crowd. A little while later Jordan peered into my empty cup.

"I'll go and get us some more drinks," she said as she took my empty cup and disappeared into the crowd in the direction of the kitchen.

I was swaying to the beat when I felt hands rest gently on my hips and slide around my waist. The hairs on the back of my neck rose in anticipation as I felt warm breath against my ear.

"I didn't expect to see you here," the husky voice whispered against my ear.

I closed my eyes for a moment. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. My body's reaction to him was a telltale sign for me. For a moment, I allowed myself to enjoy the feel of his body against mine and revel it in.

Gently, he released me and turned me around to face him. I tilted my gaze upwards to meet his eyes. His eyes met mine, and I felt a flutter in my stomach as he held me gently with his hands resting lightly on my hips. He smiled, and I felt my knees weaken. His smile turned to a knowing one when he took in my reaction to him. There was no hiding it. He could see the effect he had on me.

"I hope you haven't taken any drinks from strangers tonight," he said as his eyes flickered from my lips back to my eyes.

I bit down on my lip nervously. I felt vulnerable and exposed under his intense gaze. Unable to form words because of the havoc he'd started, I shook my head. His eyes lifted and looked past me.

"I'd better go before your friend gets back," he said. Then he leaned forward, and I felt the air in my lungs lock as his warm breath caressed my cheek.

"I'll see you around, Taylor," he whispered against my ear and I felt a shiver of awareness run through me. I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, he was gone.

I scanned the room quickly, but I couldn't find him. I took a deep breath and let it out. Jordan returned moments later and pushed a drink into my hands.

"Thanks," I mumbled to her absentmindedly as I tried to pull myself together. My heart was still racing in my chest.

"Are you okay?" she asked me as she studied my face.

"Yeah," I replied. I couldn't exactly tell her the truth—that I was turned on by the bad-boy she'd warned me about.

"Are you sure? You look a little flushed," she said as she touched my cheek briefly with the back of her hand.

"I'm fine," I lied. I was so not fine. Sin, with just a few whispered words and a smile, had made me nearly combust with the heat of my hormones raging through my body.

He was lethal.

I spent the next hour trying to forget about Sin. Some guy was trying to chat me up but, as hard as I tried to pay attention to what he was saying, my mind was replaying my moment with Sin over and over again. I bet he knew exactly what he was doing when he was in the bedroom with a girl, and I couldn't help but imagine his naked body against mine, our bodies slick with sweat. A red blush tinged my cheeks at the naughty thought.

The boy who was trying to chat me up cleared his throat, which brought my focus back to him.

"So, do you want to go out sometime?" he asked, his eyes wide and expressive as he waited for my answer.

I was out to enjoy life and live it to the fullest, but spending a night in the company of a guy who couldn't even hold my attention for a short time didn't sound like my idea of fun.

"I'm sorry, I've got too much studying to do," I said, giving him the nicest brush-off I could come up with so quickly.

"Sure, I get it," he mumbled. He looked a little disappointed, so I gave him a smile. He didn't stick around.

My eyes caught sight of Sin. Just the sight of him was enough to make me come alive in ways only he could cause. A stab of jealousy stabbed through me when I noticed he wasn't alone. The girl was blond and pretty. Even though my mind was telling me to look away and ignore him, my eyes remained on the two of them. He leaned down and said something against her ear and she giggled. I watched as he took her by the hand and led her to a darkened corner by the stairs. People were too busy dancing and drinking to notice the two of them, but I couldn't pull my eyes away from them.

Jordan was still dancing next to me. Thankfully, she was too busy flirting with some hot guy to notice who had my attention. Sin leaned forward and kissed the girl. I knew I should look away, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. The girl's arms wrapped around his neck, and he deepened the kiss. I felt a flutter in my stomach at the thought of him doing that to me. I watched as his hand caught her knee when she lifted a leg to wrap around him. His hand slid forward and cupped her butt as they kissed. I was so transfixed by the two of them and what they were doing that it took me a moment to realize that the girl didn't have Sin's undivided attention. His lips were still against hers, but his eyes were on me.

Look away! I told myself, but I couldn't.

He smiled against the girl's lips as his eyes held mine. I felt myself blush at the brazen way I was watching him make out with some random girl. It was Jordan who finally pulled my attention away from him.

"Do you want another drink?" she asked.

"No, I think I'm done for the night," I replied, setting my empty cup on the closest table I could find.

"Okay, then let's leave," she said.

I felt a little bad for cutting her night short. She seemed to be enjoying herself. It wasn't her fault that I couldn't keep my eyes off Sin.

"No, you stay," I insisted. "I can get a taxi back to the dorm."

"I don't mind calling it a night," she insisted.

Just before we turned to leave, I glanced back to Sin and the girl. He was pressed up against her, kissing her. I'd been forgotten, and I couldn't help feeling a little deflated.