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Consolation Prize 1. Colton
I’m pretty sure I didn’t meet you just for nothing. —UnknownDamn, I loved wedding receptions.Parties must’ve been in my blood because I seemed to flourish at them. There was just something about the noise and energy and hint of wild abandon that got my engines revving. And no better place could I make a spectacle of myself, projecting the image I wanted everyone to see, than in a busy, crowded room like this.Oh, the things you could hide behind a loud, boisterous personality at a loud, boisterous party were truly amazing.“I know what you’re all thinking,” I drawled into the microphone I carried as I meandered back and forth behind the wedding party’s table to address the crowd. “Why the hell did a specimen as lovely as Sarah Arnosta settle for my loser of a big brother when she could’ve had all this, right?”As I splayed a hand down the side of my tux jacket, motioning to myself, my brother Brandt twisted in his seat to punch at me, muttering curses as he swung. But I only chu
Consolation Prize 2. Julianna
Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us. —UnknownI shouldn’t be here.I had been telling myself variations of that very sentiment all day, starting with I shouldn’t go as I’d dressed for the wedding all the way to What the hell am I doing? as I’d entered the church. And here I was now, still filled with a torturous regret as I sat alone at a round table during the reception and watched a bunch of white people trying to dance to the “Cha Cha Slide.”That was just plain painful all by itself.Except for the groom. He looked adorable attempting to perfect the Charlie Brown. I could tell he was only on the dance floor to entertain his bride, who sat in her wheelchair a few feet in front of him and covered her mouth with her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks from laughing so hard.A reluctant smile tugged at my own lips. Yeah, he was pretty damn cute with the way he so enthusiastically got into
Consolation Prize 3. Julianna
It’s amazing how one day someone walks into your life and you can’t remember how you ever lived without them —UnknownI couldn’t help myself. My mind went there. It took a good three-second vacation to envision what being with Colton Gamble might be like—which, embarrassingly, wasn’t the first time I’d wondered it either. And I had to admit, there was no way tangling with him could ever be boring or staid. The guy had a way of making me catch my breath just by looking at me as if he knew things… hot, kinky, exciting things, scrumptious things I hadn’t experienced in a long time, or maybe even ever.He had never laid a hand on me, but I already knew if I let him, those hands would be everywhere. They looked like naughty, mischievous hands, all long and slim-fingered, or like a magician’s hands that did all kinds of flashy, interesting things right before your eyes and then snuck up and surprised you with the real trick without you even being aware of it, until bam, orgasm central.My
Consolation Prize 4. Julianna
Intimacy is not purely physical. It’s the act of connecting with someone so deeply you feel like you can see into their soul. —UnknownAfter dancing, my heart was beating a little faster and my skin felt flushed. And I really did need that drink because my mouth was bone dry.I was relieved that Colton was a resourceful kind of guy. He knew exactly where the open bar was located, and bless him, he took me straight there. Once we each had a plastic cup in hand, he set his free palm on the small of my spine to escort me back to my table, which felt…nice, actually.But a guy waiting in the back of the line for the bar pointed at us. “Yo, Colton. That’s just pop, right?”I recognized the man as being a groomsman. There’d been two—the wedding pamphlet had named them Noel Gamble and Oren Tenning. Since this guy looked Brandt-ish, I figured he was Noel, which would make him Colton’s big brother.Lifting his cup as if in cheers, Colton answered, “Of course.”I glanced at him, frowning sl
Consolation Prize 5. Colton
The only time losing is more fun than winning is when you’re fighting temptation. —Tom WilsonI came awake to the sleeve of my tux jacket trying to shake its way off my arm.“Colton!” that cool, low yet sophisticated voice I was beginning to really dig said, except the tone was higher than usual, and sounded a little alarmed. It was still an awesome voice, though, and came from one of the sexiest women alive, a woman I decided wasn’t so bad after all.“Colton, dammit, answer me.”Actually, I think I liked her.Grinning lazily over that thought, I opened my eyes slowly only to grin wider when my gaze landed on her.There she was. Sexy as fuck.“Hmm?” I asked.“Oh, thank God, you’re alive,” she breathed, sounding relieved…for half a second. Then she scowled and smacked my arm. “Thanks for scaring the shit out of me, asshole.”“Ouch.” My grin fell. I rubbed my arm.Sexy but brutal.“Why are you sitting on the floor outside the bathroom?” she demanded. “I could find my own way b
Consolation Prize 6. Colton
Storms make trees take deeper roots. —Dolly PartonAh, fuck, she didn’t.Except, yes. Yes, she did.She’d just said the only thing on the planet to turn me off.I froze just as she covered me completely. Half a second later, she froze too, her hand still wrapped around my cock.Then she lifted her face to gauge my reaction, her eyes huge and lips parted in shock.We just stared at each for, like, the longest second in eternity. And then she finally began to shake her head rapidly back and forth, denying what she’d just said.“No,” she breathed, her chest heaving with panic. “I…I…I didn’t mean it. I didn’t—”I jerked back, dislodging her grip from me. Her eyes only grew wider and more worried.“Yeah, you did,” I said before whirling away to yank off the condom and throw it across the room. I jerked my pants up, wincing because for some reason hearing the girl with her hand around my junk say she loved my brother still hadn’t killed my erection. It hurt like hell to shove it bac
Consolation Prize 7. Julianna
I may regret the way we ended, but Ill never regret what we had. —UnknownMy eyes felt crusted over and dried up when I tried to open them. The sunlight was obnoxious and way too damn cheerful as it streamed through the blinds of my window and prodded me out of my sleep.Grumbling, I slapped my pillow over my face to muffle the stupid light, only to wince when all that soft cloth jostled my tender, aching temples. Fuck, I’d drank way too much last night, and ended up being way too stupid.I wasn’t sure what I regretted more: starting something with Colton, or stopping it—more aptly, stopping it the way I had.I wanted to say starting anything with him at all had to be worse, but no…no. Those asinine words that had tumbled out of my mouth had to take that prize. All I could remember was that lost, devastated expression on his face as he’d jerked his cock from my hand and backed away from me. So, yeah, that had to be the very worst moment of all.The kicker of it, though, was I had
Consolation Prize 8. Julianna
The best apology is a changed behavior. —UnknownA week and a half later on a Wednesday, the first day of my last semester of college began, and it did not start well. Both Sasha’s and Tyla’s boyfriends had stayed the night, meaning that left one bathroom to share between the five of us this morning, and who do you think got last dibs on it? Yep. This girl.Then, those bastards had finished off all the coffee by the time I had showered and dressed and was ready for the day. There was no time to make another batch or even to stop by a Starbucks on the way to campus. I rolled into my first class nearly ten minutes late as it was. What was worse, I forgot my pen and my laptop, so I had no way to take notes. I sat there all hour, stewing and frustrated, wishing I had my shit together.That other stupid person must’ve invaded my body again and fucked me all up because this was not me. I was never late, I never forgot my things, and I never let myself get distracted in class.But I could
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