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CHAPTER THREE

GREY EYES & BAD IDEAS

ISLA

Oh my fucking God!

Grey eyes… That was the first thing I noticed.

Not the noise, not the bass rattling the walls of the frat house, not even the heat pressing into my skin the moment Sonia abandoned me. Just the color of his eyes as they locked onto mine from across the room, like he’d been waiting for me to look up.

Rowan Pierce, sitting like he owned the place, a girl draped over his arm as he stared at me. He didn’t wave or even move; he just stared.

And somehow, that tightened a knot in my stomach, much tighter than I wanted it to.

My heart stumbled, then picked up its pace as my grip tightened around the plastic cup Sonia had shoved into my hand before disappearing into the crowd.

Look away, Isla… This means nothing, and you don't even belong in this scenario!

But none of my self pep talk worked.

The room was packed, of course. Bodies were swaying, laughter was spilling, and the music was pounding, but the space between Rowan and me felt fragile, like one wrong move would snap it.

I turned slightly, pretending to scan the room and pretending I wasn’t acutely aware of him pushing his weight off where he was seated and weaving through the crowd.

And there it was again, that low heat in my chest as the noise dulled.

“You look like you’re about to bolt.”

His voice came from behind me, low enough to curl straight down my spine. He was close… too close.

I inhaled slowly before turning around. “I might.”

His mouth twitched, his grey eyes boring into my brown ones. “Why’d you come, then?”

“I didn’t know it was… this.” I gestured vaguely to the chaos around us.

“Yeah,” he said, eyes flicking over my dress and lingering for two seconds too long. “You don’t really scream frat party.”

“Neither do you,” I shot back before I could stop myself, meeting his gaze and trying not to go jelly under the intensity of his.

That earned me a full smile, one that came out very slow.

“Careful,” he murmured. “You might hurt my feelings.”

I snorted despite myself, weaving my fingers through my hair. “I’ll survive.”

“Maybe.” His gaze dipped again, this time unapologetic as they raked all over me. “You look beautiful, love.”

My throat tightened. Okay… okay… Don't pass out!

“You shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Why?” he asked softly, his head tilting a bit as his eyebrows raised in amusement. “Because of your brother?”

“Yes,” I said immediately, like I was trying to remind myself he was off limits.

He tilted his head. “Or because you don’t want me to?”

The question landed too close to something I didn’t want to examine. He stepped even closer, getting rid of the little space that was between us before.

“Does Asher know you're here?” He asked, and for some weird reason, his question sparked something angry inside me.

“What do you mean? That I don't take a breath without my brother knowing?”

One would think he'd back off at my angry tone, but Rowan proved me wrong.

“You don't?”

Before I could answer, a sharp laugh cut through the moment.

“Well, this is interesting.”

I turned to see a blonde girl leaning against the counter beside us, the same one draped over his arms when I walked in. Her eyes were bright with curiosity and something sharper underneath. She looked me up and down like she was assessing a threat.

“Didn’t know Asher North’s little sister did parties,” she said, lips curling. “Thought you lived in the library.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened as he turned to glance at her. “Lara.”

She ignored him. “Guess the quiet ones always surprise you.”

Heat flared in my chest, in addition to the one that had been there earlier.

“I guess the loud ones don’t,” I said under my breath before I could stop myself.

Rowan barked a laugh before he could stop himself, and Lara’s smile slipped.

“Cute,” she said coolly. “You should be careful, though. Parties like this aren’t for girls who hide behind their brothers. Because I'm sure you can't even kiss a boy without your brother's permission.”

These words stabbed my heart and earned mockery laughter from those around us that had begun to notice the drama. I wanted the ground to open and swallow me up.

“Seems I was right,” she continued, a coy smile on her face. “You're really just living pathetically off Big Brother, virgin little sister.”

My eyes blurred, and before I could think, I was pushing past them and running away.

The whole sound had dulled in my head, and I could only hear the sound of my beating heart. Until someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into a room.

“Hey,” Rowan's voice interrupted my thoughts as his palm cupped my cheeks and a tear slid free. His thumb grazed the tears away gently, and before I knew it, I was getting lost in the ocean of his grey eyes.

He leaned in, close enough that I could smell him. “I should've let you leave because if you stay,” he said, voice dropping together with his hands, “I don’t know if I’ll keep pretending.”

He walked until he was backing me against the door.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Pretending what?”

“That I don’t think about you.” His eyes darkened. “That I don’t want you.”

My heart slammed so hard I could swear he could hear it.

“This is a bad idea. My brother would kill the both of us.” I whispered, Lara completely forgotten.

His hand brushed the wood beside my head, trapping me without touching me. “Yeah,” he said. “But you haven’t walked away.”

I didn’t answer; I couldn't. After all, he was right.

The world narrowed to the space between us, to the way his gaze flicked to my lips, and to the way my body leaned in before my mind could catch up.

His hands slipped to my waist, holding me firmly against him. Crazy signals shot through my body and straight to my brain, and all I could think of was his lips against mine as he leaned in until our lips were inches apart.

Then he whispered. “Fuck Asher’s rules.”