Beyond Me (4 page)

“Too bad.” He turned to go to the bar, but then I remembered I didn’t know him at all, and the one rule I made my friends pinky swear on is to never, ever accept drinks from guys. Too many crappy stories on the Internet showing how a girl can be raped or manipulated.

My arm shot out. I wrapped my fingers around his bicep. His tight muscles jumped a bit under my touch, and his sun-warmed skin was slightly damp. Those eyes flared with a touch of lust. Wow, did he feel it too? “What is it?”

“I don’t take drinks from strangers. I can get it myself.”

He studied me for a while, as if trying to decide if I was smart or completely paranoid. “That’s a good rule. Never know what jerks are out to drag you into bed.”

I laughed nervously. “Well, I usually don’t have that problem, especially around Mackenzie and Cassie.”

“I disagree.” His gaze focused on my lips, and I pressed them together to combat the jump in my belly. Nerves? Or was that arousal coming up from the deep dark caverns of my body to finally introduce herself?

“You haven’t seen them,” I pointed out.

“Don’t need to. I’ve seen you.”

Oh. Wow. I had nothing for that comeback. He was a master at this. “Does that usually work?”

He cocked his head. “What?”

“Lines. You’re quite...smooth. Are you trying to get me into bed?”

The delight was back, dancing on his face. “Did it work? Will you go to bed with me?”

“No.”

“Then there’s your answer. Come with me to the bar for a drink, and I’ll see if I can up my game for you.”

He had the nerve to snag my fingers within his and lead me to the tiki bar. I planned to yank back from his touch, but he was so warm and strong, I decided to let it slide this once. Now I was beginning to like him, which was much worse. A player with a sense of humor was disastrous.

Unless...

I dove into the deep end and went for it. I’d have to see how the rest of the encounter went, but this was the reason I came for spring break. Sex. Sun. Sand. Relaxation. Maybe this was a sign.

James pounded his palm on the wood top. The guy playing bartender gave him a high five and winked at me. “Sex on the Beach, Rich.”

“Niiice.” Rich grabbed a glass and began working the bottles. “I finally get to do something creative. This is a beer crowd.”

I watched him pour and mix with deft motions. Nothing funny got dropped in there, and when he slid it over, I took a sip and sighed. Perfect. My new fave drink. Mackenzie got me hooked on them the first night, and I had no desire to break my new habit. At least, not this week. “Thanks. I’m surprised there’s a real bartender here and not just some kegs and wine set up.”

Rich laughed. “Nah, we do things right, don’t we, James?”

James gave him a weird look. “Guess this rich kid runs a top class show.”

As if they had spoken in code, Rich nodded and moved to the end of the bar. I was suspicious, but then James swung his full attention toward me, and I blanked out the rest of my thoughts. I finally understood what happens when sheer lust overcomes your brain.

You become an idiot.

“So, Quinn Harmon, any big plans for your break?”

“No. Just hanging with my friends and resting by the pool. School and work have been a bit intense lately. How about you? What school do you go to?”

He waved a hand in the air like his story wasn’t important. “Schools are all the same. What are you studying?”

“Counseling. I’m specializing in alcohol rehabilitation but also have experience with senior care. That’s where one of my jobs is.”

“Ah, that’s what you mean about being the helper in the group. The field pays crap, you know.”

I gave a little laugh. Like I didn’t know that. “Yeah, that’s why there are so many job openings. Money isn’t everything. That’s not my goal in life.”

His stare intensified. I’d never had the feeling of a man’s focus on me full power. Like he wanted to delve inside and explore me completely. It must be one of the ways he maneuvered himself into a girl’s bed. Goosebumps broke out on my skin even though the sun was hot. “What is?” he asked softly.

I blinked. “Making a difference.”

He pulled back, as if my answer surprised him. Maybe he thought I was some weird do-gooder nerd and not worthy of his coolness. Whatever. I wasn’t about to change who I was just to score a hot guy. If so, I would’ve made that move in high school, but I was past such nonsense. “What do you do?” I challenged.

A shadow passed over his face. He stiffened, and I knew my question bothered him. Before I could delve further, he flashed a grin so blinding and white I got distracted. “Everything. I don’t believe in being tied down to a job so I can die a slow death in some cubicle. Don’t you want a broad range of experiences?”

I snorted. “Sure. I’d just need someone to finance it first.”

“Get creative. Take a risk. You’re young, live a little.”

“You sound like my friend Mac. She’s always telling me to loosen up and go for it.” How many times have I longed to do something outside my comfort zone? I was always left behind on adventures to take care of my dad. To make sure I covered that extra shift and didn’t let anyone down. To confirm I was able to save enough money to get through another semester of tuition. I was a twenty-one-year-old stress case. But I had accepted my fate a long time ago, and I despised whiners. I learned to take what I had and make it work for me. Cassie called me an old soul trapped in a hot young body. Many times I agreed. Except for the “hot” part.

Still, talking with James made those feelings stir again. Forget about rational decisions or how things would work out. How sweet to grab the moment and let it take you wherever you wanted. Was it possible for me?

Damn, I wanted to find out.

As if he knew exactly what I was thinking, he leaned forward. His breath struck my lips, and I was transfixed by the shimmering heat in those baby blues. “Maybe we should run away together,” he murmured. His hand reached out and he touched a lock of my hair. He rubbed it between his fingers as if he liked the texture and feel. “Do something crazy.”

My heart beat and a tight ache throbbed between my legs. Wowza, it was like my body woke up after being Sleeping Beauty and was suddenly horny as hell. “Like what?” I whispered back.

“Ditch the party. Find somewhere private. See what happens.”

Oh yeah, that was all code for sleeping together. Usually, I despised lines and playboy guys, but I’d never been so tempted before. It was spring break. A vacation from myself. There was no tomorrow or commitment or any of those issues to work out. Just fun. I heard Mackenzie’s silent whoop in the background, telling me to go for it, and I opened my mouth to say—

I was suddenly pushed from behind. I jerked around. The pretty blonde from the pool laughed wildly. Her bikini top gaped loosely open to show half a bare breast. “Oops! Need anotha drink,” she slurred, toppling onto the bar countertop, those impressive boobs distracting most of the guys gathered around. Her boyfriend or whatever was laughing, and ordered another shot of tequila for her. I frowned as I looked at her beautiful face, kind of twisted up, her green eyes halfway vacant. She was past drunk and into danger territory.

I knew I should mind my own business and get back to Mr. Steamy and his lovely offer. Instead, I grabbed the guy’s arm. “No, she shouldn’t have any more alcohol. She’s had too much.”

The guy laughed. “No worries, sweetheart. She’s fine. She’s with me.”

That made me even more nervous. Did she really know what was going on? He put his arm around her like she belonged to him, but she obviously had no idea what was happening, clutching the end of the glass counter like she hoped the spinning would stop. I spoke louder. “No, she’s not fine. She could be on her way to alcohol poisoning. Look, let’s get her up to a room so she can lay down for a bit.”

The guy narrowed his gaze. The jolly laughter faded away. “Hey, James, who’s the do-gooder? I got this covered. Cool?”

I glanced over. James studied the couple, his mind seeming to shift, and I knew he was going to let the whole thing go and try to get the focus back to us and the sex he was hoping to have with me. The girl knocked over my drink, and I watched the peachy liquid spill over while the girl went into hysterics, her hand loosely laying in the puddle. My temper reared. “Not cool,” I answered. “Look, I’m not trying to be a bitch here, but she needs to lay off for a bit. Or she’s gonna— ”

A retching noise broke through the air. The girl let out the contents of her stomach over the bar while catcalls of “ugh” echoed loudly.

“Puke,” I finished.

Her boyfriend or whatever stumbled back and made a face, suddenly not so hot to get her more tequila. Her face turned green, and she slumped toward the ground.

I jumped to catch her. “Get me some napkins,” I ordered. James quickly grabbed a bunch and thrust them in my hands, and I cleaned her face as best I could. “Are there towels in the kitchen?”

James nodded. “I’ll get you some clean ones and some water.”

“Thanks.” Hooking my arm under her pit, I held her up and guided her through the sliding glass doors and into the house. Funny, her boyfriend scurried away like the rat he was. Asshole.

“Don’t feel so good,” she muttered. She swayed on rubbery legs, but I was well used to the drunken walk, usually with a man with triple the weight to move and take care of.

“You’ll be okay. Let’s get you to the bed.” I eyed the stairs with trepidation, but finally found an unoccupied spare bedroom. I helped her sit on the edge of the mattress and she pressed a knuckle to her mouth. She didn’t look so composed and perfect. She looked like a young girl, sick to her stomach, alone, and not sure what to do. “What’s your name?”

“Tratchie.”

“Tracey?”

She nodded. “Spinning. Stop.”

“I’ll try.”

James came in the room with a bucket, towels, and a few bottles of water. “Thanks, I can take it from here.”

He looked from me to Tracey, brows lowered in a frown. “Let me help. Do you think we need to call 911?”

I shook my head and began dumping water on one of the towels, smoothing it over her face and pushing back her hair. “I’d like to know how much she drank so far, but she hasn’t passed out yet. She’s thrown up already, so let’s get some water in her system and see.”

“Got it.” I gently retied her bikini top so she was covered, and James uncapped the water and managed to get her to take some sips. She choked, but held it all down.

“So tired,” she muttered, clutching the edges of the bed as it probably spun out of control.

“We’ll let you sleep in a minute, Tracey. Can you tell me how much you drank? Do you remember?”

She closed her eyes, but I kept gently repeating my question over and over. “Tequila,” she spit out. “Shots.”

Ouch. Dad was a Scotch man, which was pretty nasty, but I’d seen what tequila had done to him one night, and he’d avoided it afterward. “How many shots? Three? Four?”

She held up a shaking hand with five fingers. I calculated her body weight, added another shot for good measure, and knew she’d be okay. Just a wicked hangover to end all others. The fact I knew such research should’ve been depressing, but living with an alcoholic father and interning at the rehab had given me more knowledge than I ever wanted. “Okay, sweetie, let’s get you to lie down.”

We forced her take a few more sips. James helped me lay her down, and we covered her with the patchwork quilt from the bed. She moaned for a long time, but we kept watch, and she finally went to sleep. I left the bucket by the bed along with some water and faced James.

“Is she safe in here?” I asked. “I don’t want that asshole to think he can take advantage of her.”

His features hardened and he clenched his jaw. There was a bit of sexy stubble that gave him a rough edge I found interesting. “I won’t let anyone in. Besides, he’s moved on. He’s not interested in passed-out women, trust me.”

I crinkled my nose. “If he’s a friend of yours, I’m not impressed.” I know I come off snobby at times, but who people picked as their friends said a lot about their character. I was disappointed to think James hung out with the same crew.

“Not a friend. He just comes to the parties and knows me.” He seemed to pick his words carefully. “We travel in the same circles.”

“Asshole Central?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Hope not. Listen, I promise you she won’t be bothered. Tracey tends to party a bit too hard and many of her friends are used to her overdoing it.” He studied me hard. “You didn’t even know her, but you were the only one who stepped in.”

I shrugged. “Alcohol poisoning is serious stuff. I mean, I like to drink too and all, but I know my limits and try to have backup with my girlfriends if I’m gonna let myself go.”

“Guess you don’t go to many frat parties at school, huh?”

“Not really. “ I eased open the door and we walked out, shutting it. Now he knew the extent of my lameness. I realized this wouldn’t work. He wanted a party girl—fun, frolic, and a good fuck for the moment. No matter how hard I wanted to, I couldn’t change who I was. I’d probably end up planning everything, just like I did the first time I got laid. By the time I had decided to lose my virginity, I was so stressed out about it going according to plan that I didn’t even enjoy it. I pushed down the lingering disappointment at myself and forced a smile. “Well, it was nice chatting with you. See ya around.”