23. Chapter 23

T he blaring sound of an alarm startles me from my deep sleep. The awful noise triggers the jackhammering to fire up in my brain.

"Olivia Kate Reed, if you don't shut that alarm off now, I will smother you." I groan from my side of the bed, where I'm wrapped in layers of blankets.

Grumbles sound from beside me as the blankets tug and rustle. Finally, the horrid alarm shuts off.

"What time is it?" The words come out in a croak. My mouth feels like the desert, and I grimace as I try to keep my tongue from sticking to the roof of my mouth. Slowly, it frees itself like a sticker peeling away from glass. Trying to swallow, my throat feels like sandpaper.

I need water. Desperately.

"Time for me to head back to Arizona." Liv groans and sadness seeps through me. I'm not ready for her to leave, not yet.

Rolling over to my side, I blink my heavy lids as remnants of last night stick to me. Mascara is clumped up in my lashes as morning goop sticks to the inner corners of my eyes. The pitch-black room starts to come into focus the more I blink. I feel my long hair move as I find my new position, and I can already tell it's sticking up all over the place as if it were a tangled rat's nest. My skin feels sticky from sweat, and there's no doubt I smell like a dirty bar from all the alcohol seeping from my pores.

Liv cuddles closer to me as I wrap my arms around her as she acts as the little spoon. Her hand trails up my thigh. "Babes, are you wearing any clothes?"

Glancing under the navy comforter, I'm met with the sight of skin. "Uhhh…"

"Bret!" She chuckles, smacking my ass. "You're such a brat."

"I seriously don't remember stripping my clothes off."

Burrowing myself deeper into my covers, I continue lying there. Liv's warmth radiates through the covers. I've missed this—time spent with my best friend.

"And your naked ass isn't moving…"

We both shake with laughter. Our giggles are loud enough that we don't hear the knock on the door as it's pressed open.

"What the hell is going on here?" Turning our heads, we find a shirtless Tyler leaning in the doorway, arms crossed over his chiseled chest.

"Wanna find out?" Liv's voice drips with seduction while Tyler's eyebrows hit his hairline.

"No." I shake my head, rolling away from Liv but keeping the sheets gripped tight underneath my chest. "I don't have any clothes on."

Tyler's eyes widen. "Well, I…was just letting you know we made hangover pancakes if you guys are hungry."

Liv sits up, pulling the covers with her. I frantically grab for them before I flash my roommate. "What are they, and why do they sound amazing right now?"

"They're just thick, fluffy pancakes to help soak up the booze."

"Count me in!" Liv bounces from the bed and looks back at me .

"Let me find some clothes." She nods as she walks to the edge of my room and flicks on the light switch. I groan as the overhead light blinds my eyes. Blinking through the bright beam, I sit up, clutching my sheets as I take in the state of my room. Only when I sit up does the room begin to spin as I'm hit with a bout of nausea.

Clothes spill out from my dressers as parts of my costume are strewn across the floor. Tossing off my covers, I will my legs to work. On shaky legs, I stumble over to the dresser, pull out a pair of boy shorts and find an oversized hoodie.

As quickly as I can, I rush through, brushing my teeth and getting the stale taste of last night out of my mouth. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I watch the foam build around my mouth as I attempt to brush my tangled hair with my opposite hand—thoughts of last night flash in my mind.

We had been at the bar for an hour or so, all of us on the dance floor, with Tyler and Crew sandwiching Liv and me as we moved to the trendy club music. JP had a constant rotation of girls grinding against him. Chloe and Cody joined us. She wore a tight pale pink mini skirt with a pastel floral corset top. Her honey-blonde hair was braided with strands of baby breath and daisies pinned in her hair.

On the other hand, Cody was dressed in cargo pants, a tight white T-shirt, and a green apron. The flower and the florist. It was seriously the cutest costume and from what I know about Chloe, it fit their personalities perfectly.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I follow the sound of laughter to the living space, where I find my best friend and two of my roommates gathered around the table. Black clothing is spread chaotically around the floor and down the hallway.

"There she is." JP claps. "The great flasher."

Rubbing my eyes, I stare at him. "Flasher? "

"Yeah, baby girl." JP grabs a pancake from the stack and sets it on his plate. "You don't remember?"

I shake my head as I glance around the three. Tyler averts his eyes as Liv smirks around a mouthful of pancakes.

"You started stripping out of your clothes as soon as we walked in the door. There is literally a path from the front door to your room."

Groaning, I cover my face with both my hands. "I need caffeine if we are rehashing last night."

Passing pieces of my clothes in my hunt for coffee, I can't help but shake my head. I'm notorious for stripping out of my clothes after a night out, but I was hoping drunk me would get the memo that I live with guys, and it's probably not the best thing to do. Rounding the corner to the kitchen, I'm met with the hum of the coffee maker as the dripping sound of the brewing coffee hits a ceramic mug.

Leaning against the opposite counter with a glass tumbler filled with an iced coffee, the color of the sand, is my hunk of a boyfriend. His unruly blond hair stands on its ends as he rests his head against the cabinet above the counter he's leaning against. I take a moment to scan my eyes over his half naked body while his eyes are closed. Crew's thick, muscular body is on full display as his arm muscles bulge from where they're crossed over his chest. A prominent V trails below the gray sweatpants he's wearing, and I can't help but admire how snug those pants are in all the right places. The fabric squeezes his thick thighs as the outline of his dick is evident through the light-colored material.

Noise still filters from the dining room, and I hastily eat up the space that separates us.

"Hey, boyfriend," I whisper the words as I fling my arms around his neck.

Crew's eyes fly open as he quickly glances to the doorway before unfolding his arms and pulling me against his chest.

"Hey, Rebel. How are you feeling?" Tilting my head up, I look into his tired chocolate-brown eyes and admire the golden flecks spread throughout. He bends down as our lips find each other. It's a quick kiss. Neither one of us wants to risk getting caught as we separate from each other.

"I feel like I was hit by a truck." He chuckles, and I cringe. "Apparently, I stripped out of my clothes last night."

Crew's lips tilt in a smirk as he reaches behind me for the white mug. "I didn't mind the show. Although I'm not a fan of sharing my naked girlfriend with the rest of the group."

"Sorry," I cringe, taking the mug from his outstretched hand.

Warmth seeps from the hot, rich, black coffee, and I savor the heat against my palm. Nothing is better than a steamy cup of joe in the morning, especially when you feel like death warmed over.

"Nah, don't be." With a kiss to my temple, Crew steps around me, and I follow him out of the kitchen toward the rest of our friends. He gestures for me to take the empty seat next to Liv while he sits in his desk chair, which is already in the room.

Sitting down, I grab my fork and stab two cakes, plopping them on my plate before reaching for the maple syrup. The glass canister is warm to my touch as I pour the sweet amber liquid over the golden-brown pancakes. "Warm maple syrup?"

"Obviously." Tyler nods. "When do you have to leave, Liv?"

"Never," I mumble around a mouthful.

"I wish, babes." She leans her head until it's resting against my shoulder. "I need to leave by one."

JP glances at his watch. "Baby girl, that's in like thirty minutes. "

She shrugs, adding another pancake to her plate. "These are amazing. Someone needs to send me the recipe."

"I can do that." Tyler nods.

The next fifteen minutes are spent eating layers and layers of pancakes, laughing about our drunken antics, and begging Liv to become an Eagle. At five till one, my best friend stands in the living room hugging my roommates goodbye.

It's weird how effortlessly she fit right into the mix. There was never any awkwardness among the group. It's as if she's always been here. But that's Olivia Reed for you. The girl with an edgy exterior but a selfless heart who meshes in with whatever crowd she's around.

After she hugs JP, she moves to where I'm leaning against the hallway wall. With a pout on her face, Liv spreads her arms wide. "Babes."

I reach for her shoulders and pull her into me. "Thank you for coming and for everything."

"I'll always have your back, my twin flame sister." Pressing a kiss on my cheek, she pulls out of my embrace. "See you soon."

"See you soon."

Liv is not a believer in goodbyes. She says they're too final, and as long as she's breathing, there's no such thing as goodbye or the end.

Turning, she stares down the over six feet tall walls of muscles standing before us. Her stern expression would make anyone cower. "Now, you guys better take care of my girl." In the briefest of seconds, her eyes flit to Crew. "She's been through hell, but you guys are good for her. Protect her, or you'll have me to deal with. And I know some people."

Nudging my shoulder against hers, I shake my head. Her phone chimes from her back pocket. "That's my cue. Thank you for an epic weekend."

"Come back anytime." JP smiles at Liv as she reaches for her bag .

Giving me one last hug and a wave over her shoulder, my best friend vanishes out the front door.

With Liv gone, the apartment felt colder and emptier. It's as if a dark cloud has settled over apartment eight-thirty-four and soured my mood. Not that I've been in the best mood, thanks to the awful headache that ibuprofen and sports drinks won't cure. I spent time tidying up the apartment by storing leftover pancakes, cleaning the dishes, and wiping down all hard surfaces. Somehow, in an apartment full of grown adults, we managed to get syrup all over the place.

Once the kitchen was spotless, I grabbed all the fabric scraps from my costume last night. I still can't believe I stripped out of my clothes once I crossed the threshold. Getting back to the apartment is a bit of a blur and I really, really hope I didn't try to make any moves on Crew, especially in front of our roommates.

The guys all retreated to their rooms at my insistence. I can't cook so the least I could do was clean up. But as I was bending down to pick up the last piece of clothing, I caught a whiff of myself and shivered.

I headed to the shower and peeled out of my clothes. For the next thirty minutes, I stood under the hot spray and let the water wash away the night before. I lingered longer than usual as I savored the burn against my skin, hoping the water would absorb in my very dehydrated body.

Freshly showered and feeling somewhat better, I padded back to the living room, where the guys had emerged from their rooms. All three of them were in their self-designated spots. Sports drinks lined the coffee table, all of us needing the extra electrolytes. Settling on the couch between Tyler and Crew, I reached for a blanket on the back of the sofa. I cozied into my spot as JP queued up The Boys , keeping his promise of bingeing the show together.

Hours and almost a whole season later, our bodies are molded into the cushions. Aside from some of the gruesome details, the show isn't half bad. After being introduced to The Deep in the show and seeing Tyler dressed as him last night, I clutched my stomach from laughing so hard. The character is self-assured, insanely cocky, and somewhat comically pathetic.

The sun has long since set and the golden hue has transitioned into darkness, the only light coming from the glow of the TV. JP dozed off a while ago, his soft snores are occasionally heard in the show's quiet moments. Tyler, who is curled up in the corner of the sectional, rests his head on a pillow opposite us as he watches the show. His eyes occasionally droop as everyone still feels the effects of last night.

With everyone else preoccupied, Crew and I have slowly erased the gap between us. His thick thigh rests against my bare skin. A thrill runs through me with each brush of his arm against mine. With a subtle glance at him from my periphery, I notice the slight smirk toying at the corner of his mouth. Carefully, and oh so smoothly, his fingertips run down my hip and underneath the waistband of my boy shorts. The fluffy throw blanket is a shield, keeping his movements concealed from wandering glances.

With a slight squirm, I wiggle my hips to help him get to my aching center. His soft touches allow for the unspoken connection between us to become electric. Two fingers run down my slit as I feel my arousal coat his digits. My heart races as desire coils low in my belly. I fight the urge to throw caution to the wind and straddle his thick thighs and the erection pressing against the mesh of his shorts .

Crew keeps running his fingers up and down my wetness as I struggle to keep from squirming. It feels so damn good to be touched by him and the risk of getting caught only intensifies the moment. I never considered myself an exhibitionist, but the more we sneak around and risk getting caught, the more I want to test those boundaries. Fighting to keep my attention on the show before me, my vision blurs as I focus on his strong fingers.

How is he keeping his attention straight ahead and with a straight face?

The struggle to breathe is real as my heart rate intensifies. Crew gathers my arousal until his fingers are coated before bringing the wetness to my clit. Working my nub in circular motions causes my body to respond. Chills run down my spine as my nipples harden to almost painful peaks. The urge to touch them grows as my fingers itch to soothe the ache.

Everything fades away, leaving just the two of us in our own electrified bubble. As he strokes my sensitive bundle of nerves, his masculine smell invades my senses and the urge to straddle his lap intensifies.

I want him. I need him. The intensity of my craving for Crew Riggsby is almost overwhelming.

My fists clench as my fingernails leave little crescent moons indented in my skin.

The orgasm continues to build with each scrape, pinch, and pull. I fight to keep control so our cover isn't blown, but the more he works me, the harder it is to fight the desire threatening to take hold of me.

As if he knows what's about to happen, Crew rubs faster against my clit as he applies more pressure.

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. I repeatedly chant the words in my head, fighting the urge to scream from the delicious feeling .

I can't fight the orgasm any longer as my body shutters in release. At the same time, something jarring happens on the screen, causing Tyler to jump. My jerky movements as I came were timed perfectly, as if I was jumping with the show.

Crew Riggsby is a genius—a perfectly timed sex god.

The rise and fall of my chest start to slow as my body floats back down from where my soul shattered with that mind-blowing orgasm. With one last swipe of his fingers, Crew removes his hands from my pants. I watch from the corner of my eyes as he subtly brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks my arousal.

Holy. Shit.