Starting Over (ITILMBBF Sequel)

Tweaking

My mission to get drunk and proclaim my adulthood wasn't going as smoothly as I thought it would be.

Everywhere I turned there was Chace babysitting me. Go to get another drink, he's there to remind me to pace myself. My top swoops off my shoulder and he's pulling the strap up. Doing shots with Aaron, he's stealing them out of my hand at the last second. I still had an undeniable buzz going, but my frustration levels were through the roof.

Originally, when I had agreed to go out, it was to get away from everything the tied me down during the week. My start at Miami State had been rocky at best. After finding out I live with my ex and being harassed during class and at work, I just wanted to blow off some steam. Maybe make a few friends at the party.

But instead I'm stuck with a watchdog monitoring my every move. Chace barely had time to attend to Jackie with all the lurking he did on my behalf. From the corner of my eye I could see her getting rather flirty with Brian. Her tiny hand on his large bicep. My heart burned for Chace, because while we couldn't be together he at least deserved someone to treat him right.

There was almost enough booze in me that I was tempted to walk up to the pair and rip her hand off of him. Then give her a good talking to about loyalty and if you have a man like Chace in your life you better treat him right. I was almost drunk enough to I find him myself and ruefully point out his girlfriend's flirtatious ways. Only when I turned around I found that a lanky guy is behind me, offering his hand.

Lanky seemed harmless enough with brown curls and equally as endearing puppy eyes. Sure he had dark circles under them that suggested the last time he slept was three parties ago. Normally, I'd tell him to bugger off, but the bags hiding under his brown irises suggested that his week might be going just as bad as mine. I didn't have the heart to say no and honestly one dance wouldn't kill me. This was college!

Taking his hand in mine, I turn in his arms so my back is flushed to the little pudge of his stomach. I'm no stranger to a party grind, but he seems to miss my rhythm entirely. My hips sway right, his go left in an awkward jerky movement. Once upon a time I would've thought I'd been doing this wrong, but now I know the hopeless one is him. So I guide his hand to my hip and reach back to grab his with my own. My hips circle down, pressing into his hard member as I graze his hips along for the ride. We're just about to hit our groove when a large palm encircles my wrist and yanks me away from my dance partner.

I land into a hard chest with a tender tummy. It's momentarily disorientating as my eyes zip across the room, finally looking up into a familiar face. Chace. I breathe out his name like a prayer, only he's not looking at me at all and the grip on my wrist hasn't lessened. He's glaring straight ahead to my dance partner and using his free hand to shove him softly by the shoulder.

"Fuck off," Chace's voice is deep and stern. Almost growling in a way that I haven't heard from him in years.

Lanky looks absolutely puny next to Chace's arm and I think he's having the same thought as I am, because he waddles off with no preamble. Either that or a drunk girl at a party isn't worth the fight to him. And while that's totally understandable, it does knock my ego down a peg.

"What did ya do that for?"

We're still too close. The puff or air from my words is fanning across his face. I'm tipsy, but I'm noticing him. The way his jaw is clenched to match the tightening fist around my arm and his nostrils flaring. Even through my foggy brain I know I'm in trouble, but I can't piece together why.

"What were you doing?" he counters.

"Dancing."

"Dancing? You were practically dry humping in the living room."