MY ONE NIGHT
A one-night stand is supposed to end once the sun rises. Only it doesn’t always work out that way in this opposites attract and tortured hero romance.
I never expected this.
I didn’t want to go to another fraternity party, but when my friend pulls me in, I somehow find myself hiding in a corner with…him.
Dillon Connolly.
The smirking, so-called good guy with the shadows in his eyes.
A single glance, a sweet smile, and I let myself have one night of giving in.
Only I have to promise myself not to fall in love.
No matter the cost.
I never expected her.
Elise Hoover haunts my dreams more than I care to admit. I never thought I stood a chance—until she said yes.
When a single night turns to two, I know I’m in over my head, but somehow, she makes me believe I can have anything.
Until the sun rises, and my past along with it.
I thought I’d run from the problems that could hurt us both, but now I’m falling for her and I can’t stop.
I know I don’t deserve her, but now I have to fight to keep her…or save her from myself.
Chapter 1
Dillon
The house was packed to the rafters, people dancing to the music, some in corners, laughing, making out, or just talking. And most of the group had drinks in their hands. After all, it was a college party, and our place happened to be party central for the evening.
This was the fourth gathering my roommates and I had put together since school had started for the semester, and I was already tired of it. The other houses on college row held more parties than we did, and that meant most of the people currently under this roof went to one of those places, or to a bar if they were over twenty-one or had a decent fake ID. Others would head to dorm rooms or random apartments around the city for the night if there wasn’t a college row party. There was always a place to gather, and even more areas to study—not that I thought most people currently drinking in this house even cracked open their textbooks.
My roommates and I did—we made sure of it. We were all trying our best to graduate on time, so we each studied to various degrees.
The rest of the people in this house? The ones drinking? Partying? I wasn’t sure they’d ever actually been to class. I didn’t know if they knew how to study.
As I had already almost fucked up my chances the first time I slacked off, even trying to get into college, I wasn’t about to make that mistake again. At the last college I’d attended, I’d studied hard, made good grades, and had gotten into Denver State University with a partial scholarship. If I kept up with my classes this semester, I was on track to get a full scholarship. That would mean no more loans, no more saying “no” to my big brothers every time they tried to help me.
Not that I didn’t love them, I did. I was grateful for everything that they were doing and had done. I just didn’t want them paying for my schooling. Especially when I knew they were all either working on babies or already pregnant—well, their wives anyway. The next generation was coming, and that meant college funds for the new kids.
I didn’t need them paying for me. Although it wasn’t like our parents would pay.
I shivered at the thought.
No, my mom wouldn’t have dropped a cent for me, had rarely done it when she was alive and had been so-called raising me. As for Dave, the man who was, apparently, my dad? I wasn’t even sure I knew who he was beyond a druggie who scared the crap out of me. So, no, I’d pay for my education and hope to hell that I kept up with my grades to get that scholarship.
“Why do you look as if you are off in another world, all serious-like?” my roommate, Pacey, asked as he came to my side.
I looked over at Pacey and smiled. He shoved his hand through his hair, pushing the blond strands back from his face. They were forever falling over his eyes, and I knew from listening in on many conversations, including those of my ex-girlfriends, that that look sent women and men alike into shivers. And Pacey knew it.
“I’m fine. I don’t know why you think I’m acting weird or thinking too hard.”
Pacey just raised a blond brow, looking all stiff and upper-crust British. Since he was, it only made sense to me.
“I’m not making up that look. You’re thinking hard, and I’d like to know why.”
I shrugged and downed the rest of my beer. “Just thinking about exams coming up.”
“They are always coming up. That’s what happens when you have some classes working on a three-exam schedule, some a midterm schedule, and a…you know what, let’s do a surprise exam that’s going to scare the shit out of your students schedule.”
I laughed outright at that, and the two of us headed over to the keg. I wasn’t sure where we’d gotten it other than Sanders usually had connections. I just hoped to hell the cops didn’t show up since none of us were of age.
A girl with tight jeans, a low-cut shirt, and bright red lips operated it.
“Hello, boys,” she said, reminding me of a character from Supernatural as she said it.
“Hi there, Alexa,” Pacey said, practically purring. The man was good at that.
“Oh, welcome.” She giggled, actually giggled and blushed. “Can I get you something?” she asked and held up the tap. “I can get you exactly what you need,” she said, and I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
“Just a beer for my mate here, for now, Alexa darling,” Pacey answered, grinning.
I had a feeling that Pacey would be leaving me soon for the red-lipped co-ed, and I didn’t mind. I’d seen her around a few times. She was friendly, smart, and didn’t treat people like crap. That counted for a hell of a lot in my book.
I took the beer from Alexa and had to be careful not to drop it as she only had eyes for Pacey. I shook my head, a smile playing on my lips as I moved away. Pacey nodded ever so slightly, all debonair and magnetic. He was like a spiderweb. Most people got stuck in his wake. However, he wasn’t exactly the spider. More like one who convinced those caught in his web that they wanted to be there and were excited by the prospect. I hadn’t seen a person walk away from Pacey’s bed disheartened, angry, or in any way acting as if they hadn’t gotten what they wanted.
“Okay, now I need to know what that look was about,” Pacey said as he stared at me.
I snorted and took another sip of my beer. “I was just thinking that you’re not an asshole when it comes to sleeping around.”
Pacey’s brows shot up, and then he threw his head back and laughed.
More than one person turned our way to stare at Pacey—and I supposed at me, as well—but there was just something about my roommate. If I was in any way attracted to Pacey, I figured the two of us might be a decent match for a relationship. Although we were too busy and focused on school to worry about anything else. Besides, there wasn’t even a flicker of a buzz between us. And I was just fine with that.
“Well, that is kind of you. And I do try to satisfy my lovers.”
“Dear God,” a man said from beside us, practically fainting into another guy’s arms.
I met Pacey’s eyes, rolled mine, and left to go back to my corner, which was thankfully still empty. Pacey followed me with his gaze, a curious look on his face. “Now, do you want to tell me exactly what you were thinking about before?”