AT THE PARTY NEXTDOOR BY MELLA

place of palm trees, salt air, and the qui

g inside the ribcage

Thump

bed and rattled my very teeth. I stared at the digital clock on my nightstand. 1:42 AM. My first day o

er your head," a muffled voic

ntain of blankets. "It's Miami. People pa

a wreck wild curls and eyes bloodshot from exhaustion. I was wearing an oversized grey t-shirt that reach

I saw the guys in 12B moving in. Expensive cars, dark suits

t into my fuzzy slippers. "I have a Bio-Chem lecture at eight, a

n five-foot-four. It made me forget I was just a

sive tobacco and a heavy, masculine cologne that seemed to coat the wall

up!" I

usic roared on. Then, th

ength cold, thick with the scent of somethin

he doorway wasn't a "

isappeared into the waistband of low-slung silk joggers. His chest was a roadmap of hard muscle, but it was his face that stopped t

the doorframe, his gaze traveling slowly

me evaporated, replaced by

aged to choke out. "It's

hought he was going to apologize.

all of the hallway. Before I could blink, he slammed his h

amped my senses. Up close, I could see the dampness of

without an invitation," he rumbled. His voice was

n my fire, though my heart was hammering aga

to a slow, dangerous smile. He didn't pull back. If anything, he leaned closer, his chest grazing the tips of my breasts through

wn," I whispered,

gentle as he tucked a stray curl behind

ing to my lips. "But I do take what I want. And right now..." He le

essiveness in his tone was

rm. I didn't walk I bolted back to 12A. I fumbled with my keys, my hands shaking

st the wood, g

a dead stop. The silence was more

ly where I'd left him, staring at my door. As if he could see right through th

ght on my chest. Miami was supposed to be a fresh start, but as I s

started, and he had already dec