Liquid Courage

Appreciate the moment of a first kiss, it may be the last time you own your heart.

-R.M. Drake

I sighed thinking about downing one of the multiple alcoholic drinks that my best friend had placed in front of us. If I made it through this night alive and emotionally intact, I was going to beat some sense into her for dragging me here. I continually focused all my energy on blocking out the emotions of those around us, scanning the room. The house was different from typical fraternity housing, it was bigger for one and was expensively furnished. The walls were a light grey almost white and the dark hardwood floors were covered here and there with intricately woven rugs. The couches were made from a fine leather and the surrounding chairs seemed to match the style as well. It was shocking, sad really, to see so many careless people in such a beautiful house. Growing up in a house similar to this I understood the amount of wealth that was a part of it. Thankfully I was never really home with my mom being gone all the time, I usually stayed with Laura's, my best friend and room mate, family. As I people watched and scanned more of the room I could feel eyes on me.

I smiled at the tall masculine man with short dark hair and piercing green eyes, sitting across the room from me. I inwardly frowned to myself, I was in no way wanting a relationship, why was I smiling at this dark stranger. Still I couldn't take my eyes off of his, and his adorable half smirk as he watched me. Laura leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. Her breath smelled of all the alcoholic beverages she'd consumed in the past hour and a half and her long, curly, sandy blonde hair fell in her face as she leaned in.

"Find something you like?" She slurred a little too loudly.

I sighed and let my eyes leave his as I turned to my overly boisterous, and waisted best friend.

"Come on lightweight let's get you home." I placed my arm around her waist and her arm around my shoulders and lifted her to a standing position.

"Oh come on it was just about to get juicy!"

I shook my head in embarrassment as she talked as loud as she could, albeit not all that coherently, so one could only hope that no one had understood her.

I walked her to the door and she shoved away from me almost knocking a small group of giggling Freshman over. Each of them gave us dirty looks before going back to flirting and admiring the senior guys at a certain table that I was trying to avoid eye contact with.

"Seriously Laura, you need to go lay down." Instantly I gulped at my mistake, you never tell Laura what to do.

A huge mischievous grin lit her face and I instantly wished I had got her through the door faster. The emotional damage that was about to befall me at the hands of my best friend was insurmountable. How someone could be so small and still look like the Cheshire Cat from Alice and Wonderland Ill never know. Laura Blackwell was notorious for her backwards thinking when it came to trying to hook her friends up with guys. She always complained about how I was too serious and needed to lighten up. I watcher her as she took a moment to think about how she was going to make me pay.

"Alright I'll go, if you kiss him, and I mean really kiss him not some peck on the cheek." She slurred her words but thankfully didn't talk loud enough for the entire room to hear.

"I don't even know him, now come on let's go home please. " I went to grab her arm and she pulled away from me flinging her arms back and nearly whacking another freshman on the head.

"NO! Not until you k...," she was yelling now.

"Fine," I grumbled cutting her off.

I blocked out all the emotions swirling through the room as I turned to find he was still sitting with his group of friends at one of the wooden card tables set up with a game of shot roulette. I froze for a second when I realized he was still watching me as his smaller blonde friend smacked his arm and handed him another shot of hard alcohol. I glanced back at Laura who had a wolfish grin and groaned, she wasn't going to let me leave. Looking back at the handsome stranger, he was still watching me closely.

I mustered every ounce of courage and walked over to him took the shot from his hand, downed it and before he could say anything I sat on his lap and pulled his head down to mine kissing him. After the shock of it passed I could hear his friends cat calling as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeper pulling me into him until I was pressed against his hard body. I could taste the alcohol on his tongue as it left a bittersweet tang behind. I gasped for air as I pulled back, feeling the rush of blood to my face and smiled, shaking slightly I stood.

Before he could say anything I turned and grabbed Laura's hand noting the shocked look on her face, and dragged her outside to the car. I buckled her in the passenger seat, her eyes still wide, and hurried over to the drivers side. I stopped, a small gasp leaving my lips, seeing the handsome man I just kissed leaning against my driver's side door. I managed to stop a foot away from him.

"Um hi," he said, I blushed deeply and looked down at my feet.

"I'm sorry about that, my friend, um, she wouldn't leave unless...,"

Before I could say more he had closed the distance between us, lifted my face to look at him and pressed his lips to mine hungrily. One of his hands sunk into my long hair softly and I moaned as warmth spread through my body like setting a match aflame. I started to shake at the intensity of his kiss and he wrapped a strong arm around my waist holding me closer. There was no way to escape the onslaught of his emotions sweeping over me like a title wave. He was confused, lustful, drunk and curious.

When he finally released me from the kiss he let go of my hair but moved his arm down so that he had both arms wrapped around my waist still holding me close. I placed my forehead against his chest trying to remember how to breathe again. I could feel his arousal as he held me close and it was like a fire lit under my ass and I pulled away slightly.

"What's your name?" He whispered in my ear as his warm breath tingled against my neck.

"Jessie," I whispered into his chest. I felt as though I was suffocating on his emotion, I needed to get away.

"Jessie?" He said releasing me so that I would look at him.

When I looked up he smiled warmly at me. His green eyes and dark brown hair had my heart beating faster. The smirk though, I bet that smirk had broke a few hearts alone.

"I would like so see you again soon, preferably when we aren't at a party and buzzed on hard liquor."

"I haven't had anything to drink tonight other than that shot, I came because Laura made me." I said frowning slightly and then groaned inwardly, oh my God I forgot about Laura sitting in the passenger seat probably staring at us all goofy like.

I turned my head slightly to look at her and she grinned minevalently at us. She yelled through the window a barely coherent, "You're welcome."

He laughed softly a deep husky sound that made his chest rumble under my hand and I blushed as it made me warm all over again. How did he do that? From the moment we had come here he had captured my attention, unwillingly I might add. I wasn't looking for a relationship of any kind.

"For someone so shy that was a bold move you made." He stated as he ran his fingers across my flushed cheeks letting me know he didn't miss my blushing.

I turned my head and looked away trying to process what to say. My mind wouldn't work when I was so damn close to this amazingly chiseled body.

"I need to go, I have to get Laura home before she throws up in my car," I whispered looking up at him from underneath the cover of my lashes.

"Of course, will I see you again?" He asked letting his hands fall to his side. His hand no longer warming my cheek made my stomach ache slightly. How could this stranger affect me so much?

"I'm on campus most of the time and if I'm not it won't be hard to find me." I finally said as I turned towards my car door. I got in as he took a step back giving me room and drove off before I did something stupid like give him my number.

"Oh my god!! That was delicious!" Laura squealed! I rolled my eyes trying to focus on the road as she shook my arm excitedly. "Was he a good kisser because damn girl that was HOT!" She said sighing as if reliving the memory in her head.

Great now I was never going to live this down! If Laura forgot by tomorrow there would be a hundred strangers with smart phones to remind her. However chances are the woman wasn't going to forget a second of it by the smirk plastered on her face. I just ignored her and blushed profusely as I replayed the whole night in my head while we drove home.