Just a Little Crush (Crush #1) Read online

  Just a Little Crush is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A Flirt eBook Original

  Copyright © 2014 by Renita Pizzitola

  Excerpt from Just a Little Flirt by Renita Pizzitola copyright © 2014 by Renita Pizzitola

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States of America by Flirt, an imprint of Random House, a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York.

  FLIRT is a registered trademark and the FLIRT colophon is a trademark of Random House LLC.

  This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming book Just a Little Flirt by Renita Pizzitola. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming edition.

  eBook ISBN 9780553395105

  Cover design: Seductive Designs

  Cover photograph: © Michele Piacquadio (DepositPhotos)

  www.readflirt.com

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  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Just a Little Flirt

  Chapter One

  It’s not often a girl goes out of her way to look her worst, but tonight warranted the extra effort. Or lack thereof. Agreeing to go to the party had been for Mason’s sake, but doing my best-friend duty meant I’d have to endure a night of Noah who, though cute and intelligent (which earned him mega-points in my book), did nothing for me. My attraction to him was nonexistent. The more he liked me, the less I liked him. Story of my life.

  Mason tapped his foot while I peeled off my blue shirt, which complemented my eyes a little too well, and switched to a lightweight gray sweater.

  “Just wear that one,” he groaned.

  “Remember, my goal here is to look unattractive. Like a wallflower. Blend in.” I slipped on black boots. “I want Noah to run when he sees me.”

  “That’s not happening. Have you seen your ass in those jeans?”

  I spun around and craned my neck to get a good view in the mirror. “These aren’t my good jeans though. They’re my boot jeans. I can’t get any other pair to shove into these boots just right.” I frowned. “Should I change?”

  “Uh, no.” Mason bolted upright. He checked the mirror, flipping his dark-blond hair out of his eyes, then grabbed my hand and dragged me to the door. “The party will be over before we even get there, at this rate.”

  We made our way downstairs to the dorm lobby.

  Mason held the door for me and I slipped past. “I know you’re eager to see whatever her name is, but you promised not to abandon me.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I’m serious. If you leave me alone with Noah…” A gust of wind ruffled my hair as we turned onto the sidewalk. I balled my hands into fists and wrapped my arms around my chest. “It’s cold. I should have brought a jacket.”

  “You’re always cold.”

  “Sorry, we can’t all be as hot as you.” I nudged him.

  “I knew it. You think I’m hot.”

  I laughed and looped my arm through Mason’s as we made our way toward Canton. Private dorms for the rich and fortunate. Unlike Laney, where we lived. Home of the unfortunates.

  It was only a block away, but my fingers were numb by the time we arrived. Being that it was February in Texas, the weather was unpredictable. Today had been an unseasonably warm day, but once the sun set, the temperature dropped quickly. The warmth of the dorm’s lobby was welcome after the chilly walk.

  Noah’s suite was on the first floor and easy to find due to the noise. Another perk of private-dorm life. I could barely watch a movie without being asked to turn the volume down.

  Music thumped from behind the door. I lifted my hand to knock.

  “What are you doing?” Mason stared at me like I’d grown a third eye.

  I shrugged. “Knocking.”

  “No one will hear you.” He placed his hand on the doorknob.

  I gasped. “We can’t just walk in.”

  “You really don’t go to many parties, do you?”

  “Oh, like you do.” I pushed past Mason and turned the knob.

  He chuckled. “Figured that would work.”

  “Stop with all that weird mind-control.”

  Mason stepped into the crowded living area of the dorm. He angled his body toward me to allow a group of people past. “It’s not mind-control. It’s I’ve-known-you-forever, and you’re always trying to prove the opposite of anything people say.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “I rest my case.” He smiled, then glanced around, surveying the crowd.

  I shot him a playful glare.

  “Uh-oh. You have company,” he muttered.

  With a slow blink, I cringed but remained rooted. My natural instinct was to turn, but I knew it was Noah and some tiny part of me hoped maybe he’d just keep walking and never notice me.

  “He’s staring at your ass,” Mason whispered.

  I bit back a grin and shook my head.

  “We need drinks.”

  “Mason, don’t you dare leave. I don’t even dr—” Son of a bitch. He’d abandoned me two seconds in, with Noah hot on my trail. This wasn’t the first time Noah had invited me to a party, but it was the first time I’d agreed to come. Which to him probably seemed like progress.

  “Hi, Brinley.”

  I spun around and forced a friendly smile. “Hi, Noah. Um, great party.”

  He glanced in the direction Mason had disappeared. “Thanks. I’m glad you made it.”

  I nodded and rocked on my heels.

  From what I could tell, he seemed like a nice guy, so not reciprocating his interest made me feel bad, but it didn’t faze him. And though his advances might look subtle from the outside, he was actually pretty relentless.

  “Can I get you a drink?”

  “No thanks. I don’t drink much.”

  “Oh.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Want to dance?”

  I smiled. Though I enjoyed dancing, I had no plans to do it with him. “Yeah, don’t really do that either.”

  “Here you go.” Mason reappeared and shoved a red plastic cup into my hand.

  Noah stared at the cup, then at Mason, then back at me.

  Like an idiot, I just kept smiling.

  “Okay, time for that dance you promised. Excuse me while I steal her away for a minute.” Mason looped his fingers through mine and pulled me toward a makeshift dance floor.

  As soon as we were swallowed by the crowd, I burst out laughing.

  “What?” he yelled over the music that blasted from a speaker right by my ear.

  “Your timing’s impeccable.”

  He bowed slightly. “At your service.”

  “So what am I supposed to do with this?”

  He shrugged. “Drink it.”

  I
sipped the beer. It was cold and fresh from a keg but still held little appeal. Beer had yet to grow on me, as did most alcohol. Mom loved vodka more than she loved me. I was way too familiar with the ugly side of drinking. But as long as I took a sip here and there, I’d blend in with the crowd and never be questioned about my lack of consumption.

  Eventually, Mason would finish his and, instead of fighting the crowds, he’d steal what was left of mine.

  “There she is,” he said.

  I scanned the room for Mason’s current love interest. “Where?”

  “Pink top, brown ponytail.”

  “She’s cute. But a little too innocent for your taste.”

  “Looks can be deceiving.” He grinned.

  “How did a girl like me end up with a man-whore like you for a best friend?”

  “I’m the one who should be asking how a guy like me ended up with a prude like you.”

  “Hey, I’m not a prude. Well, at least I don’t think I am. Who knows?”

  “I already volunteered my services. Telling you, once you’re devirginized you’re gonna go wild. Might as well get it out of the way.”

  I hushed him and looked around. “Someone will hear you.”

  “A guy who likes sex and a girl who’s a virgin. Yeah, that’s something no one’s ever seen before.” He shrugged. “I’m just trying to do you a favor.”

  I laughed. “Your thoughtfulness amazes me.”

  “No-strings-attached sex is very generous. You laugh now but one day you’ll come around.”

  “No thanks. I know where you’ve been.”

  “Good point.” He glanced back at the girl. “And you know where I’m going.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Go. It’s fine.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll find her later. I promised not to abandon you.”

  “Go. Seriously. I’m fine. I’ll practice blending in with the walls.”

  “Now I really can’t leave you.” He shifted his weight and stared at me.

  “It was a joke. Anyway, I see a girl from one of my classes. I’ll go say hi.” I walked away and glanced back. With a shooing motion, I said, “Go.”

  He shrugged and went to find his brunette.

  I hadn’t really seen a friend but Mason came to have fun. I didn’t want to be his party paperweight.

  I wandered into the kitchen with my beer cup still in hand. There was nothing worse than being alone at a party. Well, not true. Being alone and sober.

  “Hey.”

  I turned and was actually happy to see Noah. At least I wouldn’t be the lonely loser. “Hi.”

  He glanced at my still mostly full beer.

  “I really hardly ever drink. My friend assumes if he puts a beer in my hand I’ll drink it; if I don’t, he does. I’m more or less his cupholder.”

  “That’s the guy from class, right? Your friend?”

  “Yeah. We’ve known each other since we were, like, fifteen.”

  “Oh, cool.” He leaned against the wall and crossed his legs. “So do you have plans next weekend?”

  Next weekend happened to be Valentine’s Day. “Um, yeah. I have some stuff going on.”

  “All weekend?”

  “Yeah. Big project, some volunteer stuff and then hanging out with friends.”

  “Oh.”

  Maybe I was wrong about being alone at the party. At least by myself I wouldn’t have to make up excuses to get out of dates. It wasn’t hard to fib about one weekend, but if he inquired about the next or the one after that, I’d run out of reasons to say no. I sipped my beer. Being a lightweight, this one cup would help me endure this conversation or have the balls to just walk away. It seemed a win-win. I took a swig.

  Noah eyed my cup.

  I shrugged. “Really thirsty.”

  A loud commotion drew my attention to the kitchen. Two guys had hoisted a girl over a keg, while a third pressed the tap to her mouth. Guys applauded as she fought to keep her shirt from falling over her head and balance at the same time.

  “Not that thirsty,” I muttered.

  Noah chuckled.

  A guy stood off to the side, leaning against the wall, arms crossed with a small smile on his face. He shook his head then turned.

  I blinked. Squinted. Refocused.

  My heart stopped. It couldn’t be. But it was.

  Everything I’d left behind in high school—the nickname, the embarrassment, the emotional turmoil—came flooding back, embodied in a single guy standing less than ten feet away.

  Ryder freaking Briggs.

  Chapter Two

  The air swooshed out of the room and the walls seemed to close in on me as I was taken back four years to the night it took me seven minutes to fall in love with him, and only seven seconds to fall out.

  Ready to leave, I searched the crowd for Mason but found no sign of him. I looked back at Ryder and froze.

  He was staring right at me.

  I felt fifteen all over again.

  It happened at a party where I didn’t belong, with a bottle spinning around like the wheel of destiny. I’d followed Ryder, a sophomore and the hottest guy in school, to the bathroom to get my first kiss. Which my fifteen-year-old brain was convinced meant only one thing…I’d be popular. Little did I know, not only would that night confirm my status as a never-gonna-be-cool kid, it would also haunt me throughout high school. Or more accurately, the boy on the other end of the kiss would.

  The crowd cheered, snagging Ryder’s attention back to the kegstand. I’d known he attended Sutton, but had managed to avoid him for the entire first semester, even began to think I’d never see him again. But, of course, fate was cruel like that.

  He brushed his dark hair from his eyes and laughed at something a girl said, then pulled the corner of his lip between his teeth. A flash of silver disappeared then reappeared as he released it. He ran his tongue over the small hoop then took a sip of beer.

  “Brinley?”

  I turned to Noah.

  He glanced toward Ryder then back at me. “I asked if you wanted to take a walk. It’s kind of loud in here.”

  A walk? No way. “You can’t leave your party. I’d feel bad stealing you away.” I smiled.

  “I don’t mind. Anyway, this doesn’t exactly strike me as your scene.”

  It wasn’t, but neither were late-night walks with guys I hardly knew nor wanted to get to know. “Um.” I glanced back to the spectacle in the kitchen. Keg Girl had been lowered and stumbled her way, giggling, to Ryder.

  She slammed her body into his and he chuckled. Something stirred inside me and I couldn’t look away.

  His chest seemed hard under her hands as she ran them down and then walked her pink-painted fingernails back up. Fisting a handful of his shirt, she pulled him forward and brought his mouth to hers. The little silver hoop vanished as she sucked his lip into her mouth.

  My stomach rolled with frustration and a warm tingling spread over me as I watched his tongue work its way past her lips. What was wrong with me? I was like some psycho voyeur. Why couldn’t I just turn away?

  His gaze flicked to me and the corners of his mouth curved into a grin.

  My face heated and I turned so fast my drink dribbled down my arm.

  Noah made a disgusted grunting sound.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spill on you.” My cheeks still burned.

  “You didn’t. It’s fine.” He glanced at Ryder. “Let’s walk.” That time it wasn’t a question. He placed his hand on my elbow and led me out of the kitchen.

  Some stupid, desperate part of me had to look back.

  The girl was still pressed to Ryder but his eyes were narrowed on something else. He lifted his gaze to mine then abruptly looked away.

  Noah led me through the front door and right into a couple going at it. Was everyone getting some around here? I hoped he didn’t get any ideas.

  He turned the corner and we stepped out a metal door with a red Exit sign. I cringed, expecting a fire alarm to go off, but n
othing happened.

  “It’s broken,” he said.

  “Oh.” Apparently, even the rich-kid dorms had issues.

  “Or ‘disabled’ may be more accurate. It’s where everyone sneaks in and out. Marcus in 3B is a techie. He hooked us up.”

  The door slammed shut behind me.

  “Dammit.” He glanced at the door. “It locks. We usually use the rock.” He pointed to a small boulder sitting near the door, along with a pile of cigarette butts.

  I wasn’t convinced he was actually sorry he’d forgotten to prop it.

  “Don’t worry, someone will come out for a smoke or we can walk to the front. Want to sit?” He gestured to the curb.

  I glanced around, not liking the idea of being locked out. No one knew where we were. “Maybe we should knock and see if someone hears?”

  “Let’s give it ten minutes. If no one comes, I’ll call my roommate to open the door.”

  “Oh, yeah.” I didn’t even think about the phone. I could just call Mason. “Okay.”

  Noah sat and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He tilted it toward me. “Want one?”

  “No thanks.” The fact that he smoked made him even less attractive.

  He flicked a lighter and his face illuminated. With a cigarette in his mouth, he tilted his head and raised the dancing flame.

  I scrunched my nose, anticipating the odor, and he paused.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t even ask if you minded.” He lowered the lighter.

  “Oh, it’s fine.”

  He laughed. “No, it’s not.” He slipped the cigarette back in the pack.

  “Really, you can smoke if you want.”

  “It’s cool.” He patted the curb next to where he sat.

  I hugged myself and glanced around. I was being paranoid. Noah was a good guy.

  I sat and tucked my knees to my chest. “It’s cold.”

  He stretched his legs out and reached into his pocket. “Wanna sip?” He lifted a flask.

  Who was this guy? Definitely not the cute-but-not-my-type book nerd, I thought.