“No. Beer never has been a taste I could become accustomed to. And liquors, whiskeys, bourbons, are all good, but not for me if you can taste them.”

What the hell? If he can’t choke down a real man’s drink, he sure as shit doesn’t have any ink hiding under those clothes. We finish our drinks with little more said. Sass comes over to whisper that she’s going home with Nick. Lovely, now asshat Alton is going to expect to go home with me. I’m over this night. Everything has felt off today, and it’s not getting any better.

Alton, being the gentlemen that he is, wants to escort me home. Having taken a cab here, I wasn’t left with many options, other than to offend pretty boy and call another cab or let him drive me home. Not feeling threatened by Alton, I choose to allow him to drive me home.

Something is still nagging and pulling at me in the back of my mind. This all feels wrong, going out was a mistake. Letting Savannah go home with Nick was an even bigger mistake. He may be sweet, but he’s not her type, even if she doesn’t know what her type is at the moment.

We arrive at my condo. Alton walks me to the front door like any well-mannered, southern boy would do. He leans in for a kiss. I’m not sure why exactly, but I allow it. Waiting for a spark or something, I continue to kiss him. Nothing. No spark, no flame, no fireworks; hell, I don’t even get the tiniest amount of friction. I’m so dead to Alton, a boy scout couldn’t start a fire. He tries to advance the kiss. I pull back. Looking at him, the façade slips, and his irritation with me shows.

“Delilah, you know you want me. Why be a prude now?”

“Prude? Want you? What the fuck have you been smoking? I danced with you a few times, we talked, had a few drinks. That does not entitle you to have something more, douchebag.”

He grabs me a little too firmly, pushing me into my front door.

“Alton, no, I don’t want this from you. Go home, you need to leave.” I state firmly as a warning before things get out of hand.

He makes no move to loosen his grip on me. My adrenaline kicks in. Fight or flight mode begins as my mind races for what to do next. Suddenly, his lips crash down on mine, hard. He’s trying to pry my mouth open. When I don’t yield to him, he bites my lip, drawing blood. I begin trying to push him off me, when I hear a voice.

“I believe she said for you to leave.”

In shock at the interruption, Alton pulls away. “Who the hell are you?” He asks. My veins run cold at the man standing in the breezeway. He should not be here. He’s not someone who should know where I live.