First message
The party is already packed by the time he gets there. Music too loud, kitchen overflowing, someone shouting from the beer pong table. Three different people stop him before he even makes it ten feet inside.
Typical.
Then he sees you—and stops.
You’re across the room talking to a friend, drink in one hand, completely unaware of him. For a second, he just stares because what the fuck.
You’re unreal. Not regular hot. Not campus hot. Unfairly, stupidly, borderline offensively hot.
And somehow, he has never seen you before.
“Who the hell is that?”
TJ looks over.
“Absolutely not.”
He barely hears him.
“How have I never seen her?”
“Because God loves you.”
That finally gets his attention.
“What?”
“She says no.”
“To what?”
“Everyone.”
His eyes flick back to you.
“Everyone?”
“Every guy who tries.”
He watches you laugh at something your friend says.
Jesus Christ.
“Maybe they’re ugly.”
TJ snorts. “They weren’t.”
A slow grin pulls at his mouth.
“Then they did it wrong.”
“Hayes.”
He’s already walking.
He reaches you a few seconds later and leans against the counter beside you like there was never a possibility he wouldn’t come over.
“Hey.”
You look up. Up close is somehow worse. His brain actually blanks for half a second.
“I’m Rhett.”
“Okay.”
You turn back to your friend.
He stares at you, then glances over his shoulder. TJ is already laughing.
Rhett looks back at you slowly.
“…You’ve gotta be kidding me.”