Page 68 of Play Maker

The party crawl was the biggest college event I’d ever experienced. It seemed like the entire student population from Sutton and the surrounding towns was out here tonight celebrating our win. Music blasted from all the frat houses on the block, and the sororities too.

We met up with the rest of our team at the Delta Beta Ki house, the biggest frat on campus. There was beer pong and funnel contests, and every other drinking game you could imagine going on. I was surprised to see Silas in the crowd, talking with Maddox, Kayden, Finn, and Colin. Ethan was standing in the center of the makeshift dance floor, the main living room of the house, along with his frat brothers.

Jace and I had arrived separately, of course, with me trailing a good five minutes later.

When I’d entered the house, though, Jace was right there, talking to Ethan. I passed by them, overhearing our teammate pointing out Jace’s giant hickey and speculating on the source. I scurried off to the kitchen and gratefully accepted a shot of vodka and a beer chaser from Jackson, Dane’s boyfriend.

Jackson was the quieter of the duo, but just as friendly, and sometimes fiery to boot. I got into a heated conversation withhim about rowers vs. hockey players and who was the better athlete. Hockey players, no question. I was right, of course, but Jackson held firm and suggested that we have a friendly competition between groups to prove his point. I agreed to that, but only after nationals. Then we continued talking about the hockey season so far, and I was incredibly grateful for the distraction.

Not that it worked for long because inevitably my gaze scanned the crowd for Jace. I didn’t want him out of my sight, which was all kinds of fucked up. It took everything in me to stay where I was and not follow him. Not reach for him. I wanted him right here, beside me, warm and real and…mine.

Do you hear yourself?Jesus, sex with Jace melted what was left of my brain.

And it rankled that he didn’t appear affected in the same way at all, smiling and laughing as he made his way around the room. Like he hadn’t just given me the most intense orgasms of my life. Then again, he hooked up a lot.

Maybe I was just another notch in his hockey stick.

Jace certainly knew everyone here. But I didn’t like the fact that some of the guys and girls got up in his personal space. I bit back the possessive urge to intervene and tried to focus on my conversation. Thankfully, the beer was kicking in, and I was starting to relax. I was just tired and out of sorts because today was an anomaly—the game, the fucking, the talking. It was all too much at once.

Everything was fine, though, and I was under control.

Until I spotted a preppy looking guy making his move on Jace. Suddenly, the stranger wrapped his hand around Jace’s bicep, and then accidently (or maybe not) spilled his drink on him.

My first thought wasget your fucking hands off him.

And thenoh my God, Jace is wearing my t-shirt.

No wonder I kept pulling at the neckline of mine. It was too small. Shit, I’d accidently thrown on Jace’s shirt and he’d put on mine. Despite the chill of the cold beer in my hand, I was sweating something fierce. Knowing that Jace was walking around in my shirt, smelling like me, was such a turn on. I casually dropped my head and sniffed my shoulder. Yup, I smelled like him, spicy and delicious. Swapping t-shirts was like marking each other. It was probably a simple mistake, but it didn’t feel like one. It was fucking hot.

Don’t get a boner.

Then I gave myself an eye roll.You’re acting like an idiot. Calm down.

Easier said than done because my jeans were getting tighter by the second. And when Jace pulled his arm away from that eager stranger? I gulped down the rest of my beer in relief.

“Are you okay?” Jackson asked me. “You’re not coming down with a bug, are you?”

“Uh, no. I just…uh…ate too much after the game. I need to sweat it off. Or, drink it off,” I replied and held up the empty bottle. “Pass me another beer?”

Jackson gave me a quizzical glance, then handed me another drink.

I was about to take my first sip when Jace glanced over, and we locked eyes. Intense heat crawled up my neck and cheeks. I was burning up, like I’d been sitting in a sauna for hours. Jace licked his lips and all I could think about was the way he’d feasted on my ass. I’d never had a rim job before and riding his face was the hottest thing ever.

I took a long pull of beer and swallowed down my lust.

Until that stranger leaned into Jace again, distracting him. Unfortunately, I couldn’t swallow down my temper.

“I’ll be right back,” I said to Jackson and set my beer aside.

I stalked across the room, every step ratcheting up my heartbeat, the rushing sound filling my head, until I saw nothing but Jace.

It was obvious that the guy flirting with Jace was drunk and handsy. Jace was doing his best to get the guy to back off, but whoever this asshat was, he wouldn’t take a hint.

“Go find a room and sleep it off,” I announced when I reached them.

“Who the fuck’re you?” the stranger hissed, glaring up at me.

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” I barked, staring down at him. “Clearly, Jace doesn’t want you touching him. Back off.”

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