Page 83 of Branded

“You tend to do that, babe. You have to accept that good things are happening in your life now and stop overthinking. That’s a one-way ticket to killing a potential buzz, and if you expect me to get up there tonight and shake my ass with you, I’ll need that buzz. So will you.”

“Speaking of a buzz... keep drinking,” I whisper in her ear then stand up. “Hi, Caleb! Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks, darlin,” he replies and gives me a hug. “I’m glad you came.” I move back to my seat and his eyes settle on Olivia. “Hi, Olivia. It’s good to see you outside of the school.”

She plasters on a smile and sweeps her eyes up to him. “I wanted to spend the evening with my friend and enjoy some drinks. It was the perfect excuse. Your birthday is an afterthought.”

I roll my lips together and my eyes go wide. Oh shit. The hostility is real.

“Damn, is that still how it is?” He tilts his head and stares at her. The sexual tension between them is so thick even I feel it. I’ve never seen them together before, so I had no idea it even existed.

“That’s how it will always be, Caleb. You know that.”

“Doesn’t have to be. We had fun once upon a time.”

“Once being the key word,” she snaps.

“Not by my choice.” He takes a sip of the amber liquid in the glass he’s holding. “Let me buy you a drink.”

“I’ve got one here. Thanks,” she says, holding her glass up.

He chuckles and glances down at me. “Tell her I’m not a bad guy, will ya?”

Isaac appears behind him then steps around so he can sit beside me, but he doesn’t say a word, only passes me a drink.

“Thank you,” I tell him before turning back to Caleb. “Well, you know us women always have to stick together so if she sees you as the bad guy, I’m morally obligated to take her side and bad-mouth you over wine and ice cream.” I shrug with a smile.

“Women, man,” Caleb groans. “I’m going to make the rounds again to make sure everyone is having a good time. I’ll catch you all later.”

“What was that about?” Isaac asks, sliding his arm around me.

I go to answer but Liv downs the rest of her drink and answers first. “Your friend is a dick. That’s what. And he pisses me off because he’s so damn pretty.”

“This should be an interesting night,” I tell Isaac.

Isaac

The night is going strong, and I am having a good time, but the looming reality of my connection to Sawyer is ever-present in my mind. It’s preventing me from letting go and enjoying a night out with her.

I try to make sure she can’t tell there is something on my mind, but she is calling me on my shit anytime she catches an off glance or a little tension.

But now, with one in the morning around the corner, she and Olivia each have a few drinks in them and are flipping through a binder to decide which song they are going to sing together.

We’ve all been singing along to every song chosen, like a big, inebriated, poorly performed concert, but seeing her smile and laugh is more intoxicating than the beer in my system.

“Oh my God, Liv. I’m not getting up there and singing ‘My Neck, My Back,’” Sawyer says loudly, all while holding her stomach from laughing.

“Why not? That would be fun!” Liv playfully nudges her.

“I’m not singing in front of everyone about someone licking my pussy,” she whispers the final word and it’s adorable, yet hearing the word pussy from her mouth makes my cock twitch in my jeans. Even with all the added madness in my head, me wanting her has never been an issue. And that makes me feel like a dick for wanting someone I know would hate me otherwise.

“Booooring,” Liv says, leaning back against the sofa.

“Go with a classic. Those always get the crowd engaged,” I tell them.

“Hmm,” Sawyer says, tapping her chin then smiles wide. “I’ve got it!” She thumbs through the binder until she finds what she’s looking for and shows Olivia.

“Oh, that’s absolutely perfect!”

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