Page 56 of Off Limits

I slow down to look them over, on high alert for both Simon and Cal—wanting to meet up with the former and avoid the latter at all costs. But I don’t see either of them in the cluster of muscle and testosterone being rowdy off to the side of the house.

Maybe Simon’s not here yet?

I pull out my phone and shoot off a text to find out. I meant to do that earlier—let Simon know Autumn and I would be coming—but forgot. Hopefully he’ll feel it. Or at least be so anxious to leave that he’ll check his phone constantly to gauge if he’s been here long enough.

Will he want to bail as quickly if I’m here?

Will he want to stay and drink and dance with me like Autumn suggested? Or will me being here actually stress him out more?

Because while Autumn makes a good point about not letting Cal dictate my life and where I go and who I see, Simon’s feelings also matter. And having me here might make things more difficult for him.

It’s only when Autumn grabs hold of my arm and tows me along behind her that I realize I actually came to a stop. “Come on,” she hisses. “Put your phone away and at least pretend you’re having fun.”

“I was just texting Simon to let him know I’m here,” I mutter.

She glances back at me. “I’m sure he’ll figure that out for himself soon enough. Let’s get drinks, and then we’ll do a lap, see who we see and let them see us.”

“I don’t need to be seen by anyone else,” I protest.

That brings her to a halt. “I’m aware. Good for you. But maybe, just for a second, you could think about me? I’ve been nothing but accommodating and helpful for you. Could you return the favor, just this once?”

I blink at her, not used to her sounding so … aggressive. And irritated. “I’m sorry,” I stammer, my cheeks heating again, this time with chagrined embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to be a selfish bitch. Of course. Yes. Good plan. Let’s get drinks and do a lap, see and be seen.”

She lets out a breath and offers me a conciliatory smile. “Thank you. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. I’m just a little keyed up.” She looks up at the sky, though it’s covered in clouds, so I’m not sure what she’s looking at. With a shake of her head, she tugs me along with her, not releasing her hold on my arm until we’re inside and in line at the keg. “Okay, so here’s the plan,” she says. “We’ll move through all the available rooms of the house first, then head outside. If we find Simon, ask him to join us. I know you’re gonna bail soon after finding him, but I’d appreciate it if you could hang with me for a little bit first, okay?”

“Of course,” I agree quickly. “Look, Autumn—”

She waves away my apology before I can even get it out. “No worries. I get it. It’s easy to get caught up in someone new. We all do it. And when and if the situation gets reversed, you have my permission to call me out if you need something and I’m too distracted to see it, okay?”

Relieved at her easy forgiveness, I nod. “Okay.”

Like last time, we’re approached by guys offering us drinks, and Autumn subtly but firmly turns them down—for drinks and anything else they might offer. When they wander off looking for easier prey, she shakes her head and scoffs. “Like I’d be willing to go for such lazy dick. Even if they aren’t date rapers, they’d one hundred percent be a lousy lay. No thank you very much.”

I giggle at her assessment. “You like your men to work harder for your attention than that, huh?”

She rolls her eyes. “Harder than trying to scam on girls waiting in line? Yeah. For sure. Later, they’ll be trying to hit on chicks in line for the bathroom. Wait and see. They think it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. And maybe it works. Maybe some girls are desperate enough for drinks or a toilet and attention from a frat brother that they’ll go for that. But not me. I like sex, don’t get me wrong, but what’s the point if it sucks? I can go home and take care of my own self risk free and at least then I’m guaranteed to get off. I’d take no man over a lazy ass man any day of the week.”

“I’ll keep that in mind if you ever ask me to set you up,” says a deep, familiar voice behind me.

I turn, my face lighting up. “Simon!”

Autumn chuckles. “I can scare up my own men, but thanks for the offer.”

After wrapping his arms around me and dropping a kiss on my lips, Simon offers Autumn a grin and a shrug. “I figured. Still, filing that little tidbit away. Autumn doesn’t care for lazy ass men.”

She scoffs. “Do you know any women who do?”

“No, ma’am,” he says, voice serious.

As much as I’m loving having him wrapped around me like this, I can’t help scanning the crowd to make sure no one sees us. No one being my brother, or someone who would tell my brother. Though, to be fair, I don’t really know any of his friends except Simon, so who would even know to tell Cal anything?

But Simon drops his arms from around me a second later. “I can’t stay over here long. I’m ostensibly getting a refill, which is shocking enough on its own. If I don’t get back out there soon, Cal will start blowing up my phone, and if he sees my truck still parked down the block, he’ll come looking, the nosy little shit.”

I can’t help grinning. “He really is, isn’t he?” I’ve always thought so, but Simon doesn’t often badmouth Cal around me. In fact, we try not to talk about him much at all. The only thing that’s a bigger boner killer than talking about my brother would be talking about my parents. And since our moments together are precious and stolen as it is, why would we waste time—and boners—discussing my family?

We wouldn’t.

“Wait in line with us,” I tell him. “Then go back to your friends. Text me when you’re ready to go, and I’ll meet you out front, okay?”

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