Page 38 of Stay
A knowing smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he allows our previous conversation to drop before taking a look around and nodding. “There’s a band playing in the backyard. Let’s grab something to drink and we can head back there for a while. You want a beer?”
I shake my head.
I’m not against drinking, it’s just not something I do anymore. Ilike to be clearheaded and in control. Especially around Cole. He scrambles my brain more than alcohol.
“How about a bottle of water or cola instead?”
Already my throat feels parched. “I’ll take water, please.”
I turn to ask if Brooklyn wants something, but she’s no longer behind me. I blink at the space she’d been occupying only minutes ago. So much for sticking together.
“I guess it’s just me,” I add.
“Well, I’m happy to seejustyou.” His fingers wrap around mine. He watches me for a moment as if to gauge my reaction.
I release a sigh when nothing happens.
All right, maybe that’s not exactly true. There’s a little shiver of pleasure snaking its way through me. Because Cole is usually so smooth with his lines, I can’t resist teasing, “Just so you know, that was really lame.”
He laughs as if pleased by my comment. “Maybe, but it’s absolutely true.” Then he jerks his head toward the back of the house. “I’ll bet Austin and Brooklyn are already there.”
With that, he tugs me through the thick crowd of people standing inside the living room. As we weave our way around groups of students, I notice how Cole catches the attention of several girls we move past.
As we pass through the kitchen, Cole snags two bottles of water before handing one to me.
“Thanks.” I twist off the cap and take a long drink.
“No problem.”
With his hand wrapped around mine, he tows me toward the back door. Even though there are just as many people jam-packed into the large, fenced-in yard, there’s a lot more room to spread out. The band is already set up in one corner of the yard, tuning their instruments.
“Dude, there are so many hot girls here!”
I turn in the direction of that booming voice until my gaze slams into a barrel-like chest before gradually climbing upward until I can see his face.
It’s one I, unfortunately, recognize.
The corners of my mouth tug down at the corners as I stare at Alex. I haven’t had the pleasure of running into him since the night we got into it at that party. Equally silent, he stares back at me as if trying to place where he knows me from. It only takes a few seconds before he makes the connection.
“Hey.” His eyes widen before narrowing. “I remember you!” His gaze slides accusingly to Cole who stands at my side. “That’s the girl who got all those crazy chicks mad at me.” Gone is all his jovial disposition. “Do you know that they yelled at me for at least forty minutes? It was a total buzzkill. And they wouldn’t stop following me around for the rest of the night either. There wasn’t a single girl who would talk to me after that.” He thrusts out his lower lip like a sullen toddler. It’s difficult to take him seriously when he’s pouting and glaring like that.
The temptation to laugh is almost impossible to resist. Instead, I smile sweetly. “Hi Alex, good to see you again.”
His expression turns pinched. “Why are you here?”
Before I can respond— because trust me, there’s one on the tip of my tongue and it wasn’t going to be nice—Cole cuts me off.
“She’s with me.” This is followed up with, “Do you have a problem with that?”
I blink. I have yet to witness Cole get all hard-assed.
It’s shocking just how sexy it is. I want to throw my hands up in disgust because everything the guy does is attractive.
Alex’s deep brown gaze swings from Cole to me and then back again before he lifts his hands in a gesture of surrender. “There’s no problem.”
Cole’s voice is still tough as nails when he adds, “Maybe you shouldn’t go around ass grabbing, if you don’t want to have a pack of angry chicks bitching you out all night.”
Alex’s eyes narrow as his lips thin. “Maybe.” He gives me a glowering stare before stalking toward the house.
