Page 135 of Most Valuable Players
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Adam says, arms wrapped around Taryn’s waist, but his gaze is on Ginny.
“It’s kind of like hide and seek,” Dakota answers Taryn.
Ginny looks uncomfortable under her brother’s scrutiny, but her words are enthusiastic. “Yeah, let’s do it!”
The walk to campus in the dark with the fresh air sobers me up a little. Ginny’s still smiling like something’s funny as I walk beside her.
“What?”
“You’re lifting your knees so high. It’s adorable.”
“You’re adorable,” I fire back.
She giggles, links her arm through mine, and leans in. Her boob presses into my forearm and all I can think about is reaching over and squeezing it like a stress ball. I completely understand that this is not acceptable behavior for friends—drunk or not, so I don’t, but I think about it anyway.
At the edge of campus, Adam turns so he’s walking backward. “Ginny, you good?”
“I’m fine.” Her tone is playfully annoyed. “Seriously, Adam.”
He waits a beat as if he expects her to change her mind. When she doesn’t, he nods and says, “All right. We split into pairs. One couple hides and the rest of us try to find you. When you find them, you have to hide with them. The tighter the space, the better. No going inside buildings, no going on roofs.” He looks at Maverick, who busts out laughing.
“Took you guys fucking forever to find us.”
“So, wait,” Taryn speaks up. “We’re hiding on campus in the middle of the night? Campus is huge.”
“There are some boundaries. You’re with me. I’ll show you.” He winks and then looks to Ginny and me. “Heath, stay with Ginny. You can show her the boundaries.”
“I’ll be your guard, guardian, I mean guide, I think.”
She smirks.
Adam points to Mav and Dakota. “It’s your turn to hide and you get to make up a rule.”
“We got this,” Dakota says beside him. “Tonight’s rule is that one partner has to carry the other by piggyback.”
Everyone laughs.
Adam holds up his phone. “Five minutes and go.”
While Dakota and Mav head off to hide, I lead Ginny over to the bottom of the economics building stairs and sit.
“You guys play this often, I take it?” she asks as she takes a seat next to me.
“It’s fun. You’ll see.”
“I’m not really a fan of games where you have to hide in small, dark spaces.”
It’s then I notice she’s staring down at her fingers and rubbing her thumb along the inside of the palm on her opposite hand.
I slide my hand in between hers and link our fingers. Shit, of course. Adam’s words make sense now. “Do you want to go back? We can tell them we’re going to go make out instead.”
“Like they’d believe that.” She huffs. “No, it’ll be fine. Just don’t leave me.”
“I won’t.”
She pulls her hands away and glides them up and down her thighs. I don’t really want to stop touching her, so I reach up and touch the end of her braid, rubbing the blonde ends between my fingers. “Adorable.”
“You’re a flirty drunk.”
