Page 13 of Stealing for Keeps
“The night is still young,” I joke.
“I think I’m going to like single Claire this year.” She bumps her shoulder against mine.
For the rest of the night, Lacey sticks to my side. She doesn’t say it, but I know she’s acting as a shield from Vaughn. He rarely comes to these parties, and if he does, he usually doesn’t stay this late.
As he finally heads toward the gate to leave, he glances back at me. Our gazes lock, and I feel a thousand different emotions pass through me. My anger and frustration at the way he ended things and how he thinks we can just pick up where we left off has fizzled out, and I’m left with a twinge of sadness and remorse.
I wouldn’t have kissed Austin if I knew Vaughn was here. I probably shouldn’t have kissed him at all. But it reminded me that there are a lot of guys out there. I don’t have to settle for someone who only wants me when it’s convenient for them or someone who is just doing it for a stupid dare.
I look away first.
Lacey and I are saying our goodbyes to everyone when I finally spot Austin. He’s in a circle of soccer players, talking and laughing. As if he can feel my eyes on him, he looks up. I quickly avert my gaze, and my cheeks heat at being caught staring. The last thing I want is to feed his ego.
I drop a hand to Lacey’s forearm to get her attention. “I’m going to use the bathroom before we leave.”
“Okay.” She nods. “I’ll meet you inside in five.”
I cross the yard and head into the house. It’s empty. The dining room table where the guys had been playing cards earlier is abandoned, decks of cards and empty bottles and cans littering the top.
When I finish in the bathroom, I come back out to find Austin standing in the dining room. His gaze is on his phone, but as soon as he hears me approaching, he looks up.
My steps slow as he pockets his phone and stands tall.
“Hey,” he says with no uncertainty or trepidation in his tone. I expected him to avoid me, maybe give me some weak apology. He had no idea why Barrett dared him to kiss me, that much I know, but I guess I expected him to look…guilty or regretful. He looks neither of those things. Instead, he seems happy to see me. Which doesn’t explain why he kept his distance all night.
I decide to pretend like nothing happened. So we kissed a little. He was doing it because he was dared, and I was doing it…well, I’m still not sure why I did it. But it didn’t mean anything. It was a nice kiss. Okay, better than nice. He’s a great kisser. He didn’t lie about that. But maybe I just forgot what it was like. It’s been almost two months since I’ve so much as held hands with anyone.
“Hi.” My lips pull up into an amused smile. “I’m surprised you’re still here and that you’re talking to me.” I place a hand on my chest and lean in to whisper, “Does Vaughn know?”
His light green eyes are laser focused on me as he cocks his head to one side. “I don’t need his permission to talk to you.”
That is not the response I was expecting. It pulls a laugh from me, and Austin steps closer.
“I’m sorry,” he says.
“Sorry that you kissed me or sorry that you got on the bad side of your team captain?”
“Nah, he’ll get over it.”
He’s so cocky. So confident.
“But I am sorry that I put you in that position. I’m still finding my place with my new teammates, but I should have just told him to screw off. That was a crappy way to have our first kiss.”
“Our only kiss. I don’t date soccer players.”
“You dated Vaughn.”
“A mistake I don’t intend to repeat with one of his minions.”
“Minion?” One of his dark brows lifts. “I’m no one’s minion.”
“No? Because I think you set a world record with how fast you ran off when you found out I was his ex-girlfriend.”
“He didn’t say ex. He said girlfriend. Current.”
“We broke up,” I say, feeling a little of that earlier irritation rising.
“Well, either way, it didn’t seem like a conversation I should be a part of.” He shrugs one shoulder.
