Page 44 of What Are The Odds?
Grace rolled her eyes before turning and letting me slip the jacket off her shoulders. I set it over the back of my empty seat.
“Ryker will–”
“Don’t worry. I’ll have it hosed down and returned to Richardson. This way.”
I took Grace’s hand and led her into the party. Parting the crowd, I headed straight for the stairs and bypassed the game of pool taking place on the landing to continue to my bedroom. It was quieter on the top floor, the kind of quiet I was craving. With nothing up here but locked doors, people didn’t tend to stray. Grace’s hand remained in mine as I unlocked my bedroom door and turned on the light. She groaned upon seeing herself in the full-length mirror.
“It’s in my hair.”
I grimaced. “She got you good.”
I let go of Grace’s hand to rummage in my wardrobe for something decent to give her. She was rubbing at her arms, trying to ward off goose bumps.
“Why don’t you have a shower?” I suggested. “Warm up and wash the vomit from your hair.”
She thought for a moment. “Is that okay?”
“Big time. You’re starting to stink out my room.”
Her eyes narrowed mischievously. “What’s that? Did you say you want a hug?”
She launched across the room, her arms outstretched as she fought to catch up to me. For a small girl, she was incredibly quick. I jumped onto my bed and backed against the headboard.
“Don’t you dare, Hughesy.”
She edged closer. I held out my arm, halting her.
“Think it through. If you get vomit on me, we’ll have to share my shower.”
Her cheeks changed to the perfect shade of pink. I loved making Grace Hughes blush. And I loved that she was still in good spirits after being thrown up on. And after seeing that girl in my lap. And after I acted like a total, immature dick. With a defeated sigh she scooped up the clothes and walked into the bathroom. And I tried to forget the fact Grace Hughes was naked on the other side of the door.
24. Out of character
Grace
I dressed in the t-shirt and hoodie Levi had left out. He was kidding if he thought I was going to leave this room without pants though. After towel-drying my hair as best I could and combing through the knots with my fingers, I left the bathroom. I didn’t expect for Levi to still be in his room. He was lying on his bed, still in his suit and beanie but having kicked off his shoes. The ice hockey was playing in the background, the flash of the TV being the only light in the room.
“Better?” he asked.
I nodded. “Much.”
Sitting on the bed, I slid back until I was resting against the bedhead beside him. Now I was warm and showered, I had no intention of rejoining the party. Or to even find my friends and tell them I was ready to leave. Maybe I could sneak out the side door without being seen.
"I’m sorry–” The rest of the sentence got caught in Levi’s throat. “Shit. I can't even apologise on behalf of that chick because I didn’t catch her name.” At my surprised expression, he added, “Not because I was going to sleep with her. Because her sitting in my lap was literally the first interaction we had.”
I didn’t want to think about her anymore. When I did, I could smell the vomit. I’d rinsed my clothes in the shower and left them in a wet pile on the floor. That outfit was ruined for me now. I think passionfruit was too. I turned my attention to the TV, watching the skaters glide back and forth. It was hard following the puck on the screen. I only realised a goal had happened based on the players’ reactions.
“I really enjoyed your game tonight,” I told Levi. Maybe this time he’d listen. “I liked watching you play.”
“Yeah?” He grinned, soft eyes holding mine. “I’m glad. Thank you for coming.”
There was no sarcastic edge this time. Good. Hopefully things were back to normal.
“It was a lot faster than I was expecting.”
At the time it’d been hard to comprehend how lightning fast he moved on those skates, and how he could break and turn sharply without eating shit.
“And rough.”
