Said the happiest motherfucker I knew. He and Annie had had a bumpy start, but it was worth it to see that stupid smile on his face when he thought about her. At least that made one of us.
All thoughts fled my mind as the girls arrived en masse. Though I only had eyes for one. Jennifer’s new roommates had clearly decided to give her a full makeover. Not surprising, considering the resources at Blaire’s disposal and Piper’s flair for the dramatic. Jennifer wore an orange dress that I’d never seen before. It didn’t seem like something out of her closet, not with that neckline. I tried not to let my eyes wander to the way her breasts popped out of the top. Or imagine having my hands on them graduation weekend.
I straightened when our eyes met. Those hazel eyes were lined and bright as could be, almost gold in the lighting. She gave me a tentative smile, and something tightened in my chest. Just that one smile, and I was done for.
Annie tugged Jen forward, Blaire and Piper following in their wake. Piper practically dragged Peter along after them. Annie launched herself into Jordan’s arms. His eyes lit up, even as he laughed at her enthusiasm.
“Hey,” Jen said when she reached me.
“You look great.”
She flushed. “Thanks. Blaire got ahold of me.”
“And didn’t I do a fabulous job?” Blaire asked with a flip of her black hair.
I rarely saw her out of a baseball cap and workout clothes. It was a jolt to see her hair down and her in a dress. That just wasn’t Blaire.
“You did,” I assured her.
“Could have gone for better company though,” Piper said. She brushed past Hollin and leaned forward across the bar.
Hollin smirked. “You know you want a piece of this, sweetheart.”
Piper’s glare was fierce. “Hasn’t everyone already had a piece?”
“And that precludes you how?”
“I’m not a fan of sloppy seconds.”
“Guys,” Blaire groaned. “One night. Just please, one night.”
Piper rolled her eyes and ordered drinks. Peter looked between them and sighed, taking a barstool without a word. He looked like he’d been run over.
“Hey, man,” I said, holding my hand out.
Peter shook it and nodded. He accepted a drink from Piper and began to down it as if it were water. I winced.
Jennifer frowned and then drew my attention back to her. “How’s your arm?”
I showed her the three perfect cuts down my forearm. “Pretty mangled.”
“Do they hurt?” She trailed her fingers down the raised lines.
My pulse jumped at the contact. Fuck. I was going to need to figure this out.
“Oh shit, sorry,” she said, mistaking my jump as pain.
“They’re not too bad.”
“I’m still sorry about Avocado. She really hates men.”
“That makes two of us,” Piper muttered.
“No Bradley? What a shame,” Hollin said with another pointed grin.
I nudged Hollin. Why did he have to antagonize her?
He just shrugged, mouthing, What?
Peter yawned, finished his drink, and dropped it down on the bar. “He’s working.”
Piper flicked her eyes to Hollin and dismissed him as easily.
Chester appeared then at the front door. He’d gotten dressed up, and his smile was wide. “Sorry I’m late. Not used to the city anymore and got lost.”
Blaire laughed. “In Lubbock?”
“Where you grew up?” Annie added. She sounded like she wanted to call him on his bullshit but didn’t.
“Yep,” he said amicably. He held his hand out to Peter. “You must be Peter. I’m Chester. I heard we should get fucked up together.”
Peter startled at Chester’s overbearing personality. Then he actually smiled and shook his hand. Not the sad thing he’d done to me. “Uh…yeah, sure.”
While the girls crowded together to get drinks, Hollin clapped Jordan on the back and grabbed Peter and Chester, leading them over to the darts at the back of the bar. Annie shared a look with Jen, and then when they got their drinks, the girls headed over to the darts as well, leaving us alone.
“Drink?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “I apparently make bad decisions when I’m drunk.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Bad decisions?”
“Well, I make decisions I wouldn’t normally make when sober.”
I frowned. I didn’t like that.
She saw my assessment and flushed, looking down. “I’d rather make them while sober, I mean.”
Okay. That I could work with.
We probably shouldn’t have tumbled into bed for the first time while we were drunk, but neither of us had thought it was going to happen until it did. I’d wanted it to happen, but I hadn’t been certain she did. Then the sex had been phenomenal and…
I needed to think about other things.
Casual. Fun. Keep it light.
“Well, I have another proposition, if you’re interested.”
Her gaze met mine. “Another one?”
“I know we’re supposed to go to the gala. Our second fake date,” I told her. “But my dad is actually coming into town next weekend, and I could use a date for that.”