“I don’t want to,” Danika says, her back to me, arms crossed.
“Come on, babe,” Gunner replies in his slickest of voices. “It’s got the best view. You’ll love it up there.”
“Look, I’m sorry if I’ve led you on, but I’m not going up to your room.”
Gunner puts his hand on Danika’s lower back and escorts her towards the refreshment table. She digs her heels into the ground, trying her best not to cause a scene and still hold her ground. “Let’s get a drink. Dance some more. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Dani!” I shout, jogging across the dance floor. She looks over her shoulder at me, eyebrows pushed together in confusion at the faux-panic in my voice. “Hey, I’m glad I found you. Your dad called; said he couldn’t get a hold of you. Something’s wrong with your cat. You’ve got to get home.”
“My cat?” She asks, scanning my face for clarification. I lift my eyebrows and nod, hoping she’ll catch on. Something clicks and she covers her mouth with her hands. “Mr. Scratchems? Oh, my goodness.” She turns to Gunner and rests her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry, Gunner, but I have to go. Logan, can you give me a ride?”
“Yeah, of course.” I link my fingers with Danika’s and pull her away from that prick. We dart across the ballroom and out the double sliding doors of the hotel. Adrenaline courses through my veins, pumping with th
e same ferocity as it does in a fight.
When we reach my car, Danika leans against the black paint and giggles. “Really? My cat? You know I’m allergic.”
I shrug and reach for another cigarette. My heart is pounding in my chest, harder than it usually does when Danika is around. Thank fuck I stuck two in my pocket. I don’t light this one. Instead I let it hang between my lips and swing my keys on my middle finger. “I need to tell you something.”
Danika kicks one foot up against my door and looks up at the stars. “Oh, mercy. What now?”
If she were anyone else, I’d tell her to get her shoe off my car. But this girl… she could get away with murder. “Gunner had a running bet that he could get you up to his room and fuck you. I overheard some guys in the locker room talking about it after the game last night.”
Danika turns her head to look at me, eyes wide. Her lips part, a question hanging on the edge of them she’s not willing to ask. I hate that I caused her pain. Technically, Gunner is the one making her cry, but delivering the news hurts me almost as much as it hurts her.
“And Jake spiked the punch, which is why Gunner wanted you to have another drink.”
“So that’s why you came,” Danika whispers, her gaze falling to her shoes. She nibbles on her bottom lip, likely trying to bite back the wetness pooling in her eyes.
I step in front of her, my feet on either side of those royal blue Converse and lift her chin with two fingers. My heart thumps in my chest, my body vibrating in rhythm with each pulsating beat. Her big brown eyes look up at me, filled with water after the first round of tears trail down her cheek. She sniffles, fighting to keep control of her emotions.
I’m fighting too, only my battle is completely different. Danika’s not just the first girl I’ve felt a connection with, she’s the first person. Period. All my life I’ve been an outsider in my own home. The buy-one-get-one-free kid my parents never really wanted. The punching bag when dad got drunk. The one left behind and forgotten on more than one occasion. The embarrassment with a stutter. And always, always in Cooper’s fucking shadow. But when I’m with Danika, everything fades to black.
It’s goddamn terrifying.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
The corner of her lip lifts into a sad smile as she shakes her head.
This close, it would be too easy to kiss her. To dip my head and finally taste those lips. Normally I’d take advantage of her bruised heart, relish in the spoils of being a rebound. We’d have our fun then go our separate ways. There's never any forethought or after thought with girls.
I’ve thought a lot about Danika.
I want more than a one night fun fuck with her.
So.
Much.
More.
“Want to get out of here?”
“I guess we should. After all, Mr. Scratchems is sick.” She smiles again, this time it’s warm and appreciative. “What do you have in mind?”
“Jake’s having another party tonight. Or we could go back to my house and watch a movie.”
Danika sighs. She touches my chest, eyes intently watching as her fingers run down my shirt to my belly button. I shudder and drop my hands to her waist, unsure of what she wants from me. This girl has given me nothing but mixed signals and I don’t want to fuck it up.