“Quick question. When did Aveena Harper get this fucking hot?” Axel erupts, hungry eyes shadowing someone around the party. I track his stare to Vee and her friends chatting by the stereo. The answer pops in my head, flickering to life like a broken neon sign.
She was always this hot.
She’s just a professional at hiding it.
The girl walks around with hunched shoulders in her loose sweaters and torn jeans, terrified to let someone see her. It’s like she feels bad for taking up space or something.
But not tonight.
Tonight, she’s different.
She went all out—makeup, hair, the whole shebang. This has to be the first time I’ve ever seen Aveena wear something remotely tight. Thank God for leggings.
“Turn around, baby. Come on.” Axel cranes his neck for a peek of Vee’s ass, which is facing away from us. “Show me what I’m working with.”
As if they heard him, the girls spin on their heels, heading for the kitchen where a few guys from the team are playing Flip Cup. I’m not going to lie and pretend I didn’t check out Aveena’s ass as she walked.
Because I did.
Very much so.
Hey, at least I’m not a staring pig like Axel.
“Jesus Christ, where has she been hiding that body?” Axel is on a roll. “I’d fuck her in the ass so hard she wouldn’t be able to walk for a mont—”
I smack him in the back of the head. Hard. He blinks at me in shock. But no one’s nearly as shocked as I am.
Why the hell did I just do that?
“Classy, bro,” I try and justify it.
“Don’t act like you wouldn’t hit that,” Axel accuses.
I’d hit you.
In the face.
With a brick.
Does that count?
“You should see her sister,” Theo chimes in. “Good genes in this family, I’m telling you.”
The conversation shifts toward Vee’s sister, and I stop paying attention, fidgeting with my phone. I have five unopened texts from Brie, asking when we can meet up to fuck.
And none from Love.
She never texted me back after I asked her to tell me something about herself. Maybe she felt pressured?
Maybe I shouldn’t have said that?
I snort.
Look at you.
Getting all bent out of shape over some girl you’ll never meet.
I study Theo’s jam-packed living room and wonder what Love is doing right now. If she’s as bored as I am. If she’s home alone or stuck at a party, too. All my questions dwindle into oblivion when the front door swings open and a familiar voice carries through the house.