A Piece of Heaven (Allendale Four 1)

I doubted that. “Yeah, sounds great.”

Jackson’s slate gray eyes took me in, starting with the boots, ending with my boobs. My cheeks burned from the obvious attention. “You look fantastic, Heaven.”

“Thank you.” I took in his fitted jeans and untucked button-down. His gray shirt that matched his eyes. Anderson’s was white, which brought out the pure green in his eyes. They both looked so incredibly good, and a waft of their incredible scent struck me and my knees wobbled. “You look handsome too.” I peeked around Jackson, “You too, Anderson.”

Anderson looked surprised at my compliment and Jackson elbowed him in the ribs, hissing in his direction. His green eyes snapped to mine and a small, lopsided grin appeared on his face. “Thanks.”

All it took was one genuine smile and I was a goner.

I grabbed my coat and walked to the car. Anderson drove, of course, the little control freak I suspected him to be. His driving made things weird. Are we going with the assumption that I’m still on a date with Jackson? Or that this was no longer a date of any kind? Should I sit in the back? What if Jackson offers me the front? If I could have bitch-slapped myself, I would’ve. My nerves were getting the best of me.

Thank goodness for Jackson, cool as always, he made the decision for us. He opened the door and directed me to the back, next to him. Anderson rode solo in the front—probably exactly how he wanted it.

Peter’s house wasn’t far (was anything in this podunk town?), but Jackson talked the whole way. To my relief he didn’t bring up the stuff that happened with Oliver and the way he found me the night before. Maybe he didn’t know. Did these boys keep secrets from one another?

Do they even know we kissed?

I tried to focus my attention anywhere but Anderson, but it was hard when I kept meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror. I was still hurt and pissed about the whore comment from before and it seemed pretty clear he wasn’t offering an apology. For all the negative energy coming from the front of the car, Jackson did his best to make things easy. Our knees were forced into contact by the tight fit in the back of the car, and more than once he covered my hand with his own. It was warm and weird and nice, and I had no idea what I was doing.

The party was in full swing by the time we arrived. A tinge of anxiety filled my chest and I stuck to Jackson’s side. We were in unfamiliar territory. The only parties I went to were down at the beach with Justin and the boys. They usually had bonfires and beer. I imagined this wouldn’t be much different. Except it was with people I hated and maybe one that was stalking me. Was my stalker here?

“Look,” Jackson said, pulling me aside. “You look fucking amazing in that outfit. Like so, so hot. The flies? They’re going to be on you like honey. Don’t stray from one of us, got it?”

I nodded, loving his protective side.

“Wait here,” Jackson said once we entered the crowded, noisy house. He left me and Anderson as he disappeared into the crowd. My anxiety creeped. There was only one person that could offer support but Anderson looked as uncomfortable as I felt. Not just uncomfortable, that uneasy, hostile expression he wore so often shadowed his pretty face.

“You guys do this often?” I asked, trying to break the freeze. “Come to parties?”

I wasn’t sure he was going to reply but he crammed his hands in his pockets and leaned back on his heels and said, “Jackson and Oliver like to come. Hayden will chill—if he’s in the mood. They usually drag me along.” He raised his eyebrows. “It’s good to have a designated driver, right?”

Jackson pushed through the crowd and returned with three cups, and a tower of tiny paper cups.

“Here,” Jackson said, handing me a full red cup of beer. “I snagged these, too.” Placing several cups of what I now realized was a Jell-O shot in my hand. Oh, boy.

“To new friends,” Jackson said cheesily, his slim fingers wrapped around the tiny cup, while his other snaked around my waist. “Super sexy, fantastic friends.”

My cheeks burned and I slurped down my shot.

“Thought you didn’t drink?” I said to Anderson.

“Yeah, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get through the night, you know?” I watched Anderson take a long drink of beer and my eyes landed on the foam he quickly licked off the top of his lip. I think my own tongue copied his. The burning stare he gave me made me think he saw me do it.

Damnshitfuck.

“Yeah,” I said. “I know the feeling.” I gulped the second shot Jackson gave me and chugged the beer.

*

The thing about Jackson is that he is absolutely adorable. Dimples and a wide, easy smile made him impossible not to love. He charmed the room, but never left my side. No one said a word about me or the rumors flying around when I was with him, although there was no doubt every person in the room wondered how the heck I won the prize of sitting on his lap.

Oh right. I was easy.

“I’m going to get a drink,” I said, easing away from the heat of his body. “Anyone want one?”

“I’m good,” Oliver said. He’d shown up about an hour after we arrived with Hayden in tow. The Allendale Four commandeered the game table. Anderson held up his almost full cup and shook his head.

Jackson hopped out of his seat. “I’ll come.”