“I was just saying that we should really get together sometime.” Her gaze stays pinned to mine expectantly. “Soon.”
Well, shit.
This isn’t the direction I thought this conversation was going to swerve in when I mentally checked out a few minutes ago. In fact, she’d been blathering on about her sorority and...
Oh, who the hell knows. I stopped paying attention about twenty seconds after she stepped in front of me.
My bad.
Put on the spot, I scramble to come up with an answer. “Umm, yeah...”
She perks up, looking thrilled. Like she just won the lottery.
“I’d like that,” I lie. “It’s just a really bad time with football.”
Her hopeful expression nosedives as disappointment sets in.
“You know,” I gesture vaguely, “with the playoffs and the bowl game coming up.”
Before I can untangle myself from this sticky situation, she presses closer, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips. “I’m more than willing to wait until after your season ends.”
Damn.
I clear my throat, wanting only to get away from her. “How about we play it by ear, and I’ll let you know.”
She beams as if I’ve just agreed to be her bona fide boyfriend. “That sounds great.”
“Um,” I point toward the kitchen. “I’m going to grab something to drink.” Before she can attach herself to my hip and offer to be my sidekick for the rest of the evening, I add, “I’ll catch you later.”
“Sure! I’ll be here waiting!”
That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.
And then I’m off, shoving my way through the mass of bodies. My plan is to make another sweep of the house, and, if I can’t find Elle, I’m calling it a night and taking off. I can’t deal with this mob. The more alcoholic beverages these girls guzzle down, the clingier they become. Most guys wouldn’t have a problem with that, but since I have zero interest in finding a hookup to take home at the end of the night, it’s more of a pain in my ass than anything else.
Crosby slaps me on the back as I stumble across the group I came here with. Like me, the only thing he bothered to do is throw on a jersey. Brayden, Rowan, and Easton on the other hand, are all here with girlfriends. They’re decked out in full-on costumes whether they want to be or not.
I almost shake my head. They’re all so pussy whipped.
Demi and Rowan are wearing matching seventies disco outfits, Sydney and Brayden are dressed as Barbie and Ken, which is hilarious, and Easton and Sasha have come as Jon Snow and Daenerys from Game of Thrones. Let’s hope their relationship doesn’t end as badly as the fictionalized one.
“Looks like you and I are the only ones who didn’t have chicks help dress them tonight,” he says.
“That would be because we don’t have girlfriends.”
He raises his beer as if I’ve offered up a toast before downing it. “Damn straight.”
Crosby has never had any interest in getting tangled up in a relationship. The guy has all the pussy he wants and seems perfectly content with the parade of jersey chasers who rotate through his bed. After three years, he’s still going strong.
Instead of admitting the truth, I say, “I’m gonna grab a bottle of water. I’ll be back.”
Just as I take a step toward the dining room, I bump into a girl. Her eyes flare as she teeters on sky-high heels. I spring forward, reaching out to steady her before she topples over.
“Hey, are you all right?” I ask, getting a better look at her face.
When she smiles, I realize it’s Sasha’s friend Brooke. “I’m fine. Thanks for the impromptu save.”
“No problem.” I take in her outfit. She’s wearing a short, sparkly gray dress that hits mid-thigh and hugs her body like a second skin. Delicate feathers sprout from her back and there’s a matching halo suspended above her head. “Cool costume.”
“Thank you!” she says with a grin before flicking her gaze over me. “Um...you, too.”
My lips quirk. “Yeah, Crosby and I went all out this year.”
Her attention reluctantly strays to the guy behind me before growing frosty. The smile disappears as her lips tighten into a brittle slash across her face.
Right. I almost forgot how much these two can’t stand each other. For reasons I haven’t been able to figure out, Crosby took an instant dislike to her from the very beginning. Even when she was dating his roommate, Andrew, he was a complete dick.
I glance at my friend, hoping he isn’t paying attention to our conversation.
No such luck.
Instead, his steely gaze slowly crawls over the length of her body. When his eyes finally meet hers, he flashes a shitty smile. “Wait, wait—let me guess.” He taps his chin with the tip of his finger. “You’re a blowjob queen.”
Her eyes narrow as she gives him a perfectly polished finger. “Fuck off, Rhodes.”