Fair Game (The Rules 1)

“Most of the time,” I agree quietly.

“And girls never think about sex.” He starts to chuckle and it’s this deep, rich sound that makes me warm inside. “I should be offended by your generalizations.”

I’m a hypocrite is what I am. I was the one who threw myself at him last night. Who agreed to see him again. Who can’t help but think about him. Naked.

“And you do realize you can have sex in places other than a bed, right? I mean, why limit yourself? You can do it against a wall. On the floor. In the back seat of my car.” He flicks his gaze to the back seat while he says that.

And instantly fuels my imagination, especially with the way he said my car.

As if he’s thinking of the two of us together. In the backseat. Right now…

“Don’t you think a bed is more…comfortable?” I can’t believe we’re having this conversation and that I’m actually encouraging it.

He stares at me quietly, his gaze dropping to my mouth, lingering there. My heart starts thumping extra hard and I lick my suddenly dry lips.

I swear he just groaned.

“Sometimes, it’s not about the comfort,” he finally says, his voice scratchy. Husky. Sexy. “Sometimes…you’re so overcome, you can’t wait to get your hands on her.”

I look at his hands, see the way they flex and shift as they still cling to the steering wheel. His palms are wide, his fingers long. They’ve touched me before and I wish they were touching me right freaking now. “Overcome?” No guy has ever acted like he’s had to have me, no matter what the cost. I wonder what that’s like.

More than anything, I wonder what that’s like with Shep.

“Well, yeah.” His fingers curl around the steering wheel tightly and he turns his head, his smoldering gaze meeting mine. “Don’t tell me you’ve never felt like that.”

I’m feeling like that right about now. Not that I can say so. “Not really,” I confess, my voice barely a whisper.

He’s quiet for so long I want to squirm in my seat I’m that uncomfortable. I look away from him, staring at my hands as I clutch them in my lap. I should’ve never said that. He must think I’m hopeless. He’ll probably start the car and drive me back to my dorm hall, drop me off and hit me with a casual, “Nice knowing you,” before he speeds off.

I know I would if I were him. I don’t measure up in more ways than I can count.

He makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat and I lift my head, my gaze going to his hands as they drop from the steering wheel and he starts to move.

Toward me.

I lean back, my shoulders bumping against the passenger door, my breath catching in my throat. I look at his face, taking in his determined expression, the spark in his gaze. He looks…intense.

Serious.

“Prescott! What the fuck man? Are you jacking off in your car or what?”

“Who’s that?” I practically scream, fear sending my heart into my throat. Shep falls back into his seat, muttering curse words under his breath as he reaches for the door handle and opens it, climbing out of the car.

“Fuck off, Tristan. Jesus.” Shep slams the door, leaving me alone in the car.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I smooth my hand over my hair, then rest it on my chest, my heart throbbing against my palm. I think Tristan is his cousin. Kelli gave me a run down of the people Shep’s known to hang out with and I already met Gabe.

A sharp knock sounds directly behind me and I shift away from the passenger door with a squeal, turning to find an extremely good looking guy peering at me through the window. He knocks again on the glass, flashing me a friendly smile and I try to smile back but it feels wobbly.

Shep appears by Tristan’s side, glowering at him so Tristan has no choice but to back away from the door. Shep opens it for me and I climb out of the vehicle, casting a nervous glance in Shep’s direction before I turn to Tristan. “Hi.”

Tristan smiles lazily, his perfectly straight, perfectly white teeth flashing. “What’s your name, gorgeous?”

“Jade.” I feel my cheeks flush as Shep sends Tristan a deathly glare.

“Tristan.” His deep voice is a warning.

“I’m just being polite.” Tristan extends his hand, his expression neutral though his eyes are sparkling with mischief. “Nice to meet you, Jade. You must be the redhead Shep and Gabe keep going on and on about.”

I gape at the both of them, too stunned to say a word. They’ve been going on and on about me? What in the world? Why?

I’m dying to know why.

My cousin has the biggest mouth on the planet. I hate that guy. And I especially hate the way he keeps staring at Jade like he wants to gobble her up.

Only I get that privilege damn it.

“Where’s your restroom?” Jade asks, glancing around the giant kitchen that is perfectly clean because we never use it. Granite countertops gleam beneath the lights and the stainless steel appliances are spotless. It helps that we have a housekeeper.

Jesus, we sound spoiled even in my thoughts.

“There’s one right back there,” Tristan says, pointing the way we just came from the garage. “First door on the left.”

“Thanks.” She flashes me a look, one that says she’s petrified, before she leaves.

I turn toward Tristan. “What the hell are you doing here?” I ask him quietly. We share the house that we’ve lived together in since we came here for college. Family sticks together and all that bullshit. Our dads are brothers, meaning Tristan is a Prescott too and he’s even more irresponsible than I am. Or at least, he used to be. Lately he’s actually been concentrating on school and getting decent grades, versus partying all the time.