The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

I murmured, “I could go for something else besides lunch.”

The hazel was replaced with his amber coloring. He stood and drew close to me, curving an arm around my waist, he pulled me against him, bending to say softly, “One would think we’re just sex-crazed teenagers.”

“Hmmm. But we are.”

Tray laughed. “I don’t classify myself as a teenager anymore.” He kissed me and murmured, “Eighth grade. I was a teenager then. I turned adult not long after that.”

“Yeah, I know.” I sighed, moving with him as he leaned against the wall, his arm still anchored around me. “I don’t remember ever being a kid, you know.”

“Yeah. I do,” he said solemnly, watching me intently. Neither of us moved to close the gap, but we stared at each other. When our floor came, we filed out and down the hallway. Carter was in th

e hallway, carrying a bucket of ice.

He lit up when he saw us. “Taryn’s awake! The day just got fun.”

I liked Carter.

He threw an arm around Tray’s shoulder, and asked me, “You’re going to let your boy party with us tonight, right?” He nodded. “Eh, eh? Play-offs don’t come around all that often. Once a year, Taryn. You know what that means…once a year we get to live it up while we can. Oh yeah!”

Tray’s partying was up to me? Since when?

I frowned. “What are you asking, Carter?”

“Well, nothing, but Tray was saying you were tired, so if you decide not to partake in the festivities, it doesn’t mean Tray can’t? Right? Because that would be just—”

“Wrong?” I supplied dryly, seeing the amusement in Tray’s eyes.

“Yeah.” He grinned, feeling understood.

“Are you calling me a downer?”

“What? No. Just…if you’re tired then—” Carter floundered.

I laughed, letting him off the hook. “I’m here to get my mind off stuff. I’m not planning on being a ‘downer’ and I’m not planning on taking away any of Tray’s fun.”

But I could still feel that same sense of foreboding from earlier.

I flashed a blinding smile. “How bout we start now? I could go for a shot.”

Carter’s eyes lit up like a light bulb, you could see how excited he was. When I looked over to Tray, I saw a flash of concern in his eyes, but it vanished when Carter pushed us into his room. On the counter, he already had everything set up. A complete bar without the license.

“What’ll you have?” He didn’t wait, but quickly poured three shots.

Turning around, he handed them out.

I met Tray’s suspicious eyes for a second before I tipped my head back and downed the shot.

“You actually know how to have fun?” I hadn’t noticed Jasmine in the corner, but she was laughing.

I had a feeling they’d been ‘partying’ on the way up when I saw her fall over.

“Have another one, Taryn,” Carter suggested, going over to help Jasmine stand up. I saw his hands linger on her waist and hip. Hmm…looked like Carter had already staked his bed-partner for the weekend.

Tray dropped to the bed. I met his gaze in the mirror when I tipped my head back for a second shot.

“Tray.” Jasmine laughed, getting tickled by Carter.

“Yeah?” he asked.