The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

And he hadn’t been. But would you, considering that you had two drug empires on one side and the government on the other?

Tray kept what he needed to for his life and mine. We called it our life insurance.

And that was something Mandy, Carter, and Grayley weren’t privy too. No one was.

I moved away from the group and met Tray on the bottom steps of the bleachers.

“Hey,” I whispered, being pulled into his arms.

“Hey,” he greeted, kissing me hotly. Almost desperately.

I raked my hands through his hair, twisting them helplessly when the waves of lust engulfed me. He could always do that to me.

“Okay. Public,” I panted, pulling away slightly.

“I caught the dive.”

I melted and wrapped my arms tighter around his neck. “Really?”

“Really.” He grinned and dipped his head again.

“Hmm,” I moaned against his mouth, “I’d love to continue this wild orgy that is engraved in writing for tonight, but we have visitors from out of town.”

“Mandy will be busy with Carter. Let’s escape now.”

I grinned, and felt him pull me back for another kiss. I felt like my panties might melt off.

“Seriously,” he murmured, burying his head into my neck, “I need some time with you and not them. Mandy’ll be fine with Carter. She’s coming here anyway next semester. And Grayley goes here, he can see you tomorrow in class.”

“I am not looking forward to that semester. Shelley and Kevin are going to be in town a whole lot more.”

“Here come the bribes of money, dinners, cars, and lunches,” Tray joked.

And it was kind of funny. Mandy had cleaned up after a second stint in rehab, but Shelley still refused her problem.

To their chagrin, I’d stayed away. But Shelley and Kevin continuously send me cards and gift packages. They wanted a relationship and would wait when I decided I wanted one too.

It’d been three years. They weren’t getting the hint.

But oh well. I was still taking their money and saving it. I thought about buying a plane ticket to see them, ripping it in half, and mailing it to them. Maybe they’d get the idea then.

But Mandy seemed better, probably because she wasn’t living there anymore. Austin had turned into the school’s bad boy, but that was to be expected. He ran the school almost as well as Tray.

I was proud, like a momma.

My thoughts were distracted again when Tray maneuvered us so that I was between him and the wall. When he dipped his head, I lost conscious ability and surrendered myself.

Like I always have.

And like I always would.

“Taryn, are you going to the party tonight?” Sari exclaimed breathlessly, her gold medal already around her neck. She was fingering it, looking from me to the medal and back again.

Tray neatly hoisted me up and I wrapped my legs and arms around him. As he explored the crook between my neck and shoulder, I grinned lazily to my teammate, “Of course. The team won, it’s going to be a raver.”

“Fuck yeah. I’m going to get laid.” She beamed excitedly, and flushed.

Tray lifted his head and remarked dryly, “I’m trying to get laid right now.”