up.” He’s putting in a lot of work with a girl he doesn’t know.
Looking everywhere but at Georgia leads me to confirm I’m still enemy numero uno. Laura leans in and nods as Caroline says something to her. It makes me bring a finger to my mouth to chew on my nail.
It looks like flying under the radar for the rest of the year isn’t happening anymore.
A quick burst of cold air blows on the side of my face, jarring me.
“What the—”
“You’re ignoring me. And I’m giving grade A charm over here.”
“Sorry.” I look again to see Laura walking my way, but she gets caught up with one of the crew guys. “I don’t think being here is a good idea.”
“Why?” His gaze follows mine.
“I pissed off some people earlier, and I was making a very cool exit when I got caught up in you.”
Our faces meet as I say it.
“You’re caught up in me?”
I squirm out from his arm and hitch a finger over my shoulder. “You know what I mean. This’s been fun. And you are so cute, and I really want to stay, but I’m going to go.”
I take a step back, but he reaches for my hand. “Wait. If you’re telling me that all I need to do to hang out with you is bounce from this party, then I’m saying lead the way.”
I’m dumbfounded. Is he serious? He doesn’t even know my name.
“You’re the guest of honor.”
He doesn’t say anything, just shrugs.
“It was thrown for you,” I press, but he smiles.
“I’m aware of the definition, Pretty, but I want to hang out with you. And don’t tell me we can exchange numbers and see each other later because I’m going back home after the break.”
I open my mouth to interrupt, but his finger falls on my lips, hushing me.
“For the next two weeks, I’ll be buried under practices and training. All we have is tonight. And I want it with you. And I don’t mean that in a dirty way. I’m weird, I know, but I like you.”
His hand, which is now on my waist, kneads. “Take a risk. It could be the time of your life.”
Take a risk. Hmm. Tonight could actually be the time of my life.
I let out a groan meant to make it look as if I’m debating, but I’m not.
“I thought my Friday night was going to be a total waste.”
His eyebrows wag. “Come on, girl. Let me make it worth your while.”
He doesn’t wait for me to answer before he’s dragging me back out the way we came. This time we’re hand in hand, a stolen bottle of Fireball under his arm.
Jackson
We’re halfway down the driveway when my pretty hostage bumps a shoulder into my bicep. “Hey. Where are we going? And how are we getting there?”
I stop in my tracks and look down. “Damn, I hadn’t thought that far. I rode with those guys from earlier. Did you come with the girls giving you the evil eye?”
She looks surprised that I noticed, but they weren’t exactly hiding it.
“I have a car. And my cousin…” she says with a raised brow. “She can drive back with her shitty friends. I’ve decided I don’t care about their wrath—but not enough to go back inside though.”
I nod, amused by her honesty.
“That explains the water. You’re the DD.”
Her smirk gives away the answer. Now I’m glad I swiped the Fireball. Tonight’s about to get real fun. I pull my phone out of my pocket. “We’ll get an Uber.”
She giggles, and I love it.
“It’ll take one forever out here. I’ll drive. Plus, I’m not drinking—not just because I’m the DD. But because stuff like Fireball will take away all my ability to make good decisions around you.”
“You say that like it’s a terrible thing.”
The scowl on my face is playful as I follow her to a white Range Rover, but not before I leave the bottle on top of a random hood. I walk around the passenger side of her car, but she doesn’t unlock the door.
Her head peeks around the windshield. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I answer back, looking at her with one hand on the handle.
She looks nervous, chewing her bottom lip as her eyes search mine.
“We can hang out, but I have one condition.”
“Name it.”
“No names.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “What?”
She walks to speak over the hood.
“I mean, not our real ones. I’m taking your dare, being spontaneous, but you’re a risk for me. I don’t want my name passed around.” I want to