into his chair. I stay back with a hand on my face, smothering the grin trying to slide up my cheek.
Seth stands a few inches taller, displaying dominance. “And she… actually, I want everyone to hear this. Delta Xi!” He backs up into the foyer so his voice echoes even louder. “Hey, Delta Xi! House announcement! Get out here!”
Here we go…
I shrug at Corey and Devin. I tried to warn them.
Several doors open on the second and third floors. Some step out to look over the balcony, others just poke their sleepy heads out to listen. A group wanders in from the kitchen, Brick in his baby blue bathrobe included.
“Now,” Seth begins, “as some of you are aware, my little sister attended our party last night.”
Someone cat whistles upstairs.
“Hey!” Seth scolds them over the chuckles. “I want you all to know right now that she is off-limits! No one, and I mean no one, may touch her, taste her, smell her — hell, don’t even look at her for too long! Ya hear me?”
I pinch my tingling lips as a gray rock settles in my gut.
“I’m invoking Delta Xi law!” he adds with a nod to Brick. “No girlfriends, no sisters, no mothers. Isn’t that right, Brick?”
Brick nods sagely. “That is law.”
“Any Delta Xi man who breaks Delta Xi law will be punished to the full extent of Delta Xi law! Now, raise your hands!”
The house obeys, tiredly lifting their arms. I follow suite.
“I do solemnly swear,” Seth leads the chant and we repeat it, “that I will not touch Seth’s baby sister, Heidi Newbury.”
We parrot it back, and that gray rock sinks even deeper.
Fortunately, as far as I’m aware, Delta Xi pledges aren’t applied retroactively.
Seth lowers his hand, satisfied. “Thank you for your time. You may go about your morning business.”
The rest of the house clumsily returns to their rooms.
Seth spins toward me. I quickly compose myself in case my expression gives away that I can still taste Heidi’s lip gloss on my tongue.
“Let’s roll!” he says. “Delta Xi!”
I swallow hard, but I manage some enthusiasm as I repeat, “Delta Xi.”
Chapter 11
Heidi
I come. I come hard.
Bringing my rabbit into the bathroom with me is something I usually reserve for bubble bath night, but I’m a little more worked up this morning than usual.
Drew.
Well, that kiss was memorable. I’ll probably be rubbing off to that memory for a long time. The way he pulled me in. The power of his lips and the irresistible flick of his tongue on mine. His warm breath and the strain of his voice as he said my name.
And I’m coming again.
I stick my other fist in my mouth and bite down to keep it quiet beneath the spray of the showerhead. My rabbit isn’t the loudest thing in the world, but it can make quite the buzz at the highest setting. Luckily, Jenna got back late last night with a very special guest judging by the scrunchie proudly displayed on her doorknob this morning, so there’s little chance of her overhearing me release some tension.
I let out one final inaudible moan before turning off the water and reaching for my robe on the hook outside the curtain. I dab my moist hair until it’s only damp before stepping out into the hall. The smell of fresh coffee tickles my nose and I quickly shove my massager into the pocket of my robe.
“Good morning!” Jenna announces from the kitchen table in her pajamas. She sits back in a chair with her hair in a messy strawberry blonde ponytail and her bare feet propped up on the table. “Long shower, eh?” she hints with a mug of coffee cradled in her hands.
I grab an empty mug from the cabinet above the coffeemaker. “Feeling a little sluggish today, that’s all,” I say.
“Yeah, I’ll bet.” She sets her mug down. “You had a real long night of bitching out early.”
“Was that before or after you abandoned me like you said you wouldn’t?”
She raises a hand. “Okay, first of all, that’s not what I did and I have receipts.”
“Please proceed.”
“Thank you. Bobby was hopelessly blowing up my phone all night long.”
“I recall you texting more than usual, yes.”
“So, I located the nearest eligible plaything to enlist his help. His name was Jack, and he had very blue eyes.”
“Help with what?”
“With making Bobby very, very jealous.”
My eyes roll. “Of course.”
“I am not proud.” She places a hand over her heart. “But also maybe a little bit.”
“And how did that plan