My Aussie Guy - Liz Lovelock Page 0,3

to take notice of his woman.

“Uh… I was checkin’ on her. She hit her head on the doorframe, so I was making sure she was all good.” I shrug, wishing I had raced after the ball before Parker’s girl bailed me up. What’s the big deal? She’s standing there with her hand on her hip still, her eyebrows arched and a smile on her lips. I’m not sure what the smile is all about. A part of me thinks she’s analyzing me, sizing me up. Good luck to her. She’s not going to get much information out of me.

“Addison, leave him alone.”

Addison. That’s right. That’s her name.

She holds her hands out. “What? I’m simply saying hello.” Her voice is high-pitched and all innocent. I get the feeling she uses this tone often. Does she not like me? Or did she not like me talking to Elsie?

This whole situation is becoming a little too uncomfortable for my liking.

Thank goodness Parker says, “Aiden, you’re with Devon and Addison.”

Is he serious?

My face must show my shock when Addison says, “Don’t worry. You might be surprised at my skills. Just don’t be a ball hog.” She grins—this time genuinely—then she walks away. What is with this chick? I must have done the wrong thing by checking on her friend.

I would have been happy having Elsie play, but I’m guessing she doesn’t actually know anything about basketball.

“All righty, boys and girl, let’s play,” I announce, clapping my hands. “Three on three. What are we playing to?”

Parker answers, “First to twenty-five and half-court.” He tosses the ball to me only to be intercepted by Addison. This girl has some quick moves. I’ll give her that.

An hour later, I’m walking out of the basketball court door a loser—but only by one point.

“Didn’t I tell you you’d be surprised?” Addison steps up beside me, Parker holding her hand.

I sure was. This chick and her brother couldn’t hold their own. I was proven wrong.

“You were good. But we would have won if you’d got that last shot,” I joke.

“Oh damn, snap!” Parker laughs, reaching around in front of Addison to high five me.

“Come on. It’s all this guy’s fault.” She elbows him in the ribs.

“Now that’s true.”

When Addison was about to take the shot, he stepped up behind her—his distraction tactic. It totally worked, and she missed the shot.

We walk across campus, heading back to the house. Thankfully, there was space for me to move in when I arrived. Parker and the boys are pretty awesome. It’s going to be hard for me to go back to Australia when my time here is up.

“Addison!” a familiar voice shouts.

All of us turn.

It’s Elsie. Damn, she’s so good-looking. Her long hair flows behind her as she runs to catch up to us. She has curves in all the right places.

“What happened to your assignment?” Parker teases.

I watch Addison glare at him while he continues to smirk.

“I finished it. What’s it to you, anyway? I need to borrow Addison for a moment.”

“Come back to the house. We’ll get some food. You can talk to her there,” Parker responds casually.

“What? Do you speak for her now?” she bites back.

Damn, she has serious sass. I like it.

Addison quickly jumps in. “No, he doesn’t. I’m staying there tonight. Just come.” She raises her eyebrows at Parker and releases his hand then moves and hooks her arm through Elsie’s.

This exchange is weird. Have I somehow been placed with the most awkward group of people?

“I’m going to drop Devon home, and I’ll meet you back at home,” Dane says as he and Devon head toward his car which is parked on the side of the road.

I like the way they all look out for Devon—it’s awesome.

I watch Elsie walking with Addison and Parker in front of me. This girl could be trouble. I can guess they’re talking about me when both girls turn around and realize they’ve been busted. I smirk. This could be fun.

The girls quickly disappear when we get back to the house. Jimmy, Parker, and I are chatting about tonight’s game when Elsie and Addison appear again. Elsie’s looking rather flushed.

“Have any of you ordered the pizza?” Addison asks.

All three of us look between each other, and she’s met with crickets. None of us have, and by the huff she releases, she knows it.

“Come on, guys, it’s not up to the woman to deal with food. I’m not your slave. What did you do before I arrived?” She digs a phone out of her