the side of his cheek. “Munchkin? Are you kidding me?”
“No.” He shrugged, unconcerned. “I’m pretty sure I could fit you in my pocket, so that qualifies you for munchkin status.”
Petra released a string of curses before flouncing away with a toss of her glossy blonde hair. I put a hand to my mouth to cover my laugh.
“Smooth, Linc.” Leo patted him on the shoulder. “Very smooth.” Then, turning to me, he said, “Let’s go get a drink.”
I followed him into the kitchen, where he deposited the bottles of liquor he’d brought to contribute to the festivities on the counter next to a dozen more options. “What’ll it be?”
Spotting the cooler holding cans of Dr. Pepper, I almost spoke when Petra reappeared and handed me a gelatinous red blob in a tiny plastic cup. “Um, what’s this?”
“A Jell-O shot, silly.”
I eyed the blob dubiously. “Is this going to make me want to dance on the table?”
“One can only hope.”
Sighing, I tipped the cup to my lips. “Here goes nothing.” When I’d downed the first shot, Petra immediately offered me a second one, this one green, and I took it without complaint. Why the hell not?
She cheered. “That’s my girl.”
“Yeah, yeah. If I do anything embarrassing, you owe me a week’s worth of mochas.”
“Deal.”
Once Petra had disappeared again to do who knew what, Leo kissed my temple. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you do anything too crazy.”
I slipped my coat off then reached for the hem of my thin sweater. “You mean, like this?” I got the sweater almost to my bra line before his hands caught mine and he yanked me into his body.
“It’s like you want to be punished,” he growled into my ear.
Unable to resist taunting him, I bit down on my bottom lip and fluttered my eyelashes yet again. “Maybe I do.”
“Okay, that’s it.” He took my hand in his and practically dragged me out of the kitchen. “I think it’s time we re-visit Jude’s bathroom.”
Remembering our first kiss in that very bathroom, a shiver of anticipation traveled up my spine. Those damn Jell-O shots must have already started working, because the idea of getting it on in a bathroom at the football house should have repulsed me. Or, maybe, it was the Leo fucking Sharpe effect. That one always did me in, sober or not.
At the top of the stairs, Leo stopped short, and I bumped into his back. “What the…” I trailed off when I caught sight of a familiar faded Kansas City Royals sweatshirt beyond him.
I opened my mouth to say something, but Leo beat me to it. “Hey, man.” He held a fist out to Tobias. “How’s it going?”
My friend of more than eight years completed the fist bump before allowing his eyes to stray to me. “I’m good. Are you two looking for an empty bedroom?”
Suddenly feeling awkward, I pinched Leo’s side, hoping that would keep him from speaking. “No. We were looking for you.” I was officially a terrible friend, because my first thought upon entering the house should have been Tobias.
“Here I am,” he replied dryly. “I was just heading downstairs to get a drink and meet some people.”
“Sure,” Leo said lightly. “I’d be more than happy to introduce you around.”
“Great.” Tobias’s response sounded friendly enough, but I knew better. He was putting up with my boyfriend for now, but he wasn’t committing to that forever. I might have been worried, but I knew Leo could more than handle himself.
Back downstairs, I finally grabbed the Dr. Pepper I’d been wanting and allowed Leo to lead me around the room while he introduced Tobias to everyone he knew…which was basically everyone. I knew he was cognizant of my disinterest in all of the small talk, because he kept giving my hip a squeeze and placing kisses at my temple.
Still, as bored as I was, I couldn’t help but be grateful that he was putting in the effort with Tobias. Maybe one of these days, they’d actually be friends.
When Leo left to refill our drinks, Tobias immediately took advantage of the opportunity. “I guess nothing has changed,” he said in a surly tone.
“Changed how?”
“With you and Leo.”
That kind of made me want to laugh. Things had definitely changed, because there wasn’t just a me and Leo anymore. There was a me and Leo and Hayle and Tristin. But I had a feeling that information would make his head explode. And I didn’t fully trust him not to reveal our secret. Not while he