knows how much longer you’ll be with Z. He tends to go through girls on a regular basis.”
She doesn’t know about the agreement we made, and I’m glad.
I bat my lashes, playing her game just as well as she does. I know her type. She can’t have Z, and she doesn’t want anyone else to get him either. “Oh, I know. Thanks for reminding me that he’s quite the player. And his one-month deal? Suits me just fine. Bye now.”
Then I’m shoving past her and into the packed kitchen. There’s a makeshift bar set up on the table, and a girl wearing one of the player’s jersey is pouring drinks for everyone. Easing in between people, I grab a glass of punch and pretend to drink. Someone jostles into me from the side and some of it sloshes out of the cup, splattering down my dress.
I glance up, but whoever it was has already gotten away. I exhale, trying to wipe at the fabric. At least the dress is a dark burgundy color so it doesn’t show up.
“I’m already regretting this,” I mutter to myself.
Eric appears at my side, his hair tousled as if someone’s had their hands in it. He picks me up and twirls me around as much as he can. “You came! I told Z you’d chicken out.” He leans down conspiratorially. “Did you bring me a gift? If not, that’s totally fine since we told everyone no gifts, and I’ll take a little kiss instead.” He points to his cheek. “Right here will do just fine.”
I brush my lips against his skin and step back. “I brought donuts, but Veronica confiscated them.”
His eyes go around the room as if looking for someone. He shakes his head at me. “Ah, man, Z must have it bad for you.”
“Why do you say that?” I ask, sipping my drink, doing my best to relax and blend in.
“Because he’s staring at us right now.” He grins, a bit maniacally. “I love it when he gets riled up—which doesn’t happen much when it comes to girls.”
I look around the room. “Where?”
Eric wiggles his eyebrows and tilts his head toward the stairs. “Up on the ledge. I guarantee he saw you when you first came in, and I’m dashing before he kicks my ass.” He goes to leave but turns back around, his face serious. “Also, don’t hurt him, okay? I’m not sure he can take it.”
How would I hurt him?
“He’s the one with a girl of the month,” I say.
Eric winces. “Is he really? That’s mostly gossip, you know, and I don’t know of any girl who has a bad word to say about him—other than maybe Veronica on a bad day—so that pretty much clears that up.” He continues, lowering his voice. “He’s just got a lot going on with hockey. We didn’t win a championship last year, and it’s important to him that we do this year.”
I nod, seeing the slightly worried, earnest expression on his face. “Okay.”
And then he’s off, his head bobbing through the crowd as he makes his way to the back door where people are spilling out onto the deck.
I turn and look for Zack on the steps, my eyes going up to the top of the staircase, and there he is, his face in a bit of a scowl. Wearing a pair of low-slung jeans and a tight black shirt with the HU Lions logo on the sleeve, he draws the eye—straight to his muscled chest and those rock-hard abs below it. He motions with his head for me to come to him.
You come to me, my eyes say, and his nose flares.
Even though I know he’s annoyed, even that small action makes my heart jump. He’s like dynamite, and I never know what’s going to set him off.
Why do I like it?
I lift my shoulders in a nonchalant shrug and take a sip of my drink.
He exhales a breath and eases down the stairs, pushing past the people who’ve taken up residence there. A girl calls his name and while he gives her a smile, I know it isn’t real, because I’ve seen his real smiles. He keeps moving, coming down, and I eat him up. What man has the right to look that damn good? Lithe and graceful, he jumps the last three steps and lands at the bottom, and never once has he taken his gaze off me. I swallow. It’s intimidating to be the center of his undivided attention, and