Cherry Creek - Dani Matthews Page 0,28

I'd brought with me, but I choose the plainest pair I own. I also spy my old camouflage tank that I wear only when I'm in the mood to do some major cleaning. That'll work. After I pull my hair back into a simple ponytail, I walk out of my room barefoot.

I am not dressing up for this party. Reason number one is because I want to annoy Roman. Reason number two, I don't want any guys thinking I'm looking for attention. Dress myself real nice and pretty, and someone's going to think I'm on the prowl for a date. Just the idea of dating makes me uneasy.

The closer I get to the back of the mansion, the louder the music becomes. When I pass by Khristos's office, I see that the door is shut, and the crack under the door is dark. Is he out of town? I guess he would have to be in order for Roman to invite a ton of people here for a party. As I walk further down the hall, I can't help but wonder what Khristos is like when he's mad. I'm betting he's the type who gets dangerously quiet instead of losing his temper and yelling.

My thoughts are halted the second I step outside onto the path that leads towards the patio and pool. There are people everywhere. My balcony doesn't face this side of the patio, so there's more people here than I'd estimated. They are all clad in swimsuits and mingling. Most are holding red plastic cups, beer cans, or bottles. How in the world had Roman gotten his hands on so much alcohol without Khristos knowing about it?

I make my way through the crowd, dodging people as I head towards the pool. I'm guessing that'll be where Roman's at. I spy him almost immediately. He's talking with a gorgeous blonde, who's wearing a bikini that should be illegal. His hand settles on her bare hip as he leans in close, whispering something in her ear. She smiles at him flirtatiously and nods. Roman pulls her into his side, leading her towards the glass doors that enter into the kitchen.

I know what those two are up to, and now that Roman's officially occupied, I can make my escape.

“You must be Livvy,” a masculine voice says from behind me.

My heart sinks as I realize Roman had someone watching for me. I should have known. I paste a polite smile on my face before turning around. The guy standing in front of me is really cute but in the boy next door kind of way. His features seem even except for a slightly wide nose, but it doesn’t hinder his looks. I’m also not feeling anything for him. There is no instant attraction like I’d experienced with Trace and Roman.

“I'm Nathan,” he introduces, his hazel eyes full of curiosity as he gazes at me.

“You're one of Roman's friends,” I guess as I study him. His blond hair is cut short, and I can see a hint of curl to it. He's tan and shirtless—just like all the other guys at the party. He's in good shape. His muscles aren't as defined as Roman's, but it's clear he works out. When I lift my gaze back up to his, I see he's grinning confidently. He thinks I'd been checking him out. Well, I guess I had been. Darn it.

“Roman and I, we hang a lot,” he replies in reference to my comment. His eyes drop to my empty hands. “You want something to drink?”

“No, I'm good.” I look around the party. “Does Roman throw parties like this a lot?”

“Once in a while.”

Someone bumps into me as they pass by, and Nathan immediately puts an arm around me, gently pulling me out of the way. I manage to extract myself from his grip while pretending to adjust my ponytail. A few weeks ago, I would have been flattered by Nathan's attention. He's definitely cute and all, but having your ex-boyfriend try to kill you kind of changes things.

Nathan leans forward slightly, his eyes flickering over my body briefly before focusing on my face again. “So, you're from Missouri?”

“Yes,” I say a bit hesitantly as I search his gaze. Had Roman told his friends about Brad?

“Did you live in the city?” he continues.

I nod.

“I bet it's been quite an adjustment moving out here. Cherry Creek's not too bad, and the cities are only a half hour away. The way I see it, we've got the