“I’m a good kisser,” he explains offhandedly, not answering my question. I lick my lips nervously and his eyes cease boring in to me and move to my mouth instead. “You know when girls lick their lips it’s their way of begging to be kissed?”
“I don’t beg,” I whisper, licking them again. Damn!
“One more time and I’m tasting them,” he warns, but his eyes are humorous, and I know he’s messing with me.
His teasing is like throwing water on a fire. I’m soaked through and thinking straight again. I push against his chest and roll my eyes. The whiskey is burning in my belly and Kent is getting on my nerves. Just as I leave the kitchen, the door opens. Two men enter with brown bags full of alcohol and food.
They pause when they see me. Both of them are wearing tank tops and jeans shorts. Their ball caps are on backwards and they’ve got naughty smiles.
“Damn, Kent. Already?” one of them asks.
Kent smirks. “Raina, this is Jake and Zeke. Guys, this is Raina, my new roommate.”
Their eyes widen. “For real?” one of them asks.
“Real for?” the other one says.
Huh?
“Raina, these guys can party for hours. Take notes.”
“Will do,” I respond dryly. “Which one’s Jake?” He raises his hand. Black hair was Jake and brown hair was Zeke. “Hi, Jake and Zeke.”
“Hi, Raina,” they both echo flirtatiously.
I laugh at them. “Stop.”
“Come bring the stuff in the kitchen,” Kent orders. “Raina’s my roommate,” I hear him tell them sharply. “Leave her alone.”
“Will do,” Jake promises.
“Do will,” Zeke chimes in.
I roll my eyes at Kent’s friends.
The door opens yet again. This time it’s a group of girls. I refuse to introduce myself to tonight’s cattle. They’re pretty, though. I find myself wondering if they have smart mouths and whether Kent’s going to punish them on the couch.
The girls all wrap themselves around Kent’s long, lean body like a glove. He rubs their backs and gives them his sexiest smile.
Pig, I think acidly. What kind of man hugs four girls at once?
The door remains open. Men and women come in with alcohol. I eye the whiskey bottles warily. We’re not drinking all of that, are we? The music gets louder and the bass throbs under my feet. The open space in the living room is transformed into a dance floor. Girls wearing close to nothing move their hips to the beat. I stand amongst it all, completely out of my element.
“You ready?” someone whispers in my ear.
I turn my head and meet Kent’s eyes. Leaning forward, I bring my mouth close to his ear. “For what?”
Our cheeks are pressed together. His breath washes over me like the warm breeze coming in through the front door. It smells sweet and spicy from the whiskey.
“You see that babe with the auburn hair?” He rotates me, guiding my head toward a tall, beautiful woman in the corner talking to her girlfriends. “I want her. I know she wants me too, or she wouldn’t have answered my call and come to my party, but she’s playing games. So you and I are going to play too. Dance with me. And don’t be shy. Dance like you were in the hall in your towel. Like I’m not behind you.”
I turn around to glare at him. “Kent—”
“Wing-woman,” he reminds me icily.
“Do you even like her?” I demand.
“No. I want to take her to bed.”
“That’s all?” I can’t believe this man.
“That’s it. In fact I’ll need you to run interference in the morning if she wants to stick around.”
“Who says she’s going to fall for your BS?”
He gives me a tight look, as if the possibility of her not wanting him is so improbable he cannot believe I’m even questioning it. “The question isn’t if. It’s how badly she wants me.”
I sigh and then fix my face. “Fine, Kent. Let’s dance.” I take his hand and give him a fake look I hope comes across as sexy. I’m not sexy. I don’t know how to do this.
“Great idea. Make her think you want me.”
I make sure to lead Kent right past Auburn Hair and her group of friends. Almost immediately her eyes narrow. I smile to myself and turn around, putting my hands on Kent’s chest to stop him. We’re far enough away where she has to look for us, but close enough she can still see us.
Thankfully the whiskey is rushing through me. I slide my hands down Kent’s muscled chest and over his abs. He feels