“Speaking of football, I’m sorry for missing those two passes and fumbling today.”
We’d lost the game, and I blamed my poor performance. I was usually sharp on the field despite my problems. But my father returning wasn’t a menial problem like failing a test. It was a monumental issue that had me worried for more reasons than I wanted to think about tonight.
The door to Leigh’s room opened, and Ryker and I whipped our heads in that direction.
Holy fuck!
The black-haired goddess was a sight to behold. I sucked in air as I took in the red shorts, cropped Lakemont University T-shirt, and long, tanned legs.
“I think—” I couldn’t find the words.
Ryker laughed. “You’re about to fall hard and fast, and I’m here for it.”
He might be right, because Mazzie was a midnight storm—unexpected, wild, and rolled in without permission.
No matter how hard I tried to fight off that butterfly feeling, it was undeniable.
3
Mazzie
The headlights of Lucas’s truck lit up the highway as the song “Lotta Bit Of You” by Drew Green spilled through the speakers.
I was all about a guy in a truck, good country music, and speeding down the road in the dead of night. The last time I’d been with a country boy was my freshman year. Josh Turley drove a beat-up Ford, wore cowboy boots and a black Stetson hat, and loved to fuck to country music.
I briefly thought about the brown-haired guy who was heir to one of the largest cattle ranch operations in Louisiana. He and I weren’t compatible outside the bedroom. He was too possessive for my liking, and I had to change my number because he hadn’t taken the breakup well. My mother dated men like him, and I wasn’t the daughter to follow in my mother's footsteps.
I wanted a man who didn’t treat me like I couldn’t look at another guy or suffocate me to the point I couldn’t breathe.
I wished every day that my mom would wake up and realize that most of the men she dated were assholes. I still held out hope that she would find her soulmate—a person who cared about her, looked at her like she was the only one in the room, and didn’t stray.
“Did I lose you?” Lucas’s raspy tone pulled me out of my thoughts.
I blinked at the reflective dashed highway lines as they blipped by. “Just enjoying the music.” And ruminating about an old flame that I’d snuffed out long ago.
In a matter of several hours in Lucas’s presence, I could tell he wasn’t what the rumors claimed him to be. He’d shown me that he was more than a playboy, more than a mouth-watering body, and more than I was ready for. He was kind, tender, and emotional. Holy hell, to witness him almost breaking down in Leigh’s room had been wildly unexpected.
Nevertheless, the woman he fell for would be the luckiest person on the planet. My stomach pitched and rolled like a fun roller-coaster ride at the idea that I could be that person.
The liquor has gone to your head, my inner voice supplied. Men are not in your equation.
I slyly eyed the yummy wide receiver who was definitely a distraction I couldn’t afford. But one night with him wouldn’t hurt so I could see if the rumors were true and if he lived up to the hype. After all, I was due for a good round of sex, and I was feeling quite horny at the moment. Thank you, mango concoction.
“Everything okay?” Lucas asked. “How’s the itching?”
“For the tenth time, I’m good.” My tone was harsher than intended. “The Benadryl kicked in hours ago, and the liquor helped.” Then I rushed to say, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”
Lucas had been nothing short of a gentleman and sweet, checking on me throughout his birthday party between chatting up other ladies around the pool.
“No biggie. Are you still okay to hang at my place? Or I could take you home.”
Hell no. I was not about to tango with my mom. I had no energy to do so either.
Bailey had gone to Erik’s place to continue what she’d started with him at the pool house. Who was I to deny my bestie a good fuck? So Lucas had offered to hang out with me at his house until Bailey came up for air.
“I’m cool.” I scrunched my nose. “Unless of course you have a date later.” I kind of knew he didn’t, but I wanted to give him an out in case he’d changed his mind.
“I’m all yours, Midnight.”
