Even in the low light in the front seat of his car, I saw Danny’s expression darken.
“Not one player on the Wildcats would tolerate that asshole for a second. Red jersey or not, someone on the defense would put his ass in the turf on the daily in practice, and to hell with the coaches who’d make that player do burpees for teaching Derek a lesson on how to be a decent human being.”
Sitting back in the bucket seat, I said, “Good to know.” Turning my head on the headrest, I smiled. “We should probably head over to the party before your friends think you ditched them again.”
Reaching over the console, he slid his hand beneath the hair on my neck, holding me as he leaned in and brushed a kiss over my mouth. A sigh ghosted out of me, and I sensed his grin against my lips before he kissed me again.
“I feel like I’ve waited my whole life to kiss you, T. And every time my lips touch yours, I’m reminded it was worth the wait.”
I didn’t realize my fingers were covering my lips until he smiled as he put the car in gear and pulled out of his parking space. “Absolutely, T. Hold that thought. As much as I want to show you off at this party, our time there will be pretty short. Especially if you keep looking at me like that.”
How was I looking at him? I mean besides as though he were the eighth Wonder of the World.
I’d ridden in his car so many times, yet tonight held an aura of firsts. First kiss, first party, first promise of something more. That last one terrified me because I wanted it so much with Danny, but what if I froze up the way I had with Aaron? He’d walk away too, and we’d probably never recover our friendship. Yet as we drove through the chilly autumn evening, I couldn’t deny I was already committed to taking the risk. I had to hope I was right about my subconscious doing a number on my body to just force me to wait for him.
Thumping hip-hop poured out the door as we walked up the sidewalk to Tarvarius’s house. Located down the street from the big Victorian Danny lived in, this house was even more impressive, with a third-story balcony along a row of two or three tall windows and a long second-story balcony with an iron railing, where several people were talking and drinking. The front door opened directly into a massive living room heaving with people dancing to the beat. In the corner opposite the front door, a DJ had set up his turntables and mixing board between two tall, skinny amps. Behind him a light bar fitted with a rainbow of colored lights and strobes switched on and off matching the rhythm of the music.
As we moved further into the room, Danny grinned and fist-bumped a big Black guy I recognized from the Coffee Kiosk. Tugging me close, he introduced me to Jeremiah Fitzgerald.
“We’ve met,” I shouted over the music.
Jeremiah smiled at me, his deep voice cutting through the noise in the room like a destroyer parting the sea. “Ah, so this guy is why you didn’t accept our party invites before.”
“This guy is the reason I’m here tonight,” I shouted back.
He lifted his fist for Danny to bump again. “Nice work, man. Keg’s in the kitchen.” He nodded toward a door to the left of the DJ’s setup.
With a salute, Danny tugged me through the heaving crowd toward the kitchen where it was marginally less busy. He introduced me to another massive man in charge of the keg.
“Dallas, this is my girlfriend, Taryn. Taryn, meet our star center, the true captain of the offense.”
With a broad smile, Dallas handed me a red cup filled with keg beer. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for talking Danny into coming to a party finally.”
“Um—”
Danny lifted his cup to mine, and we each tipped back a swig.
“Flip cup tournament is on the back porch. Cornhole in the back yard if the living room is too crowded for you.”
Right then Tarvi and Zoe walked into the kitchen from the back porch.
“Hey! You made it!” Zoe said with a grin. “Isn’t this party rad?”
“Rad?” I laughed. “Who says that anymore?”
A rather unladylike burp escaped her, and she grinned again. “Oops! It’s the keg beer. Gets me every time.”
Tarvarius gazed at her, a smitten smile on his face. I couldn’t blame him. My friend had that effect on people.
“Come on, you guys. Let’s dance,” she said as she took Tarvi by the hand and shimmied toward the living room.
“You heard the lady,” Danny said, laughter twinkling in his eyes. “Time to dance.”
The living room literally bounced beneath the feet of the forty or fifty people dancing in it. At some point Danny asked Tarvi if they’d hired a professional DJ. Tarvi explained that the guy attended MSC but was using the parties to practice for some competition that could catapult him to the big time. From the way he worked the crowd, I thought he was ready for the big time now.
Not knowing many people at this bash allowed me to relax and have fun. Zoe’s goofy antics as she danced around Tarvi cracked me up. I had no idea how long we’d been dancing for when she pulled me in close.
“You going to be okay without me?” Her comical over-the-top brow waggle left me laughing.
