“It might be one of mine, too, Kenz.” He held me tight against his chest for a long second and let out a huge sigh when I let go. “I’m happy for you, but I’m still furious and need to walk it off. Enjoy your night, champion.”
He joined Greta, the two of them veering from the crowd, and that left Tanner. He ran his teeth over his bottom lip, his long lashes teasing me each time he blinked. “I can’t believe you fucking did that.”
I gave the most casual shrug I could, but it didn’t fool him. He sucked in one of his cheeks and gave me a quick, one-armed hug. It didn’t last nearly as long as I would’ve liked, and I didn’t get to say as much as I wanted. The brunette cooed his name and he gave me awhat am I gunna dolook. It shouldn’t have felt like a betrayal, him leaving me, but it did. How stupid of me. I looked around. Everyone I knew had dispersed and the high of winning that game left as quickly as it’d arrived.Life is just a bunch of ups and downs.
Chapter Eight
Tanner
Noelle had the body of a goddess with lips meant for pleasure and there was no fucking reason why I shouldn’t enjoy feeling her tongue on my neck. She crawled onto my lap and moved my hands so they cupped her ass under her dress. She went without anything underneath and while my cock tingled with awareness, I couldn’t wrap my head around my holdup. “You’re so tense, TJ. Let me take care of that for you.”
I am tense.I closed my eyes and caressed her smooth skin, wishing she interested me. I gave it another two minutes before accepting defeat. “Noelle, I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well.”
“Tanner, is it the draft? I’d be stressin’ about it, too. Come on, let me take your mind off it for a while in your room.” She ran her tongue over her lips, her intentions glaringly clear, but just hearing her say the worddraftwas the out I needed. She batted her eyes at me but stopped when she saw my face. “Oh, you weren’t kidding.”
“No, perhaps another time.” I picked her up and set her on the couch next to me in one swift motion. “It’s not you, baby, trust me. You’re a sight to take in, and if we meet again when I’m in a better headspace, you won’t be able to walk home.”
She flushed at my words, and any sign of disbelief left her face. I traced my fingers under her jaw and gave her my best fake smile before leaving her there. If I was honest with myself—which I really fucking didn’t want to be—I kept thinking about Kenzie. God, the spitfire made my blood sing in every good and bad way, and three days away from her might’ve helped me forget about seeing her in the towel. But it hadn’t helped my attraction. It was as though the time apart had made it worse.
I scanned the basement and struck out, so I moved upstairs and checked every room before coming up blank. She was probably playing beer pong again, the sneaky competitive girl, and I helped myself to a large beer. It was only my third one and the cool liquid calmed the storm inside me. Carter also walked into the kitchen, his cheeks a little red from drinking, and I laughed. “Dude, you look sloshed.”
“I’m not. Swear.” He refilled his glass and gave me a weird look, as if he was contemplating something. I waited no more than ten seconds before he said, “Dude, Hilly’s sister is hot.”
I didn’t expect that. “Do you want to die?”
“No, that’s why I’m telling you, not him.” He made a stupid face, as though I was in the wrong, and put a hand over his heart. “She lives here, right?”
“Don’t even finish your thought.” I couldn’t explain why I wanted to smash his face into the counter, or why I needed to find her that second. “I’ll be back. Don’t do anything idiotic.”
The crowd had only grown since the beer pong game, but her crazy blonde hair wasn’t anywhere in sight and a prickle of fear hit me.The bedrooms.But why would she—fuck.I set my cup down on the first surface I found and stormed up the stairs three at time. Zade’s room was locked, Aaron’s too. If she wasn’t downstairs, would she be in her room?
I knocked on her door, impatiently waiting for an answer that didn’t come. “What the fuck? Kenzie?”
Nothing. Questions raced through my mind.
Is she trying to forget Sean?
Is she drunk?
Is someone taking advantage of her?
She wouldn’t leave with someone…right?Fuck.I sprinted down the stairs and asked the first person I saw. Ambar Henderson, a journalism student who’d written a story about Aaron the previous year. “Have you seen Kenzie Hill?”
“The girl who kicked your ass? I haven’t since the game,” she said, her expression changing to one of concern. “Is everything okay?”
“Can’t find her.”
She set her drink down and followed me through the crowded living room. I hadn’t checked the front porch, but I couldn’t see why she would be there. The cool night breeze greeted me but didn’t calm my anxiety. “Kenzie!” I yelled on the off chance she heard me.
“What?”
Oh my god.I scanned the ten faces on the porch, searching for her. I knew I’d heard her annoyed voice. People looked at me as if I’d lost my mind, but it didn’t bother me. I hopped from the porch to the grass and scanned the few people walking up to the party. “Kenzie!”
“Tanner, what?”
Did her voice come—oh fuck.I went farther into the yard and craned my neck to see the roof. She sat with her knees pulled to her chest, her arms wrapped around those skinny legs and her head resting on those. My heart skipped a beat in relief. “You’re on the roof.”
“Keen observation.”
