She kisses me, and for a moment, everything else fades.
It's just us—me and my rock.
"Get a room!" Crew shouts, walking past with a beer.
Sutton laughs and pulls away. "Go mingle. I'll find you later."
The party gets louder. More people arrive. The living room becomes a dance floor, and someone sets up beer pong in the kitchen.
I'm talking with Pierce when I feel someone pressed against my side.
Bree.
"Hey, Declan." Her words are slightly slurred. She's drunk. "Having fun?"
"Sure." I try to step away, but she follows.
"Want to dance?"
"I'm good."
"Come on. Just one dance." Her hand lands on my chest. "For old times' sake."
"We don't have old times, Bree."
"Don't be like that." She pouts. "We used to be friends."
"No, we didn't."
Pierce catches my eye and makes a face like,Good luck with that,before disappearing into the crowd. Traitor.
"I need to find Sutton," I say, trying again to move away.
But Bree blocks my path, pressing closer. "She's busy with Keira. Stay and talk to me."
"No thanks."
"You know, I get it." Her voice drops, intimate. "Wanting something you can't have. It's torture, isn't it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Seattle." She looks up at me through her lashes. "You want to go. But you're stuck here because of her."
My jaw clenches.
"It's okay to admit it. I won't tell." Her hand slides up my chest to my shoulder. "Must be so hard, having to choose between your dream and your girlfriend."
"I'm not having this conversation with you."
"Why not? I'm the only one being honest with you." She leans in, her lips close to my ear. "Everyone else is pretending you can have both. But we both know that's a lie."
I grab her wrist, removing her hand from my shoulder. "Back off."
"I'm just trying to help."
"You're trying to cause problems. It's not going to work."
She rises on her toes, her mouth moving toward mine.
