A tiny cry catches in my throat. He makes a sexy, rough noise in response, sliding one hand to cup my nape.
My hands are trapped between us. I curl my fingers against his chest. The kiss sweeps me away with every slide of his tongue, every ragged sound he utters against my lips.
His grasp on me tightens, as if he still can’t get enough of me while he’s devouring my mouth. All I can do is hold on and kiss him back.
“If you don’t come down, I’m sending in reinforcements!”
Noah’s shout from the top of the steps filters through my awareness.
We break apart, both of us short of breath like two teenagers who just learned how to make out. My lips tingle and a soft laugh leaves me when Easton rests his forehead against mine. He brushes hair out of my face with a crooked finger, skimming his knuckles across my cheek.
He kissed me like a man possessed, as if he wanted to erase any man who ever touched my lips before him. Yet now, he’s gentle. My drumming heart swells, making my breath hitch.
I swallow. “It’s going to be so obvious what we were doing up here.”
The corner of his mouth lifts in a crooked grin. He traces my lower lip with his thumb. The touch makes me press my thighs together at the rush of tingles spreading through me.
“I’ll distract them. Come down whenever you’re ready.”
Easton kisses the top of my head, lingering for another moment before he rummages through his drawers for a new shirt. He pulls it on as he heads downstairs first.
Tucking my hair behind my ears, I go into his bathroom to study my reflection. My lips are swollen and tinted a darker pinkthan the lip balm I put on. A flush fills my cheeks, and my eyes are bright.
Easton’s shirt is baggy on me. It makes me look like a girlfriend wearing her boyfriend’s shirt.
And I don’t hate it.
I slide my lips together. I haven’t been someone’s girlfriend in a long time. The few other guys I’ve been with after Johnny were all safe options, but never anything serious enough to progress to a relationship.
The girl in the mirror looks so much more sure of herself compared to the one who got her heart broken by her manipulative cheating ex.
I lift my chin, a smile playing at the corners of my mouth.
Once I fix my hair, roll the sleeves of Easton’s shirt, and tuck part of the front hem into the waistband of my jeans so it looks more put together, I join the party.
It’s crowded when I make my way through the front hall, passing people in the kitchen circled around the island to get to the living room where most people seem to congregate. Some of the players I recognize from the team’s goat yoga session are playing video games while other people watch the beer pong match set up at a table in the corner.
“Oh my god, hi!” Someone rushes me from the side in a blur of dark blonde hair.
“Lainey!” I laugh in delight, giving her a hug. “Hi. I didn’t know you’d be here. It’s been way too long without you around the psych department. Are you in town visiting your dad? How’s grad school?”
“Just for a little. We got lucky there was a break in the schedule for Thanksgiving next week.” She leans in to whisper. “Don’t tell Alex or my dad, but I’m mostly excited I get to spend some time with Hammy.”
Lainey Boucher was one of the first friends I made in Heston Lake after Reagan freshman year. She’s a brilliant psychology major and helped me manage my packed course schedules with advice on graduating early.
When we first met, she was shy and practical without many friends, but she fell for her brother Theo’s best friend—and teammate. Then she came out of her shell.
He comes up behind her with eyes only for his fiancé.
“Whoa,” I tease. “Alex Keller.”
“What? You’ve hung out with me before,” he says.
His handsome smile is easygoing as he slides an arm around Lainey to pull her into his side for a kiss on top of the head. It’s not hard to see why she fell for him when she gives a happy sigh, resting her hand rocking the stunning engagement ring against his chest.
“Yeah, but that was before. Now I’m hanging out with Alex Keller, the Islander’s breakout star and rookie of the year.” My eyes go dramatically wide as I put on a fangirl voice. “Like, oh my god, can I get your autograph and a selfie?”
He shrugs with a chuckle. “Wild how things change, right?” He lifts a brow. “Like you at a party here.”
