“She’s an independent woman,” Briar explains. “And they got into a fight.”
I glare at her for spilling more details. Why couldn’t I just keep flirting with Tate for the semester and then maybe we could reconnect in January when I didn’t have to worry about the moral dilemma of cheating on my fake husband who I have a complicated history with and also enjoy kissing?
“Ahhh, well, you should take me up on my offer to stay the night,” Tate says. “That would teach him a lesson.”
Briar leans forward and whispers loudly in Tate’s ear. “I could be swayed. I feel like there’s a real market here for grilled cheese sandwiches. Do you have any spare ironing boards?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I’m sure I could find you an ironing board,” Tate replies.
Daisy hiccups again, but this time it turns into a burp. “I don’t feel so great,” she says, and covers her mouth with one hand.
She trips over her own feet as she moves to the edge of the room.
“Not in the vase!” Tate calls. “It’s an antique!”
But it’s too late. Daisy is already hunched over the oversize oriental-style vase with gold trim, retching.
“It’s okay,” Briar calls to Daisy as she comes up to rub circles along her back. “Let it all out.”
“Or don’t,” Tate says.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him as my head falls against his chest, and the way his hips press into my backside feels nice. Maybe weshouldjust stay here. It’s late anyway.
His body is moving to the music, and the fingers around my waist spread until they’re brushing the underside of my foil-covered breast.
“We should go,” Briar calls from where she’s helping Daisy.
“I think we need to build up our party tolerance,” I tell Tate.
His voice is low and his breath tickles against my neck as he whispers, “Don’t you want to stay, Clover? That beautiful little head of yours is always spinning. Always thinking. Doesn’t it feel nice to just shut it off for a little while?”
I let myself fully lean against him and a tired moan slips past my lips.
Fingers are tracing up along the length of my neck, warm breaths lingering.
And then I’m being tugged away by my wrist.
“Time to go,” Briar says with me on one side and Daisy on the other. “As much as I would love to turn this place into a grilled cheese franchise.”
“You guys go!” I tell them. “Tate’s a friend. I’ll be fine.”
Briar eyes me and then Tate warily, but behind her Daisy gags and then burps.
“Really!” I tell her. “Plus, Bennett knows where I am!”
“Fine. Please text us when you’re ready to leave. I’ll send Bennett to pick you up.”
“Sounds good!” I shout as I let Tate pull me deeper into the crowd and my body melts into his just like it did that night next to the firepit. My skin feels warm and tingly all over.
Briar uses her lengthy figure and commanding presence to part the crowd as she hauls Daisy along like a little duckling.
CHAPTER 21
Bennett
Once Clover leaves, I can’t make it through a full page of reading without tossing my textbook across the bed. I watch the little dot on my phone move across campus and into the surrounding neighborhood. Then the movement stops, and I zoom in to see that her location is just in front of 1919 Hemphill.
“She’s fucking fine,” I mutter to myself before turning my phone face down on the bed. She has Briar with her and that girl is a Rottweiler.
