But watching him now, watching Cady laugh and press closer while he didn’t step away, I wondered if I’d been fooling myself this whole time. Maybe I was just another girl who’d fallen for the Liam Farrell charm. Maybe I wasn’t special at all.
He’d said that we were basically exclusive while we were checking off my bucket list, but it didn’t look that way right now. And I couldn’t help the green-eyed monster who wondered if he’d leave with one of them.
I forced myself to look away before I did something stupid, like march over there and stake a claim I had no right to make. Drew might not be here tonight, but his teammates were. Foster and Gordy were literally standing right there. If I acted even slightly possessive, it would get back to my brother before sunrise.
Taking a deep breath, I turned and headed toward the kitchen. If I couldn’t be with Liam tonight, then I’d just do what I always did at these parties—find my friends, have a few drinks, and try to have fun.
Sydney was in the kitchen, already two shots deep if the flush on her cheeks was any indication. She grabbed my arm the second she saw me.
“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Jason wants to introduce you to his friend.”
Before I could protest, she was dragging me toward a group of guys clustered near the fridge, including Sydney’s boyfriend, Jason.
His friend turned out to be a guy named Garrett—who was tall, tan-skinned, and had a smile that probably worked on most girls. He was on the basketball team, apparently, and more than happy to monopolize my attention.
“So, you’re Monty’s sister, right?” Garrett asked, usingthe nickname Drew had gotten early on—a play on our last name Dumontier and possibly an inside joke about his propensity for getting naked, but as his sister I preferred not to think about that part. He leaned against the counter in a way that was clearly meant to show off his arms.
“Guilty as charged.”
He laughed like I’d said something hilarious, which I definitely hadn’t. But I smiled anyway because what else was I supposed to do? He was nice. He was attractive. He was interested in me.
And I felt absolutely nothing. No butterflies in my stomach, no giddy smile, no heart flutters. Not a single thing.
“You should come to one of our games sometime,” he said, stepping a little too close. “Basketball’s way more exciting than hockey.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said, taking a subtle step back. “Hockey players are pretty dedicated.”
“Yeah, but we’ve got better stamina.”
The innuendo was impossible to miss, and I had to fight not to roll my eyes. Was this really what passed for flirting these days? Was this what I would’ve been excited about before Liam had ruined me for anyone else?
I was about to make an excuse to leave when a familiar weight pressed against my back.
“This guy bothering you, Aves?”
Liam’s voice was low and rough, his accent thicker than usual. I could smell his cologne mixed with something sharper—whiskey, maybe—and feel the heat of him radiating through my shirt.
My heart slammed against my ribs, and butterflies erupted in my belly.
Garrett straightened, his easy smile faltering as he took in Liam’s expression. “We were just talking, man.”
“Didn’t look like just talking to me.” Liam’s arm came around my waist, casual but possessive, and I forgot how to breathe. “Looked like you were crowding her.”
“Liam,” I said quietly, a warning in my voice that I hoped he would catch.
“What?” He looked down at me, those green eyes glittering dangerously. “You looked uncomfortable. Just looking out for you.”
The words were right, but the tone was all wrong. This wasn’t protective friend behavior. This was jealousy, barely contained, and I was suddenly acutely aware of how many hockey players were scattered throughout this party. Any one of them could walk into this kitchen and see Liam’s hand on my hip.
Garrett seemed to get the message regardless. He held up his hands in surrender, stepping back with a tight smile. “No problem, man. We were just having a conversation. It was nice to meet you, Ava.”
He disappeared into the crowd, and suddenly it was just me and Liam standing far too close.
“What the hell was that?” I hissed, spinning to face him.
His jaw was tight. “I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”
“So you decided to mark your territory? In front of everyone?” I glanced toward the doorway, half expecting Foster to materialize. “Anyone here could tell Drew?—”
