“Nope.” She pops thepand I know she means it, so I do the only thing I can.
I put on my Cheer-Up-Charli hat and grin at her. “Want to beat my ass in a game of beer pong?”
She snickers, then glances at me. I make a funny face, pulling a snort out of her before grabbing her wrist and pulling her back inside to play a game.
I check to make sure the asshole isn’t around and lead her to the beer pong table. It needs resetting, so I get busy doing that. Charli stands there stewing, her arms crossed, her index finger tapping her elbow while she shakes her head.
“Stop reliving it and focus, Chuck.” I throw a Ping-Pong ball at her head.
It bounces off her temple and she snickers, crouching down to catch the ball. Standing tall, she clears her throat, gives me a stink eye, and smirks. “You ready to lose, Mr. Dick?”
“You know it.” I have to say that, because she is annoyingly good at beer pong. I don’t know if I’ve ever beaten her, and I actually don’t care, because she needs cheering up right now, and I’m the king of doing that.
If anyone can break her out of a funk, it’s me. I’ve been doing it ever since I’ve known her, and I will continue to do it until the day I die.
Because she’s Charli.
And I’m Sawyer.
And that’s just what we do.
Darian is usually around to help me out as well, but…
Where is that guy?
I scan the party once more before stepping up to throw the Ping-Pong ball.
He’ll be around somewhere, and he’ll want to know about the guy who accused his sister of being a dick tease.
After this game, I’ll find him and give him the rundown.
If I can find him…
22
DARIAN
I didn’t meanto end up in the laundry room, shut away from the chaos of the party with a pixie girl who looks so damn sexy tonight, it’s hard to focus on anything else.
But here I am.
Hereweare.
And I can’t take my eyes off her as she rips open another box of beers and starts pulling cans out of it.
“How many do you think we’ll need?” She holds them up, oblivious to my appraisal. Her skin looks so smooth. The tight little top she’s wearing hugs her petite curves, and I can see a little of her stomach, just before those ripped-off jean shorts begin. And oh damn, do I want to rip those shorts off. She must have the sweetest pussy; I can tell. And her tits must be?—
“Darian? How many? There’s still one keg, right? But there’s a bunch of people going for cans, so how many do you…?” Her voice trails off when she catches my eye, and finally her awareness kicks in.
I’m surprised it’s taken her so long.
We’ve been flirting all night.
It started pretty soon after the party began. She walked over to me with a challenge: Name at least thirty-fiveMario Kartcharacters. If I succeeded, she’d down an entire can of beer. If I failed,Ihad to.
Challenge accepted.
I got to thirty-three before having to pull out my phone.
