The sound of feet coming down the stairs barely registers, but Bridget can’t get away from me fast enough when she glances up to see Everly and Grace at the bottom of the stairs looking at us.
“What do you think of your dance floor?” I ask Everly, pushing the last few minutes dancing with Bridget out of my mind for the moment and smoothing over the awkwardness that she’s obviously feeling. I don’t know why. We were just dancing, but the why isn’t important. I don’t ever want to be responsible for making her feel anything but good.
“This is incredible.” Everly walks out to join us. Grace is right behind her with three shot glasses in her hand. She gives one to Bridget, then Everly.
“What is it?” Bridget asks.
“Tequila.”
She scrunches up her face.
“If it’s the stuff Jack brought then don’t worry. It’s good tequila.”
“Good and tequila don’t belong in the same sentence.”
I lean over and whisper, “Can’t be worse than the concoction I made.”
“True,” she says with a little laugh.
“You’re not going to give me a lecture about underage drinking?” Everly asks as she brings the shot to her lips.
“Would it do any good?”
Her smile widens. “No.”
“To Everly. Happy birthday!” Grace lifts her glass.
“Happy birthday!” Bridget reluctantly pushes hers into the air.
Ev clinks her shot glass against the other two girls’ and then all three of them toss back the tequila.
Bridget only drinks about half of hers, grimacing as she holds the glass away from her. I take it from her and swallow the rest.
She watches me like she’s waiting for me to make a face. “I don’t know how you took that so easily.”
“Lots of practice,” I say as Grace and Everly start dancing together. Bridget sticks by me.
“What’s your favorite kind of shot?” I ask her.
“I don’t know…a lemon drop.”
“So sweet drinks?”
“Only in shots. I don’t like super sweet cocktails. You?”
“Tequila?”
She laughs. “Figures.”
“I don’t have a go-to shot, I guess. I usually stick to beer, sometimes whiskey, sometimes wine. Basically, whatever is available.”
“So, you’re easy?”
Her teasing me is so unexpected that my brows shoot up in surprise. That just makes her smile widen. Fuck, she’s gorgeous.
The dress she’s wearing hugs her curves and shows off long legs and toned arms. And that hair. I’m a total goner for her hair. All those blonde curls framing her face and hanging down her back.
“Ash?” she asks, snapping me out of a haze I didn’t realize I was in. She laughs again.
“Sorry, what?”
“I said I’m sorry about Gabe.”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” I bite down on my back molars at the thought of her asshole ex. He came by practice this week with Jim to introduce himself but otherwise I’ve been able to avoid him. His threat still hangs over my head, though.
Even so, he’s the last thing I want to think about right now.
“I texted him and let him know that nothing was going on between us, then I blocked him.”
“I’m sure it’ll all be fine,” I tell her.
“Okay.” She smiles again, then Everly comes over and takes her arm and pulls her over where Grace is dancing. A few more people have come downstairs and join them.
Nothing going on between us. Accurate, but I still don’t like the sound of it.
Jack comes to stand next to me, holding a half-empty bottle of water in hand. A lot of the party has moved downstairs since that’s where the birthday girl has stayed. Some of our teammates are making asses of themselves on the makeshift dance floor, others are sitting around. It’s been a long week and partying wasn’t on most people’s agenda for the weekend. We have three days before our next game, then a short break for the holiday. After that it’s madness until the end of the season.
“I thought you were going out with Meredith tonight?” I ask him.
“I did.”
“Funny, I don’t see her.” I turn in a circle, pretending like I’m looking for the gorgeous blonde that’s been out with Jack the last few weeks. It’s possibly the longest amount of time I’ve known him to spend with one woman.
“I dropped her off when I got the call from Midnight.”
“Everything end up okay with that?”
“Nothing that won’t blow over.” He clears his throat. “Speaking of Midnight, can we keep that between us.”
“You haven’t told anyone else that you’re—?”
He gives his head a small shake before I finish the sentence. “Only you and Declan know.”
Jack owns the place, though his involvement isn’t public knowledge. It’s just one of many investments he’s made, so I’m surprised he’s kept it private.
“Sure, but why?”
“Just until I’m sure I’m not going to sell. If I do, then it won’t matter, and if I don’t, then I’ll tell everyone.”
I nod my agreement.
“Meredith said you’ve been blowing off Kennedy since you started playing again.”
“I’m not blowing her off.” As soon as I say the words, I wonder if they’re true. Fuck, maybe I have been. “I’ll text her tomorrow. I don’t think it’s going to work. It shouldn’t be this complicated to just set up a single date, you know?”
“It’s only complicated if you make it that way. She’s home tonight. Call her now.” He turns to face me. “Unless there’s some other reason you haven’t called.”
Slowly, his gaze roams around the room and lands on Bridget.
“Fuck you.”
He chuckles. “Thinking of blowing up your career and making a move?”
The reminder of what’s at risk has me gripping the can in my hand a little tighter. “No.”
Both of his dark brows rise like he isn’t buying it.
“No,” I repeat with more force. “But she reminds me of what it could feel like. Excited, hopeful, a little crazed but in a good way, you know? When’s the last time you felt that way about someone? Do you feel that with Meredith?”
“Insane? You’re asking me if I feel insane when I’m with Meredith?” He shoots me a disbelieving look then shakes his head.
“In a good way,” I emphasize again.
“Feeling insane is a good thing?”
“Yeah. It’s like everything inside of you is on fire and at the same time you’re so aware of every thrum of your pulse in a way that you usually don’t notice.”
“You sound crazy, I’ll give you that. Whatever floats your boat. Just make sure Gabe doesn’t find out.”
“She’s not interested anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”
“You sure about that?”
When I look over to where she’s dancing with Everly and Grace, she’s staring this way. A hint of a smile pulls up her gorgeous lips and then she looks away.
Jack claps me on the shoulder. “I’m out of here. I’ll see you in the morning. And uh, try to get the crazy out of your system before then.”
Jack heads out and I linger back a few minutes longer. Get her out of my system? I don’t think that’s possible. Not sure I even want to. I’ve dated enough to know that what I feel for her isn’t common. If there’s a chance that she feels it too, then I don’t want to ignore whatever this is between us. We can figure out the shit with Gabe if it gets to that point, right? He’s an asshole but it isn’t like they’re together anymore.
Slowly, I make my way across the room toward her.
Everly is hanging on Grace, nearly taking her friend down. Maybe I should have given her that lecture on drinking after all.
“I think it’s time for some water,” Grace says.
“Ash!” Everly lights up when she sees me, then frowns adorably. “Why aren’t you out here dancing with us?”
“I’m here now.”
“Grace is making me take a break.” She glares playfully at her best friend.
“Seems like a good idea.”
“I’m fine,” she insists, then stumbles.
I step up on the other side to steady her. “You all right, Little Sharpie?”
“Totes fine.” She shrugs away from me. “Stay here and keep Bridget company.”
“I’m coming with you,” Bridget says.
Everly, not so discreetly, looks between us, but whatever she wants to say, she refrains. The four of us go upstairs. I get Ev water and Grace makes her a plate of food.
“I wonder if we should get her home,” Bridget says quietly, where only I can hear.
“Piper already made up the guest rooms here. She thought you three might want to crash.”
“Oh.” She gets this cute little wrinkle between her eyes as she squints.
“Problem?”
“No. It’s just that everyone is so nice. It keeps throwing me off.”
“You’re not used to people being nice to you?” I immediately think of Gabe. Fucker.
She must realize that’s what I’m thinking because she flushes and then her gaze drops.
“Want something else to drink?” I ask.
“Sure.” She still doesn’t quite meet my gaze.
I grab two more beers and then make another mixed drink while the girls get some food and water in their system.
“Is the firepit going outside?” Ev asks.
“I’m not sure. Let’s check.” I head outside with them behind me.
“It’s so cold,” Grace protests when we step onto the patio.
The firepit isn’t on but I get it going while the girls huddle up together. It’s not long before heat is coming out of it, warming the space and cutting the bite of the frigid winter night.
“I’m going to grab some blankets.” Everly starts for the door.
“I’ll come with you.” Grace follows.
When they’re gone, I set my drinks down and move over to a plastic bench seat and lift it up. As expected, there are blankets in here. I hold them up and Bridget laughs.
“You seem to know your way around this place pretty well.”
“Jack owned this house before Tyler and Piper. I spent a lot of nights out here rookie year.” I drop one blanket onto a chair for Grace and Ev, and then take the other and unfold it before carefully wrapping it around Bridget’s shoulders.
“Thanks.” Her hand comes up to pull it tighter around her, brushing against my fingers in the process.
Next, I pull out my phone and connect to the speakers out here to get some music going. Bridget takes a seat in one of the chairs next to the firepit. She leans forward, cupping the beer can with both hands.
“Here.” I offer her the mixed drink I brought out with us. “Try this.”
She hesitates.
“This one is good. Promise.”
She brings the cup to her lips and takes a small sip, then smiles. “Lemon drop?”
I nod. “Technically it’s a lemon drop cocktail but if you only take a sip at a time, it’s a shot.”
She takes another sip and then hands it back.
I take a seat in the chair next to her.
“Wanna share?” she asks, taking the blanket off her shoulders and holding out half to me.
I drag my chair closer to hers. The scrape of metal against the concrete drowns out the voice in my head—Jack’s voice, warning me that this is a terrible idea.
Her knee knocks against mine as we place the blanket over both of our legs. Bridget leans forward so the top of the fabric also covers her bare arms and shoulders.
“Everyone should be nice to you,” I say, still thinking about our conversation inside.
“Well, that’s not life. Is everyone nice to you?”
“No, but everyone that matters is.”
“It’s over. Gabe and I are so over.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? For what?”
“That he was a dick to you. That I didn’t hit him that night outside of Wild’s bar.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know, but you should have people that look out for you too. Like Everly and Grace.”
The wind blows her hair into her face so I can’t see her lips. I reach forward and capture the long, blonde strands. The pads of my fingers drag along her smooth skin as I tuck it behind her ear. “I want to be one of those people for you.”
“Why? You don’t even really know me.”
“I guess not, but that’s not how it feels when I’m around you.”
She glances down at my mouth and then angles away from me, staring into the fire. “Why weren’t you into Grace?”
“Grace?” I’m thrown by the change in topic, but I guess I’m not totally surprised she knows about the brief time period in which I considered what it might be like to date Everly’s best friend.
“Yeah. I know that she liked you last summer.”
I nod and roll my bottom lip behind my teeth.
“She’s smart and beautiful and really nice. I could see you two together.”
“Grace is great.”
“But?” she asks, laughing at my obvious attempt to divert.
“But nothing. I just didn’t feel that way about her.” I could tell her the same lie I told myself, that I thought Grace was too young and that we were at different places in our lives. Those things are true, but I know now it isn’t the whole story. Maybe it’s part of it, but we didn’t have the same spark I feel when I’m with Bridget.
She looks at me, unblinking, like what I’ve said doesn’t make any sense.
“You want me to be into Grace?”
The reaction is quick and gone before I can get too excited, but it’s there. The flicker of jealousy. “She’s with Lane now.”
“It wouldn’t change anything if she wasn’t.” And because I don’t want to walk away from here tonight with Bridget having any doubts on how I’m feeling, I add, “I like you. I know that I don’t know everything there is about you, but it’s still true.”
“We can’t. Gabe—”
“Isn’t here.”
“Everly is my friend.”
“She’s mine too.” I shift so more of my leg is resting against hers under the blanket.
“I know. Which is why us getting involved is complicated.”
I remember what Jack said earlier. “It’s only as complicated as we make it.”
The wind blows her hair into her face again and I capture it, lingering with my fingers caressing her face. Her breath catches.
“I should go inside and find Everly and Grace. Let them know we found blankets,” she says but doesn’t move. Her stare bounces between my lips and eyes like she’s deciding on something.
Everything inside of me screams to close the space between us, but I don’t move until she does.
Bridget leans forward the tiniest amount and then wets her lips. “Can I have more of the lemon drop?”
Without tearing my gaze from hers, I lift the cup to my mouth and take a sip.
“I thought you made that for me.” She smirks, then tracks the movement, her gaze darting to my lips and then to my throat as I swallow. Instead of handing over the cup, I press my mouth to hers.
Adrenaline zaps through me at the small contact. Her soft lips gently mold to mine. I let some of the liquid trickle from my mouth.
She giggles, clearly not expecting it.
“That isn’t what I had in mind,” she says, not pulling away as the sticky, sweet liquid drips down her chin.
“No?”
“No.” She still doesn’t move. We’re breathing each other in and it’s fucking intoxicating.
“Something more like this then?” I bring a hand to the back of her head as I crash my lips back down on hers. I don’t waste any time before deepening the kiss. I’m usually patient, but the weeks I’ve thought about this moment has me rushing. My tongue sweeps in, tasting her with the sugary liquid. A soft moan escapes her lips and goes straight to my dick.
I don’t want to stop, but scaring her off would be worse, so I pull back with a strangled groan.
“Better?”
