Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“Pretty sure a lot of the rookies brought friends of friends,” I say, taking another swig of water.
“That one has been staring at you pretty hard,” Reese says casually, giving us the right line of sight to turn and look at who she's talking about.
It's a blonde guy I don't recognize. Tall, fit. He smiles at me when he catches us looking.
“When you're not dancing with Wolfe, that is,” Reese finishes as we all turn back around, me cringing at getting caught looking.
“He's cute, but he's definitely not a Badger,” I say.
“Is that the new requirement for intimacy interest?” Monroe asks, nothing but playfulness in her eyes.
“No, of course not.”
“Could’ve fooled us,” Reese says. “You've been on the dance floor with Wolfe at least three times tonight.”
A warm flush dances beneath my skin. I try to hide my smile behind my water, but my best friends know better.
“He's fun,” I admit when they give me incredulous looks. “We’re friends.” I eye Monroe. “And you've been dancing with Pax all night too.”
Monroe gapes at me. “I know you're not comparing your very new friendship with my friendship that has lasted since I was a kid.”
She has me there.
“It's okay for you to admit that you like him,” Reese offers.
“I don’t like him like that!” Monroe argues, and Reese laughs.
“I was talking to Blakely.”
“Oh,” Monroe says. “Right.”
“It doesn't have to mean anything serious,” Reese continues. “Nobody expects you to go from one serious albeit toxic relationship to a new one.”
“You deserve to have fun,” Monroe encourages.
“Then why are you guys giving me shit for dancing with him? Have you seen him move? It's like magic. He doesn't give a shit who's watching him either, which as you both know is totally new for me.”
“We've seen you two,” Reese says, smiling at me.
“And we're happy for you,” Monroe adds. “We just don't want your mind to get in the way.”
I purse my lips at my friends. “You two don't know me,” I say sarcastically.
“And can we take the heat off of me for a second?” I ask, eyeing Reese. “You were the one who was having all kinds of flirtation going on with Nash tonight…Reese’s Pieces.”
“Omg, the nickname. He’s so original,” she says, rolling her eyes. “He’s even more arrogant than the media portrays him. And I most certainly was not flirting with Nash Stokehill,” Reese says a little too loudly, and Monroe and I cringe at the same time.
“Could’ve fooled me, sweetheart,” Nash says, having been on his way across the house right past us as she said that.
Reese looks at us with utter betrayal in her eyes before she turns around, catching Nash’s gaze, but he doesn't give her time to say anything before he continues on his way.
She whirls around, accusation in her eyes. “You couldn't have told me he was right behind me?”
“He literally walked in from the back door, manifesting out of the darkness, how was I supposed to know he was there?” Monroe fires back
“Oh my God, I'm mortified,” Reese says, ducking her head into her free hand.
“Don't worry about it,” I say. “He's probably wasted. You know how he is at these parties. There's no way he's going to remember that tomorrow.”
Reese looks up at me with hopeful eyes, and Monroe and I nod enthusiastically to assure her.
Silence falls over our little group for a moment as we continue to hydrate, and my eyes trail across the room locking onto Lawson, who’s talking to Pax near the dance floor where Monroe and I left them.
His eyes find mine easily, and he flashes me a grin before he returns his focus to Pax. And goddamn if my stomach doesn't flip from that look alone.
“I'm ready to call it a night,” Reese says after she finishes her water. “I'll see you two tomorrow?”
“Do you want one of us to go with you?” I ask.
“No, I'm good. I haven't had anything to drink tonight. I'll text you guys when I make it home.”
We give her hugs, then watch as she heads out of sight.
“Lucky for me, I have a DD,” Monroe says, raising her water toward Pax across the room. “Because I had way too many drinks during beer pong.”
I bite back my smile. “Pax is a sweetheart for drinking water during the game to ensure you get home safely.”
“Yeah, he's such a good buddy,” she says, but the way she’s looking at him doesn't indicate anything buddy like to me.
Or maybe it does, because I've been very diligent about calling Lawson my friend and nothing more, and yet my thoughts about him are anything but friendly.
Maybe I've got this whole intimacy thing wrong. It definitely wouldn't come as a shock, seeing as my experience thus far has been anything but explosive.
“I'm ready for more dancing,” Monroe says, dropping her empty water bottle in the recycling bin and winking at me before heading over to Pax. I silently indicate that I'm going to finish my water and then I'll be right behind her.