Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
“This must be the house.” Taylor points at the last house on Greek Row.
A crowd of people pour out from the old Victorian. Much like the house Preston shares with his teammates, it has high pillars, a long, covered porch, and several floors. Except the lawn at the Delta Sigma Phi house is littered with trash—plastic cups, crushed beer cans, and even a lacy bra are on the lawn.
Interesting.
We walk past a group of drunk girls in short skirts and tight tops clasping red Solo cups of beer.
“I saw Parker with the twins,” a tall blonde says to her friend, slurring her words. “I couldn’t get anywhere near him.”
My Parker? What twins? Fucking hookers.
I attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation as we stroll down the walkway to the house. My mind drifts to a thousand different places. I’m a little jealous when I think of Preston with another girl, let alone two of them. Friends shouldn’t be this jealous even though we’re not technically friends.
I still haven’t given Preston an answer. I’m afraid to plunge head-first into this arrangement and lose myself and my heart in the process. I know from previous experience that hockey players, especially ones as hot as Preston Parker, are bad for me.
Once the line moves, I climb the stairs and come to a halt when I spot Preston on the porch. He leans back against the house, tipping a cup of beer to his mouth. His usual gang of guys surround him with Jamie on his right. Shannon is latched onto Jamie as if she’s afraid to let him out of her sight.
Preston glances over at me. His entire face illuminates. He looks sexy in dark jeans and a fitted black tee that hugs his muscular frame.
I bite my bottom lip, and he notices. Laughing, he walks to me and hooks his arm around my back. I take in the scent of his delicious, manly scent. He’s intoxicating.
“I was afraid you wouldn’t show.”
“I said I’d come.”
“Hey, Taylor,” he says, now acknowledging her. “You remember Drake, Trent, Tucker, Jamie, and Shannon.”
Oh, right. Those twins.
How stupid of me to think Preston invited me to a party where he was hooking up with other girls. I almost laugh when I realize my mistake.
At the mention of their names, his friends look over at Preston. They wave at Taylor and me, and we do the same in return.
“They’re with me,” Preston tells a blond-haired boy sitting on a barstool by the door taking money from people.
He acknowledges Taylor and me with a nod, and then hands Preston two plastic cups. A silent exchange passes between them.
Drake walks over to us and stands next to Taylor. “You were at The Sixth Floor last week, right?”
Taylor beams. “Yeah. I was in the dance competition with Bex and Shannon.”
“So, ladies, what can I get you?” Preston holds up the cups and Drake takes one of them from his hand.
“They have beer, vodka, rum shooters, and I think there was a little bit of Cuervo left the last time I was in the kitchen,” Drake says, his eyes fixed on Taylor.
“I’ll have a beer,” I tell Preston, who’s holding my cup.
“Same for me,” Taylor chimes.
“After you.” Preston holds out his hand for me to enter the house before him.
Drake and Taylor are behind us.
Preston startles me when his big hand lands on my bare shoulder. I move through the dense crowd swept away by the electricity dancing along my skin, allowing the music and Preston to entrance me.
Once we reach the kitchen, Preston spins me around. He strokes the side of my face with his thumb, his blue eyes fixed on me. His dark shaggy hair falls onto his forehead, and I reach up to sweep it away. He smiles and not one of his usual cocky smirks. A real smile that sets off every nerve ending in my body.
“To answer your question,” I say. “Yes.”
He hands the cups to the guy behind the bar to fill. “Yes to what?”
“What you asked me the other day in the cafeteria. I never gave you my answer.”
“You didn’t have to. I already knew what you would say by your reaction.”
I cock an eyebrow at him. “Is that so?”
He lifts our beers from the bar and thanks the bartender with a slight tip of his head. “You’re not the easiest person to read, Bex, but I’m getting used to your tells.” Preston hands a cup to me. “Drink up.”
“I don’t have any tells,” I shoot back.
He sips the foam from the top of his cup. “Yes, you do. You just don’t realize you’re doing it.”
I chug a good amount of my beer telling myself I need to slow down. Coach Vaughn will not give me a break tomorrow if I show up hungover again.
“So, what do I do? Enlighten me, Preston.”