We all look at him.
Maddie sits up and manages to drag herself from the floor, and when she sees her best friend, she jumps up and down and starts clapping. “Sophie’s here! Let’s do shots.”
Mitch grabs her around the waist. “No more shots for you. You’re already going to be sorry.”
Sophie giggles. “Looks like we missed all the fun.”
Ryder shakes his head, completely exasperated. “Can someone explain to me why none of you has any clothes on?”
“King’s Cup,” Sam says.
He sighs. “That does explain it.”
Sophie nods, as if all this makes perfect sense. “Ah, Maddie got to make a rule.”
“By the looks of things, there are going to be a lot of hangovers tomorrow,” Ryder says.
Jessica scowls at her brother. “You’re a total buzzkill.”
“Well, I’m sorry, Jess. It’s just that I wasn’t expecting to see my sister in her underwear today.”
She sneers at him. “Living in this town with you is worse than living with our father. I feel like I’m in prison.”
I can’t help it; I laugh.
“I see.” His gaze slides to me, narrowing.
I realize I’m grinning at how adorable she is, and I twist my features into something I hope is more serious-looking. “You are kinda a buzzkill.”
“You called me,” Ryder says, scoffing.
“Unfortunately, I have this job that requires me to be responsible,” I say.
Maddie squeals in excitement. “Oh my god, let’s have a sleepover.”
“I’m sorry. In my thirties, I treasure my own bed,” Sam says.
Ryder rubs the back of his neck. “Can you guys please put your clothes on? I find it weird I have to keep mentioning it.”
Gracie gives him her flirty, sex-kitten smile. “Or you could take off your clothes.”
A smile twitches at the corners of Ryder’s mouth. “I’m not sure that’s helping things in the right direction, Gracie.”
“I can get home on my own without my stupid brother.” Jessica plants her hands on her hips.
“No.” The word comes out so sharp, everyone pauses to look at me with raised eyebrows. I ignore it. “That’s not happening, so drop it.”
Her chest puffs up as she gathers steam.
My entire adult life, I’ve stayed far away from anything that even hints at drama, but tonight, I’ve accepted I love it on her. Watching all that chaotic, vibrant energy come alive over the course of the evening has filled me with a strange kind of happiness I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced before.
None of the alarm bells she’s setting off in me seem to matter. She’s exactly who I’ve always sworn I’d stay away from, but it turns out, I’ve missed her too much for that.
I’m tired of resisting her pull. All I fucking want is to fall for her.
“Do I really look like a woman you can tell what to do?” Her fists are all bunched like she’s ready to fight me.
Not caring how blatant I’m being, I drop my gaze over her. “Do you really want me to answer that?”