Liam is outside and I head toward him.
“What’s up, Liam?” I tip my chin up in acknowledgment to the other guys on the team standing with him.
“Hey, Payne. Nice assist tonight.”
“Thanks.”
I spot Dakota walking out the back door to the deck first. Ginny and Reagan follow.
They go to the opposite side, stopping to talk to Taryn and Adam.
“Heard you asked Scott for permission to ask out Ginny?” I go for a teasing tone, but don’t quite hit the mark.
Liam nods. “She seems like a cool chick. You two are friends, right? Any advice?”
Back the fuck off. Find someone else. Anyone else.
But that’s not really fair. Ginny is a cool chick and Liam is a decent guy and hockey player.
I avoid his question altogether. “Scott gave his blessing?”
“He didn’t seem all that happy about it, but he said Ginny could make up her own mind who she dated.”
Jordan laughs and elbows Liam. “And threatened to beat your ass if you hurt her.”
“And that,” Liam admits. “But I’d never screw over a teammate’s sister.”
God, I hate that he’s such a nice guy.
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” Tiny says with a shake of his head. “It’s messy. If things don’t work out, then you’re on the outs with the team captain. No chick is worth that much trouble.”
I watch Liam’s face to see if he agrees. Part of me hopes he does and backs off.
“Some girls are worth the risk,” he says, and I grind down on my teeth.
Of-fucking-course Ginny is worth it, but Liam and Ginny? I can’t see it.
“Well, good luck, man.”
I go inside, do a shot, and grab another beer.
“Everything okay?” Mav says as he gets two beers from the fridge.
“Fine.”
He lingers as he pops the top on the first can. “You sure? You look… off.”
“Off?”
“Yeah, like at practice that time Coach tried to switch you to the left side. You do this weird thing with your face.” He looks like a deer caught in headlights in some shit imitation of me.
“I don’t look like that. Fuck off. I’m fine.” I run a hand through my hair.
“Seriously, man, what’s up?”
“It’s nothing. Liam is interested in Ginny, and I can’t see it.”
“Because—”
“Adam asked me to look out for her, and I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right.”
“Because you like her.”
“I don’t… it’s not…”
He waits for me to string a complete sentence together, a smug expression on his face. “It isn’t a big deal. Ginny’s cool. Just tell Liam you’re interested and ask her out yourself.”
I tap my foot on the linoleum, consider it, and shake my head. “She probably isn’t even interested in him like that.”
Mav clears his throat and points with a finger wrapped around the beer can to Ginny and Liam standing in the doorway between the deck and dining area. They’re both smiling. Liam leans a hand above her, and she doesn’t look at all uncomfortable.
I take off in their direction without a plan and hear Mav mutter behind me, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
Four steps. Four, big, hurried steps is all it takes to get to her. I grab Ginny’s hand, mumble an apology I don’t really mean to Liam, and pull her through the party to my room.
She laughs, obviously not concerned that I’m dragging her to my bedroom like some sort of caveman. “What’s going on?”
“We need to talk,” I say once I close the door.
“About?” she asks, sounding concerned but still smiling.
“Do you like Liam?”
“Sure. He’s nice.”
“Nice like you’d let him feel you up or…”
She laughs. Loudly and I think at me. She walks forward and pokes me in the chest. “You’re jealous.”
“Am not.” I don’t know why I bother denying it. Gut reaction, I guess.
She laughs again and moves to sit on my bed, digging through her purse. “I’m sorry I didn’t respond to your text earlier. I thought we needed a little space. We’re friends, but we’ve kissed, and I know you’ve probably already forgotten, but I haven’t and sometimes things with us feel messy. So, yes, I think Liam is nice like maybe someday I’ll let him feel me up, but I’m not going anywhere. You and I will still be friends, no matter what. You don’t need to worry about me dating Liam or anyone else and forgetting about my favorite cafeteria buddy.”
I grunt at being called her fucking cafeteria buddy. She pulls out a long tube of pink gloss and coats her lips. I’m mesmerized by the action and the way her lips catch the light. She rubs her lips together and puckers them and all I can imagine is her walking out there and every guy in the place wanting to kiss her and smear that perfect, pink outline.
She stands. “I promise not to be one of those people who ignores her friends when she meets a guy, or, in our case, another guy.”
“Don’t date him.”
“Why not?”
“He’s not good enough.”
“Good enough for what?” She rolls her eyes. “Thank you for wanting to look out for me, but I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. I swear, if it were up to you and my brother, I’d spend the next four years alone while everyone else hooks up and pairs off. I want to do those things too, go on dates and make bad decisions, and I know it’s possible that he’ll hurt me or he’ll be a total bore, but I won’t know unless I go out with him.”
“Don’t date him.”
She looks like she’s going to start arguing again, but I keep going before she can get a word in. “Don’t date him. We could…”
“We could what?”
“You know.”
“Date?” She fights a grin. “You can’t even say the word.”
I close the space between us and drop my mouth to hers. Her lips part in a surprised squeak and I take full advantage, sweeping my tongue inside. She tastes so good and so right. I’m breathless when she takes a step back. Breathless and filled with so much energy, my steps feel light
