“No, thanks. You two enjoy. My brother is having people over, so I’m going to go hang with them. You two will have the place all to yourself tonight. It was really nice to meet you, Trent.”
I shower and get ready, hesitant to head over to Adam’s before the party gets going. I appreciate that he always looks out for me, but I want to find my own friends at Valley, too, and if I run over there every time I need an escape, I’m going to spend the next year as Adam Scott’s little sister instead of Ginny Scott. So tonight, I need to find some friends.
I text Adam to make sure he’s there before driving over.
Adam: Yep. Just hanging out at the house. You coming over? I warned the guys to be on their best behavior.
Me: Yes, but please don’t make it weird. I know you and your friends are disgusting. You don’t need to warn them like I’m some sort of delicate flower.
I ignore the rest of his messages that pop up, telling me he’s only looking out for me or whatever. Having an older, overbearing brother is a real pain sometimes.
The apartment is easy enough to find and I carry my backpack with a change of clothes and toothbrush up to the second-floor door and knock.
“You must be Little Scott.” A guy with a shit ton of tattoos on full display thanks to his bare chest greets me with a goofy smile. “I’m Johnny Maverick.”
“Ginny.”
He pulls the door wide and I enter. A bunch of guys I don’t recognize are standing around the apartment. For real, it’s like I just entered the men’s locker room with the way they all stop what they’re doing and stare at me.
Adam’s head pops up from the kitchen and he hustles forward. “Did you find it okay?”
“Yeah. I have this thing called maps on my phone.”
I spot Rhett in the living room and he lifts a controller in greeting. “Hey, Ginny. Good to see you again.”
I wave awkwardly. They’re all still staring.
Adam shuts the door and I follow him into the living room. He points to the guy who answered the door. “You met Maverick. Ignore any and everything he says.”
He scoffs. “I am hilarious and awesome.”
“That’s Liam, Jordan, and Tiny.”
“Hey,” they say in unison.
“Want something to eat or drink?” my brother asks and goes back to the kitchen.
“I’m okay for now.” There’s an empty seat next to Maverick, so I head for it and sit down.
“Where is Payne?” one of the guys asks him.
“Still showering and jerking it to Mariah, probably.” Maverick stills, looks to me, and clears his throat. “Shit, sorry.”
I laugh and wave him off. “Good for him. And Mariah.”
“I like you.” Maverick puts his arm around me on the back of the couch, but it’s in a friendly way that doesn’t feel like he’s hitting on me.
“Hands off,” Adam’s deep voice bellows from the kitchen.
Maverick rolls his eyes and I’m glad he’s not so easily intimidated by my brother. It was a real issue in high school before Adam graduated. He would look at guys the wrong way for talking to me and they’d scamper off too afraid of him.
He stands and looks down at me. “You need a drink? A smoke?”
“Yeah, I think I might need a drink after all.”
The party, or what’s arrived of it, moves outside on the deck off the kitchen of the apartment. It’s nice out. Still hot like August nights always are in Arizona, but a nice breeze and the cold drink in my hand helps. Even Adam seems to relax as the guys kick back with their beers. It’s still just the guys on the team, but it’s early.
“I’m going to get another drink.” I head inside to the bathroom and have to use the flashlight on my phone to see anything. Why my brother hasn’t changed the light bulb is beyond me.
I can’t really see much in the mirror, enough to make out my French braid is mostly still intact. In the kitchen, I rummage through the refrigerator looking for something besides beer, but it’s that or Wild Turkey. Definitely no.
As I turn, movement catches my eye and I jump in surprise. “You scared me.”
He grins, hand gliding through the wet hair sticking up on his head like he ran a towel through it and said fuck it. He looks me over carefully. I’m frozen, my tongue feels heavy or too wide for my mouth or something.
“Hey, Ginny.”
“Hi.” I look around dumbfounded. I’d expected to run into him, but not half-naked. “Do you live here?”
“Well, I don’t usually walk around in my boxers at other dude’s houses.” He looks to the ceiling and a smirk pulls at his lips. “Well, not often.”
I’d been actively avoiding the wall of nakedness in front of me, but now that he’s acknowledged it, I can’t look away.
The only thing he wears are a pair of gray boxer briefs that hug his huge thighs and—oh my god, Ginny, do not look at his crotch. Shit, too late. I tear my gaze away from the bulge and up to his abs. Forget a boring six-pack, Heath has ridges and lines that wrap around his midsection. I follow the line to his chest and biceps. It shouldn’t be possible for someone to look this good naked.
And oh my God, stop looking already!
Adam comes through the door before I can make words come out of my mouth.
“Payne, fucking finally. We thought you drowned in there.” Adam tosses his empty in the trash and grabs another beer, his face hardening as he gets a good look at him. “Dude, what the hell? Put some clothes on in front of my sister.”
“Relax, I didn’t know she was here yet.” Heath’s
