Jade bounced up next to me, saving me from the humiliation of drooling in public, and dragged my attention away from Dane.

“You having fun yet?” She asked breathlessly. I didn’t want to disappoint her, so I nodded. Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ started playing through the speakers, earning groans from the guys and squeals from the girls.

Jade grabbed my hand, and I followed her into the center of the writhing bodies. We started dancing, and before we knew it we were belting out the lyrics. It was ridiculous, but I started enjoying it, especially when Grady and Chase joined us. They were even worse with the singing, but I’d never laughed so hard in my life. We stayed on the floor for four more songs, and I was in need of some water so I told Jade I needed to find a bathroom. I needed to catch my breath, and I couldn’t do that with so many people around me. Finding a vacant bathroom was my safest bet.

“You want me to go with you?” She yelled above the music.

“No, that’s okay. Do you know where the bathrooms are though?”

“Reid said we should use the ones upstairs, they’re cleaner. I think he said fourth door on the right, second floor.”

“I’ll be right back,” I shouted, weaving my way through the mass of drunken cohorts. I found the staircase, and after dodging a few couples who were almost having sex right there for the world to see, I stumbled on the top step leading to the second floor. I caught myself, laughing at my two left feet, and wiped my hair out of my sweaty face. Sure, I wasn’t wearing a whole lot, but it was still hot as hell.

I counted the doors, and when I reached the fourth door on the right, I knocked. No sound came, so I assumed it was safe. That was until I realized it wasn’t the bathroom. I peaked inside, and when I didn’t see anyone, I decided to step in, and take a breather. I shut the door, and leaned against it. It was quiet, until it became apparent that I wasn’t alone.

CHAPTER FIF TEEN

Dane

THE PARTY DOWNSTAIRS was raging, and growing wilder by the hour. Reid had good intentions dragging me out for the night, but what I really wanted was to be left alone. If I could have slept this day away, and pretended it wasn’t real I would have done that too. Sadly, I wasn’t that lucky. If my life had turned out differently, I would have been celebrating my birthday and getting piss drunk like the rest of my friends but celebrating was the last thing I wanted to do.

I snuck upstairs, and after taking a leak, hid in one of the few vacant bedrooms. It smelled like sweaty gym socks, and stale beer, and if I hadn’t been so desperate for the peace and quiet I would have left. I sat down at the desk chair in the corner, not bothering to put the light on, and took large gulps of my beer. Maybe getting drunk was the only way to get through this nightmare, because God, I felt like I was drowning.

I heard a scuffle outside, but didn’t think much of it until I heard someone yell, “Get off me asshole!”

I would have recognized that voice anywhere. It played in my dreams frequently. I jumped up and flung the door open. Kennedy was standing against the wall in the hallway with one of the players on the football team caging her in.

“C’mon baby. I saw you making those bedroom eyes at me earlier.” Gavin Blake was a Wide Receiver, and the only time I willingly interacted with him was on the football field. He was an A-grade prick, and had a reputation for being a little aggressive with the girls he took to bed. If he thought he was getting his dirty paws on Kennedy I was about to prove him very wrong.

“You’re drunk off your ass if you think I was making any kind of eyes at you,” Kennedy spat back. She tried to push him away, but he only inched closer.

“You’re feisty,” said Gavin. He looked at her with a lewd expression, and when he tried to grab her I jumped into action.

“Blake.”

His head snapped up, and when he saw me approaching he took a step back. Smart move, asshole.

“Get away from her, she’s not interested,” I said, leveling my gaze with his. Given his height, and body weight he could probably take me, but he knew I’d have his ass if he so much as slapped me. One wrong move and he’d be off the team before this party was over.

“Seriously, Winters. I was just having some fun.”

“Don’t care. Go find someone else to fuck around with. This one’s taken.”

His smile turned into a leer. “Ah, I get it now. You don’t want me to bang her because you’re going to. I get it.” He looked down at Kennedy, making her shrink further against the wall. “I’m just sorry you beat me to it, because damn, judging by the shape of those shorts, she must have a damn fine pu - ”

I grabbed his shirt and shoved him backwards, effectively cutting him off. “Shut up. Go back downstairs and we’ll pretend this didn’t happen. You got it?”

He yanked his shirt from my hands and walked backwards with his hands raised. “Whatever, Coach. No pussy is worth that much trouble.”

He disappeared down the stairs, and the hallway was suddenly filled with an awkward silence. I chanced a glance at Kennedy, and inwardly groaned at how close we were standing. Her cop outfit was ridiculously sexy, revealing her toned stomach and muscular thighs. The buttons of her top were straining around her tits, and if she inhaled too deeply they’d probably fly right off. I didn’t even want to think about those fucking knee high boots. I’d been thinking about what she looked like with nothing but those boots on as soon as I caught sight of her downstairs at the party.

While my body lusted after her, my mind reasoned, and stoked the rigid anger simmering in my veins. Keeping myself controlled around her was always a test, but tonight it proved to be a little more than I could deal with.

“You just can’t resist it can you?” I asked. My tone was unnecessarily harsh, and it was hard to differentiate between my sudden agitation towards myself, or towards her. I’d come to her rescue yet again like some fucking Prince Charming, and I had no clue as to why I felt the need to do that.

“Resist what?” Her brows puckered, and she folded her arms across her chest. The movement drew attention to her cleavage, and I had to force my eyes from moving down. Last thing I needed was for her to catch me getting an eye full of those perfect tits.

“Getting yourself into trouble, and having me come save you.” I wasn’t exactly being fair, but I didn’t really care. I was in a piss ass mood, and taking it out on her came naturally to me. It always had.

“Newsflash dickhead, I was just fine before you arrived.” She glared at me, vexation flashing brightly in her eyes.

She tried to step past me, but I wrapped my hand around her wrist, and pulled her into the room I’d been hiding only minutes ago.

I shut the door, ignoring her protests. She had no reason to fear me, but I didn’t want to argue with her – because let’s face it, we always argue – out in the open.

“You can’t just drag me into an empty room with you, Dane. In case you didn’t notice, your buddy already tried that.”

I let go of her hand, and stepped back, the moonlight cascading through the windows giving me a better view of her face.

“Stay away from Gavin. He’s bad news,” I warned.

“You think I sought him out?” Her voice came out in a slight shriek. “Unbelievable!” She threw her hands up, looking affronted.

“You seem to have a penchant for the players on my team,” I ground out. “So far your judgment hasn’t been the best.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, first it was Chase, and now Gavin. At this rate you’d have run through the entire team before finals. If you’re not careful, you’ll get a reputation, and then every guy on campus will want a piece.”