ENEMIES(59)

I was flustered. This was different. This was Stone not hiding he was down here, with me, and it was a full party upstairs. It was already out about us, but yeah, this felt like it was something more than what we’d talked about.

I was at the stairs when I realized I had no bra.

I was that flustered, but after getting a bra on, I went upstairs.

I wasn’t fully ready for what I walked into. This wasn’t a normal party for them, not that I was super knowledgeable on that either, but I knew there was more tonight. The usual crowd was fifteen to twenty. Tonight, there was twenty in just two rooms. I saw people outside in the backyard and people were coming in and out from the front.

I’d stepped into a full-fledged party, and going through the crowd, I didn’t have far to go to get in the kitchen. A few girls were coming in the side door, gave me the stink eye, but quickly moved on. I heard one whisper, “There he is! Told you!”

Her friend got excited. Both squealed and I was forgotten.

I did take note of their outfits, because it was so not what I was wearing. They were in halter tops, the kind that had ruffles above the boobs and just underneath, and that was pretty much it for the top. Their jeans were plastered to them. Sleek hair. Makeup on point, and bright red lipstick.

Me. I had on Stone’s shirt and my jeans. Granted, my jeans were also plastered to me, but looking at those girls, I knew my jeans didn’t have the whole sexy look they were pulling off. And don’t get me started on my hair. I’d pulled it up into a quick braid before coming up, but to my credit, it was a messy fishtail braid. Go me. Fishtail braids were always trending, or they should be. They were awesome, which according to Dent, I was fucking awesome.

But back to those girls. As I was pushing into the kitchen, I saw where they were going and who ‘he’ was.

But I already knew. Of course, I knew.

Stone was leaning against the counter, a water in hand, and he had one arm crossed over his chest. Wyatt, Noel, Nacho, Dent. They were all standing and lounging next to him as if they were all buds. Stone was listening to some other guy talking who was using lots of hand motions, and the girls were on the outskirts, whispering to each other. They weren’t the only girls. There were others. Mia, for one. She was curled up next to Wyatt. Her head on his shoulder and his arm around her waist. Noel and Savannah were wifed up, too. He had his arm around her shoulder, but his head was leaning forward, listening to whatever the one guy was saying.

Stone’s eyes caught me, and he raked me up and down. A faint grin tugged on his lips.

Before I knew what was happening, he’d said something to the guy. He came over, and just like that, no one else was allowed in our group of two. I went to the cupboard and started pulling everything out I needed. He set his drink on the counter, his back to the rest of the room, and his one hand rested on my back.

“Tell me what to do.”

“What?” I pulled out the flour. “You’re going to help me?”

“Why not?” His grin was wicked. “Old memories, you know.”

Old memories. I almost laughed at that, but saw he was serious.

“Really?”

“I’m here to spend time with you, not them. Not going to lie. I’m looking forward to the pizza, too, but as soon as they’re done and cut, we’re going to my place.” He leaned in, saying into my ear, “I thought maybe I might’ve missed out on the college parties. I didn’t.” His hand moved up my back, rubbing between my shoulders. He gestured to the rolling pin I’d pulled out. “Tell me what to do.”

“Heeeeyyy!”

Nicole shoved her way through the crowd, coming to the other side of me. Her face was flushed. Her breath was tequila and she was swaying, just barely holding onto the counter. “You’ve left your room. You’ve joined society. We need to take a shot for this!”

She whooped, screaming, “I need my tequila.”

Dent laughed, swooping in. He bent, tucking down, and as he stood, she was over his shoulder.

She shrieked again, but was laughing.

He smacked her ass. “Excuse us. Nikki’s gotta do good on a bet we had between the two of us.”

“Oh my God! No!” Her laughter was clearly saying she was fine with whatever he was talking about. “I want to hang out with Dusty. She never leaves her room—OH!” Her eyes were gaping, taking in Stone. Yeah. She was that drunk. She screeched now, trying to scramble upright. “HOLY SHIT! STONE IS HERE! HOLY SHIT!”

Stone shifted closer to me. “Take her out of here?” He was not talking to me.

Dent nodded, burping. “On it.” He snagged a beer on his way out, and Nicole kept shrieking the whole way until a door closed.

I stiffened. “You don’t think he’s…”

Mia clipped out, still in Wyatt’s shelter, “He’s putting her to bed. It’s a wasted Nicole night tonight. Dent’s the only one who can get her to actually go to sleep when she’s like that.”

“Oh.”

But I looked at Stone, he shrugged and bent close. “Don’t worry about it. Dent seems like a good guy. Crazy with his flirting, but he seems on the up and up.”

“You know this how?” I shoved a bowl into his hands.

He smiled, actually enjoying that. “It’s a guy thing.”

Wyatt started laughing. So did Noel.