Slow Play (The Rules #3)(25)

Honestly? I don’t want to analyze it too closely. I might not like what I find out.

“Giving up so easily, huh?”

My blood flashes hot, the anger rising and threatening to choke me. I love a challenge and everyone knows it, including Kelli. I still have that stupid bet with Shep, though I should just pay him and be done with it. “How is it giving up when I didn’t really try in the first place?”

“Go ahead and keep telling yourself that,” Kelli taunts. “Want me to text the address to you?”

Is she really daring me to go over there? Because I so will and worse? Kelli knows it. “I already have Alexandria’s address.”

“Wait, what? How did you get it?” Another pause before her voice blasts in my ear. “You f*cking stalker. Have you been following her around?”

I end the call. Chick was giving me a headache and besides, we’re just wasting time.

“Gotta go,” I say when I turn to find Gabe and Lucy blatantly watching me.

Gabe takes a step forward, his face an intimidating mask. Doesn’t work on me, though. I know all of his weaknesses and his worst one? He has a terrible poker face. Guy can’t trick a bet for shit. “Are you really going to hook up with Kelli right now?”

“Hell, no.” I move toward the front door, snagging my jacket off the coat rack before I head out. “Not that you believe me.”

“Where are you going then?”

“I’m gonna go play video games,” I tell them as I open the door.

And disappear into the dark night before they can utter another word.

I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open, which is some sort of miracle because the TV is turned up at top volume and the game the boys are playing is so freaking loud I can hardly hear myself think, let alone try and fall asleep.

But try and fall asleep I did because I grabbed one of the throw pillows, leaned my head on the arm of the couch, closed my eyes and within minutes I was out. For how long I’m not sure because the next thing I know, someone is shaking me awake, chanting sleepy head again and again.

It’s super annoying.

I crack open my eyes to stop the noise and find Kelli’s face in mine, a little smile curling her lips. “Hey,” she says, like she’s surprised I woke up. “Welcome back to the real world. You fell asleep.”

“I know.” I rub my eyes, feeling cranky, like a little kid. “Wish you wouldn’t have woke me.”

“You have company,” she sing songs and I close my eyes, struggling to block the horrible noise that comes out of her mouth.

The girl flat out can’t sing.

“They’re all Conrad’s friends,” I tell her.

“Not all of them.” She smirks. “Like Steven?”

I wave a dismissive, lazy hand. “He came to see Conrad.”

Kelli coughs into her hand. “Bullshit,” it sounds like.

“Whatever. I’m going to bed.” I should lock myself away in my room and be done with it. Kelli’s acting strange. And I’m tired of hearing dudes yell, “Fuck yeah,” and “Get that *!” anyway.

“I’m sure your guest will be thrilled to hear that,” Kelli murmurs gleefully.

“What are you talking about?” I sit up and swing my legs over the couch so I’m in a sitting position. I scrub a hand over my face, smooth my hair away from my eyes and focus in on the guys who are all sitting on the floor or on giant beanbags playing what appears to be an intense round of Call of Duty.

One of them who just so happens to be Tristan Prescott.

Gasping, my hand flies to my mouth, then back over my hair. Oh my God, I must look an absolute wreck. I’m wearing yoga pants and an old sweatshirt that’s so baggy I can get away without wearing a bra.

As in, I look like shit.

Why is he playing video games with my roommates? I turn to glare at Kelli and she looks so freaking amused I know she had a hand in this.

“What the hell is Tristan doing here?” I hiss-whisper.

Kelli sends me a look. “Be careful. He might hear you and you’ll hurt his feelings,” she cautions.

“He doesn’t have any feelings,” I return.

She considers what I said and nods. “You’re probably right. He’s pretty much the biggest * I know.” She grins and shoves my shoulder, making me almost topple over. “But he came to see you, Alex. Can you believe it? He can have any girl he wants and he’s choosing you.”

She says it like it’s some sort of twisted honor. Whatever.

“For tonight,” I mumble because it’s true. I don’t want to be another conquest, another notch in his bedpost or however that saying goes. And that’s all I’ll be to Tristan. We don’t know each other. And I don’t want to get to know him, as a friend or otherwise. That’s a situation I’d rather avoid altogether.

“You should go say hi,” Kelli encourages.

I study him. He doesn’t even see me, which isn’t a surprise. Those gorgeous blue eyes are locked on the big screen TV, his long fingers curled around the controller, and they’re moving as fast as possible as he starts shooting up whatever it is that he’s found. The other guys are yelling at him, so many F-bombs are flying in the air I wince and he just grins as he keeps killing the bad guys.