The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(35)

“Thanks,” I responded. “You look peachy too.” And he did. Nice button-down, loafers, hair pulled back in a ponytail. Very preppy cute.

We stood for a minute, awkwardly, as someone got ahold of the stereo and began blasting it with full bass. Christian stepped over to me and leaned his head next to mine to talk. “Tessa, do you know where the beer is?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Will you show me? I’m feeling a little nervous.” He paused, and his dark eyes looked different. Anxious.

Balderdash! If he was feeling so uneasy, I must not be acting as a very gracious hostess. Just then someone turned down the music, and I took a deep breath. I didn’t like having to shout when I wasn’t in the gymnasium.

I shook my long waves to clear my head, about to cross the room. “I’m so sorry,” I said to Christian. “I’ll get you one—”

“I’ll come with you,” he interrupted, stepping up and looping his arm in mine.

My smile faded. “I—”

“I’m back,” Kira announced as she bounded next to me. She was grinning from ear to ear, mostly at Christian. I exhaled. Thank heavens she’d come. Things had been getting very uncomfortable around here. I unwound his arm from mine.

“I’ve got to find Aiden,” I said quickly, turning before I could see either of their expressions. Maybe leaving them alone together could spark something. I didn’t need to tell Kira how Christian had been so forward with me; it might hurt her ego. And I didn’t want to do that—not when Christian was clearly misguided in his feelings for me.

I was standing next to Darren, but my boyfriend was no longer here. Darren turned to me, a pool stick in his hand. “Hey there, Sex Kitten,” he said in his smooth, deep voice. “You hunting for your boy?”

“It’s Smitten. And yes, have you seen him?” I put my fists on my hips, feeling a bit lost.

“Yeah.” He pointed toward the back door. “He went out to the bonfire to get more beers. Tell him to hurry up, will ya, Tess?”

“Sure.”

I chewed on my lip as I made my way through the kitchen to the yard. The music was louder out here with the bass pumping through the speakers set up on the patio. Luckily Aiden’s nearest neighbor was half an acre away. Besides, there was no need to worry about getting in trouble. No one would call the police on the Wildcats’ point guard—we had a chance to make the playoffs this year!

I paused as I stepped onto his wooden deck. Aiden was in the grass at the keg, laughing, smiling, and looking very happy … talking with Chloe. My face stung. She tossed her blond hair over her shoulder, and as she bent down in front of Aiden to get a plastic cup out of its sleeve, her cle**age was on full display. I think I even saw a nipple. Aiden looked away quickly. He must have too.

I put my palm over my forehead, feeling sick. Backing up, I turned around and walked into the house. It was loud. People were talking, saying hi to me as I moved past them. I found a quiet spot against the wall in the hallway near the stairs. My heart was racing.

Nothing was going on with Aiden and Chloe. I was being irrational. He was just talking to her—probably being polite, like I’d always told him to be. I needed to get a grip. I closed my eyes.

A few minutes passed, but I didn’t move. I didn’t want to go back out there. I didn’t want to see if it had gotten any worse.

“You okay?” Christian was next to me, talking in a soft voice. I couldn’t look at him. But I felt him lean next to me against the wall.

“Fine.”

“You don’t look like you’re having very much fun.”

I opened my eyes and turned to him. He smiled and took a sip from the cup of beer he was holding. That was an understatement.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a weird night.”

“I know. Me too.”

I tilted my head. “Why is it weird for you?”

“Kira. You trying to leave us alone together.” He chuckled. “Very slick,” he added sarcastically.

That was funny. I’d actually thought it was sort of slick. I glanced down the hall, back to where the party was in full force, wondering what Aiden was doing.

“Your boyfriend is ignoring you,” Christian said, staring into his beer.

My stomach dropped. “Excuse me?”

Christian’s eyes met mine, looking at me in the aggressive way they had that night at miniature golf.

“He is ignoring you, isn’t he?”

“No.”

“In fact, I think he’s talked to Chloe more than he’s talked to you tonight.”

“Well, then maybe you should grab your sister and go,” I snapped. My breath caught. I couldn’t believe I was being so rude! What was happening to me?

“Naw.” Christian shook his head. “I don’t tell my sister what to do. She can handle herself. She always has.” Christian looked me up and down. “And right about now, I think she wants to handle your boyfriend.”

I was about to raise my voice or push him violently. Do something. But I just stared at him, my chest heaving under my sundress. Did he think Aiden liked her?

Christian looked away, almost like he was sorry he’d brought it up, but I doubted he was. He probably saw it as an opening to get to me. It wasn’t.