Shut Out (Bayard Hockey #1)(24)

His grin goes wicked. “Only if it’s mutually agreeable.”

“Oh, you’re good.” I arch an eyebrow. “That would be taking a fake relationship a little too far, don’t you think?”

“Okay, honestly, I wasn’t thinking about sex. Christ.” He closes his eyes. “I can’t believe I just said that. I’m pretty much always thinking about sex.”

I laugh. “At least you’re honest.”

“I am. I am an honest guy.”

His earnest words have my heart fluttering wildly again.

“So no sex,” he adds, but he looks like he’s in pain. This doesn’t help my aching *. It also weirdly reassures me that he didn’t reject me last weekend because I’m a total loser. “And I’ll deny it if anyone asks if we are, and defend your virtue.”

“That’s really not necessary,” I say dryly. “Not that our fake sex life is anyone’s business, but I’m not a virgin.”

“Hey, here’s an idea. We can just take things slow, right?” His smile makes my nipples harden.

I smile back, somehow totally hooked by his charm.

“What are you drinking, anyway?” He glances down at my glass.

“Kool-Aid.”

“What?”

“Cherry Kool-Aid. Want some?”

“Uh, no. I haven’t drunk Kool-Aid since I was about ten. Is there vodka in there?”

“Nope.” I smile. “Just Kool-Aid.”

“Okay.”

“It’s good. I’m trying to stay sober tonight so I don’t try to proposition the first hot guy who talks to me.” I make a face. “Unlike last weekend.”

“Are you sure you aren’t interested in a boyfriend?”

“Yes, I know that wasn’t exactly in line with my plan to not be distracted from studying. I was a little, uh…”

He smirks.

“Don’t let your already oversized ego get so big you can’t get through the door.”

He laughs and releases me, finally, but I only move a little apart from him so I can take a sip of my drink. “Did you come with your friends again?”

“Nope. I live here.”

“Shit. Really? This is your place?”

“Yeah. Natalie’s one of my roommates. She and Brooklyn and Ella all wanted to have this party. Me, not so much. Another reason for staying sober—to make sure things don’t get out of hand.” I bite my lip. “Actually, it might be too late for that.”

“Nah.”

I turn and survey the room. It’s packed with bodies, the music is loud, people are yelling, but so far things seem benign. There’s a couple making out in an armchair and— A crash of breaking glass in the kitchen has us both going on alert. Our eyes meet.

“I better go check that out.” I scurry toward the kitchen. I find a girl and two guys laughing hysterically as they try to clean up a broken glass.

“Oh shit, I cut myself!” The girl holds up her hand, dripping blood.

“Aw f*ck, don’t show me that, I can’t stand the ssssss—” And one of the dudes passes out, sprawled on the tile floor.

“Shit,” Jacob mutters behind me.

He rushes over and lifts the guy’s shoulders. “Skylar, help her.” He nods at the girl who is still laughing and dripping blood.

I grab some paper towels and wrap her hand in them. “Come to the bathroom with me so I can see how bad it is. We’ll find you a bandage.”

The unconscious guy and bleeding girl have put a damper on the hilarity, and others are quietly cleaning up the mess. I leave them to it with a quick, concerned glance at Jacob and the other guy. Luckily, he was crouched on the floor when he passed out. Jacob’s trying to get him to come to, his head shoved between his knees. I’m worried about how much the guy has had to drink.

“I’m Skylar,” I tell the girl, leading her upstairs. “And you are…?”

“Uma.”

“Okay, Uma, let’s see that cut.” She sits on the toilet and I unwrap her hand. My stomach is clenched, anticipating the worst, like a severed finger or something, but it’s only a small cut. I clean it up and wrap a Band-Aid snugly around it. “There you go.”

“Thanks.” She wiggles her finger. “Sorry about the glass. I guess it wasn’t really that funny.”

“Well, a broken glass isn’t a big deal. A severed finger on the other hand…Luckily, you’re okay.”

“I’m good. I better go check on Kyle.”

“Is he your boyfriend?”

“Nah, just a friend. He’s pretty squeamish.”

Kyle is fine, now seated on a kitchen chair, drinking a glass of water, a little pale. The floor has been cleaned up. “Jesus,” Kyle says on seeing Uma. “You okay?”

“I’m good. You?” Uma sits on his lap. Just friends? Oooookay.

I meet Jacob’s eyes, draw in a long, slow breath and let it out. Wow. Suddenly I think I need to sit down.

“C’mere.” He reaches for me and pulls me into a hug, resting his chin on top of my head. “Okay?”

“Yeah. Scared me a bit.” It feels good to be held like this when I’m a little shaky.