time to resurface, Guy ushers me forward.
Laughter from behind me catches my attention because I recognize it immediately. Annie’s hand is over her mouth, and she’s trying so hard to calm down. Her eyes are watering with the effort.
I grin and point at her. “You started it.”
She shrugs. “Worth it,” she calls. “That is some funny shit.”
I cock a brow and exchange a look with Guy. We take two steps toward Annie and she throws her hands up, palms out. “Wait. What are you doing?”
Guy smiles at her and I’m impressed at the level of deviousness he puts into it. There’s no way she doesn’t know exactly what’s coming.
“Stop,” she yelps. She glances back at Loden for help, but he’s laughing. “Don’t you do it Guy Handlin,” she demands, but her tone is pleading. She steps sideways, moving around Loden’s legs. She’s going to run. Guy realizes it at the same time I do. We both lunge at her, but she slips past us and takes off.
I don’t chase after her and I put my hand out , stopping Guy from pursuing her as well. Probably one of the only rules I actually take seriously—don’t run on the wet floor around a pool. That and don’t dive in the shallow end, but that’s just common sense.
“Annie.” I say her name, trying to warn her, but it’s already too late. Her feet slip out from under her and she falls backward.
Now I run. I slide onto my knees next to her and she looks up at me, her eyes blinking quickly. “You okay?” I ask. My hands hover above her as I await her reply.
She puts her hands over her face, but doesn’t answer me.
Guy and Loden kneel on her other side. I tug on her wrists, trying to pry her hands away from covering her face. “Annie, are you hurt?”
“Just my pride,” she groans. “How many people just saw me fall on my ass?”
Guy looks over his shoulder and shrugs. “Pretty much everybody here.” He looks at me. “What would you say? Thirty, maybe forty people?”
“Give or take,” I agree.
“Ahh,” Annie sighs.
“But,” Guy announces, “that was some funny shit.” She glares up at him, not missing the way he uses her same words.
Loden helps her stand and there’s applause around us. Nice. Annie’s cheeks redden and she covers her face again.
“I need to go home,” she says, her voice muffled behind her fingers.
“What?” Loden says. He puts his hands on her waist and she drops her hands. “Annie, I have to stay. This is my team’s party.” He wiggles her hips from side to side and smiles. “It wasn’t that bad. Nobody cares.”
“I know. I just…” She takes a deep breath and sighs. “You stay, but I’m going to go. My back kind of hurts. And I need to study anyway…” She trails off and Loden’s eyes search her face.
“All right. You sure?”
She nods and waves her hand. “Positive.”
“We’ll walk her back,” I tell Loden.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” He leans in and kisses Annie on the cheek. “I’ll call you later.”
I put my hand on her elbow and steer her toward the door. She pauses, looking up at me.
“Don’t you need to change or get shoes at least?”
“I’m fine. I’m coming right back.”
Guy holds the door open and we step out into the cool night air. The three of us walk in silence. I want to bombard Annie with questions about her and Loden. Three days ago they were just going dancing and now they seem like a couple.
Huh. Guess you can ’t believe rumors floating around a college campus. Like guys that use girls for sex or are into bestiality.
“How’s your back?” I ask. I feel responsible for making her run, which makes me feel like shit.
“It’s fine. I just wanted out of there.” She tucks a loose hair back behind her ear and shrugs. “Loden wouldn’t have understood.”
I don’t know what a normal response is to that. But I’m thinking it sounds messed up. She’s allowed to leave a party whenever she wants. She doesn’t need to make up an excuse to
Laughter from behind me catches my attention because I recognize it immediately. Annie’s hand is over her mouth, and she’s trying so hard to calm down. Her eyes are watering with the effort.
I grin and point at her. “You started it.”
She shrugs. “Worth it,” she calls. “That is some funny shit.”
I cock a brow and exchange a look with Guy. We take two steps toward Annie and she throws her hands up, palms out. “Wait. What are you doing?”
Guy smiles at her and I’m impressed at the level of deviousness he puts into it. There’s no way she doesn’t know exactly what’s coming.
“Stop,” she yelps. She glances back at Loden for help, but he’s laughing. “Don’t you do it Guy Handlin,” she demands, but her tone is pleading. She steps sideways, moving around Loden’s legs. She’s going to run. Guy realizes it at the same time I do. We both lunge at her, but she slips past us and takes off.
I don’t chase after her and I put my hand out , stopping Guy from pursuing her as well. Probably one of the only rules I actually take seriously—don’t run on the wet floor around a pool. That and don’t dive in the shallow end, but that’s just common sense.
“Annie.” I say her name, trying to warn her, but it’s already too late. Her feet slip out from under her and she falls backward.
Now I run. I slide onto my knees next to her and she looks up at me, her eyes blinking quickly. “You okay?” I ask. My hands hover above her as I await her reply.
She puts her hands over her face, but doesn’t answer me.
Guy and Loden kneel on her other side. I tug on her wrists, trying to pry her hands away from covering her face. “Annie, are you hurt?”
“Just my pride,” she groans. “How many people just saw me fall on my ass?”
Guy looks over his shoulder and shrugs. “Pretty much everybody here.” He looks at me. “What would you say? Thirty, maybe forty people?”
“Give or take,” I agree.
“Ahh,” Annie sighs.
“But,” Guy announces, “that was some funny shit.” She glares up at him, not missing the way he uses her same words.
Loden helps her stand and there’s applause around us. Nice. Annie’s cheeks redden and she covers her face again.
“I need to go home,” she says, her voice muffled behind her fingers.
“What?” Loden says. He puts his hands on her waist and she drops her hands. “Annie, I have to stay. This is my team’s party.” He wiggles her hips from side to side and smiles. “It wasn’t that bad. Nobody cares.”
“I know. I just…” She takes a deep breath and sighs. “You stay, but I’m going to go. My back kind of hurts. And I need to study anyway…” She trails off and Loden’s eyes search her face.
“All right. You sure?”
She nods and waves her hand. “Positive.”
“We’ll walk her back,” I tell Loden.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” He leans in and kisses Annie on the cheek. “I’ll call you later.”
I put my hand on her elbow and steer her toward the door. She pauses, looking up at me.
“Don’t you need to change or get shoes at least?”
“I’m fine. I’m coming right back.”
Guy holds the door open and we step out into the cool night air. The three of us walk in silence. I want to bombard Annie with questions about her and Loden. Three days ago they were just going dancing and now they seem like a couple.
Huh. Guess you can ’t believe rumors floating around a college campus. Like guys that use girls for sex or are into bestiality.
“How’s your back?” I ask. I feel responsible for making her run, which makes me feel like shit.
“It’s fine. I just wanted out of there.” She tucks a loose hair back behind her ear and shrugs. “Loden wouldn’t have understood.”
I don’t know what a normal response is to that. But I’m thinking it sounds messed up. She’s allowed to leave a party whenever she wants. She doesn’t need to make up an excuse to
Similar Books
