Ryan Hunter by Piper Shelly Page B

and if it had ever worked with a girl and me, then it was probably her. The only downside—she wasn’t Liza. But she made a fantastic wine cooler, and the glass in her hand was most likely filled with the stuff. I took it out of her hand and tasted the berry mix, then arched a brow at her. “That grog could kill an elephant.”
    She shrugged it off with a grin. “Yeah, it’s a little strong. But the strawberries make it perfect.”
    It tasted delicious, but I didn’t intend to get drunk tonight, so I gave the glass back to her. The house was already bursting. I had to fight my way through all the kids to get into the kitchen and grab a beer from the fridge. The lights had been dimmed and the music was on maximum volume, just what a good party needed. I popped the cap of the Corona and headed back to the hall, taking a swig.
    In the arch between the hall and the kitchen, Tony bumped into me, dragged by a very excited Cloey. “Hey guys, what are you up to?” I asked, amused about how they held hands like preschoolers, and seriously enjoying the fact that Tony seemed totally into that girl.
    “I want to show him the gazebo,” Cloey cheered. “You don’t mind, Hunter, do you?”
    I shook my head no, but caught Mitchell’s arm before Cloey could pull him away from me. Leaning in closer, I gave him a concerned look. “Did you come with Matthews?”
    “Yes.”
    My eyes widened as I glanced from him to Cloey and back. “And she knows you’re going to make out with someone else in my garden?”
    Tony sucked in an uneasy breath through his teeth. “No.”
    Yeah, that was to be foreseen. “Where is she?”
    “Somewhere back there.” He nodded over his shoulder toward the entrance door. “A friend held her up. Look, I won’t be out with Cloey long. Just a minute. Don’t tell Liza when you see her, okay?”
    Cloey impatiently blew a strand of her blonde hair out of her eyes, but I made a point of not letting go of Mitchell’s arm just yet. “You will have to tell her at some point.”
    “I know.” He grimaced. “I will.”
    “All right. Get along with you,” I growled. “I have you covered for tonight. But make sure to come clean with her soon. I hate lying.”
    “Thanks, man.” We bumped fists before the two of them slipped out into the garden through the back door.
    I wondered how he’d gotten Cloey to agree to hiding their relationship for now. She wasn’t usually one to keep a low profile and it must annoy the hell out of her. But then, our garden was a perfectly romantic place for some kissing under the moonlight, and she would probably get her money’s worth with Mitchell tonight.
    A little frustrated at how Tony messed with Liza’s feelings, I slumped against the wall inside the arch, dragged a hand over my face, and took a long sip from my beer. Gaze skating over the crowd, I wondered where she was. There were close to three hundred people in this house. Looking for her might turn out to be a problem. But then there was no need to. The little hairs at the back of my neck bristled when she emerged from the mass, glancing around like a shy little doe.
    Her super short, black pants took a millisecond to make my eyes go wide and my mouth water. A moment after her gaze met mine, I turned toward her fully and only leaned with one shoulder against the wall. She fumbled with the hem of her gray tank top as she glanced to one side and back at me. From years of charming girls, I knew what I was doing. Since she had my direct attention now, she had no other choice than come over and say hello. I took another swig as I watched my plan work out.
    Near enough to grant me a close-up of the pendant on her necklace dipping into the valley between her breasts, she stopped and lifted a greeting hand instead of speaking.
    I cocked my head and gave her the lightest smile I could manage. “Hi.”
    “Yo u have a nice place. So full of—”
    Testosterone ?
    “—people.”
    “Yeah. Thanks.” Hm, was that the