Shattered by Elizabeth Lee Page A

in the center was apparently the serve-yourself drink station.  I was eyeing the wide selection of alcohols and sodas.  “Help yourself.”  I turned to see Collin Smolder sitting on the counter top on the other side of the island.  Something about the smug look on his face intrigued me.  He was notorious for being an asshole, but I wasn’t intimidated by the reputation that followed him around.  He kept his brown hair cut fairly short, but tonight he was wearing a backwards black ball cap, so I couldn’t tell if he’d let it grow out.  The white wife beater that he had on revealed two things that I’d never noticed before.  He was in a lot better shape than I remembered and his entire left shoulder was covered with tattoos.  I wasn’t close enough to see what they were, but something made me want to find out and possibly run my hands down his firm biceps.  Collin could be the just the thing to complete my goal of saying good riddance to the past.  The liquid courage I’d downed on the way to the party amplified my flirting.
    “Thanks,” I flashed a smile, reaching into my bag to pull out the bottle, “I brought my own.”
    “I’ve always liked a girl that comes prepared for a good time. ” He smiled to let me know that he was more than willing to help me forget about it all.  There was a small gap between his front teeth that normally would have been a complete turnoff, but it worked for him.  
    I smiled as I reached for a red solo cup and filled it with ice.  I began to pour in my drink of choice, but my hand was stopped when I reached the halfway point.
    “Let’s mix some soda with that.” January smiled as she filled the rest of the cup up with diet cola.
    Buzzkill.   I knew my friend was just looking out for me, but I needed another mother like I needed a hole in my head.  She convinced me to go outside with her and Hap, but I knew she really just wanted to get me away from Collin’s seductive stare.  
    The backyard was now flooded with people.  The music boomed through the speaker that had been set up in a window of the cabin.  There was a beer pong game going on. I seem to remember teaming up with Hap and kicking some major ass.  When the last ball fell, and we’d defeated every opponent, I was buzzing pretty hard.  I felt Collin’s eyes following me around the party.  Each time I looked at him, a sly smile crossed his lips as if he was plotting something.   By the time the party was winding down, I’d managed to polish off the whiskey I’d brought with me.  Since I was being monitored, my effort was quite commendable.  I had to sneak extra pours into my cup and take a quick shots when Jan wasn’t looking.   
    “You ready to go?”  January asked, looking at her watch.  “It’s after midnight.  I can drive you home.”  Even in my wasted state, I could tell that she was trying to get me out of there, before I drank anymore or did something I’d regret.
    For months, January had been after me to go out and have some fun.  Now, that I was finally managing to do so, she wanted me to go home and it pissed me off.  “I’m not ready to go,” I pouted, knowing that I couldn’t drive myself home.  My eyes scanned the party, knowing that if I wanted to stay I’d have to find another ride home.  There was no way January would leave me here alone.  I noticed a group of people sitting around the bonfire in the center of the yard. No one I recognized.  There were a few more people tossing rocks and beer bottles into the river that ran across the back of the property, but I couldn’t make out their faces in the moonlight.  The cluster of couples making out by the picnic table looked unapproachable. I finally narrowed in on Collin, who was talking to Dan.  I walked over to where they were standing. “Hey Collin, think you can give me a ride home tonight?”
    January was instantly by my side.  I felt her hand wrap around my arm and pull me back before he could