She shakes her head. 揑 like my space better with you in it.?
揙h, thank fuck.?
A small lift of one corner of her mouth loosens the giant lump in my throat. She glances up to the ceiling. 揟he lights are beautiful.?
揝o are you.?
A bigger smile spreads across her lips and she twirls her hips to make the red fabric swish around her. 揑 hoped wearing this dress would bring me luck again.?
揕uck??My brows pull together in confusion. 揑 thought you were mortified you sent those pictures.?
揑 was,?she admits. 揃ut it changed things between us. You saw me differently. Without it and without everything else, then maybe nothing would have happened between us. And as mad as I was, I wouldn抰 wish it away either. I love you too.?
Her words hit me right in the chest, and I let out a long breath. Circling my arms around her waist, I lift her and spin around like I抦 a kid on a sugar high. I am. On my sweet Daisy. When I put her down, she tilts her face up and I bring my mouth to hers.
I can抰 get close enough or kiss her deeply enough. I missed her so damn much. Tangling my hands in her hair, I groan as she sucks on my tongue and claws at my back like she抯 struggling with the inability to meld our bodies any tighter, too.
揟his dress is too big,?she complains. 揑 can抰 get any closer.?
I glance down to the lacy layers bunched up between us. 揑n my fantasies, it was much easier to get under the skirt and still kiss you.?
She laughs. Damn, it抯 the best sound.
揃e my date??She inclines her head to the house.
揑 left my suit and tie at home.?
Her gaze sweeps over my jeans and tee, backward hat. With a smile, she says, 揧ou抣l do.?
The rain starts as we are running inside梐 hard downpour that soaks through my shirt. She pulls me through the kitchen and into the living room where people are standing around in groups, others dancing.
Her friends are in the middle and that抯 where she leads us. They scream and hug her when they see our linked hands. Then Daisy pulls me closer. She rests her hands on my shoulders and I wrap my arms around her waist. She lifts the hat on my head and sets it on hers.
揗y hats always look better on you,?I say. 揈ven when it says, 慖 heart MILFs.挃
揥hat??She takes it off and reads the front.
揧ou still have my other one,?I say by way of explanation.
She shakes her head. 揑 love you, but I抦 going to burn this hat.?
But for tonight, she wears it. We dance, we kiss, she introduces me to some of her friends I haven抰 met yet, and it抯 perfect.
Later that night, Daisy is naked on top of me, a pile of red lace beside us. The rain stopped almost as soon as it started, but the cold front it brought with it makes the tree house chilly and breezy. The clouds block out the moon and stars, but the lights in the tree house shine down on us.
揥e should go in before you fall asleep,?I say, and pull the blanket up around her shoulders.
揓ust a few more minutes.?Her eyes are heavy and voice thick and quiet. 揑 missed this place. And you.?
揂ll right.?I let my eyes fall shut and I take a deep breath, breathing her in and relaxing. 揓ust for a few more minutes.?
Or as long as she wants, whichever comes first.
36
DAISY
揥ow.?Jane抯 eyes are wide with excitement as the final buzzer sounds. 揟hat was amazing. And they won!?
揌ave you never been to a sporting event??Violet asks her.
Jane shakes her head, making her platinum blonde hair move around her shoulders.
揘ot even in high school??Dahlia asks.
揌ellooo,?she says. 揊ellow wallflower here.?
Jane pulls a mini bottle of vodka from her bra to pour into her drink and then passes it to Violet.
揑f you two get me kicked out of my boyfriend抯 game, I抣l kill you.?I shoot a glare at them and return my attention to where Jordan is celebrating with the rest of his team.
揙oooh. Your boyfriend,?Dahlia teases.
It never gets old. Who knew a silly label like boyfriend could feel so awesome?
揟he game is over anyway.?Jane stands. 揂nd you抮e going to want us tipsy if we抮e going to the hockey party.?
揑 don抰 know,?Vi says. 揟he more I drink, the less I filter what comes out of my mouth.?
I take the cup from her and chug half of it. My throat burns, and I cough as I hand it back to her. 揟here.?
Am I nervous that my friends are coming with me to a party at McCallum抯 apartment? Yes, yes, I am. But they抮e doing their best to be supportive, and I can抰 think of anything better than spending a Friday night with all my favorite people.
By the time we make it to the party, Jane has produced a bigger bottle from her purse, which she also shoves in her bra. She and Violet are giggling as I push open the door of the hockey guys?apartment. The same couple that was making out behind the door the last time I was here is at it again.
揝orry,?I say as the door nearly hits the guy in the back of the head. He doesn抰 so much as look up. That抯 real dedication.
We get a few looks from girls sitting in the living room. I recognize some of them. They don抰 look any friendlier than last time, but I care a lot less with my squad behind me.
揥ow,?Jane says for at least the hundredth time tonight. 揑抦 at a college hockey party.?She has no chill. I don抰 know if it抯 a super-rich person thing or what, but she walks into the apartment and squeals like she doesn抰 care that anyone can see how excited she is.
Jordan lifts a hand from the dining room table. His mouth pulls into a smile, and my stomach flips. I start in his direction.
He抯 on his feet and coming toward me in quick steps that mirror my excitement. Scooping me into his arms, he kisses me hard. I melt into him. I didn抰 know I could feel like this about someone. When he抯 around, I just can抰 stop smiling or feeling like my heart might burst.
Jane clears her throat behind us, and Jordan sets me down.
揌ey, ladies,?he says. 揃ooze is in the kitchen.?
揟hen that抯 where we抣l be,?Violet says.
Jordan returns his attention to me. His eyes twinkle with excitement, and his smile is all charm. 揊uck the Dealer??
揑 was thinking power hour and maybe some dancing.?
His brows raise. 揂re you going to need me to carry you out of here tonight, sweet Daisy??
揥ho says I needed it last time? Maybe it was all a ploy to get you back to my room.?I flutter my lashes.
He tips his head back and laughs. 揟he white cotton panty seductress.?
My face heats.
With a wink, he juts his chin to my friends in the kitchen. 揑t doesn抰 look like your friends need any more liquid courage.?
Jane pulls the bottle stashed in her bra and starts filling shot glasses. Dallas walks into the kitchen for a beer and lingers until they offer him one. In seconds, five more guys are crowding around.
Jordan leads me to the dining room table. Liam smiles as Jordan pulls a chair out across from him and guides me down on his lap.
揌i.?I wave to Liam. The guy next to him I recognize from the parade of trucks last week. He was the passenger in Liam抯 truck.
揇aisy, this is Cole.?Liam rests an arm around the back of the guy抯 chair.
Cole leans forward and adjusts the ball cap on his head. 揘ice to meet you. I抳e heard lots about you.?
I stare at them a beat. 揧ou too.?
揇oubtful,?he says with a grin he tosses at Liam.
Liam brings the hand resting behind him up to his neck. His fingers tenderly ruffle the reddish ends curled around his hat. It抯 a simple gesture, quick, but unmistakable and intimate.
揑 meant it was nice to meet you.?