Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
I let out a whoop and spin back around, taking Ari with me, getting lost in the group of girls once again. A few minutes pass, and then the truck bed dips, making us stumble a bit and then big-ass arms are around me, lifting me in the air with a laugh.
“Tell me you got me” is whisper-yelled into my ear as my feet hit the bed again.
I chuckle, sneaking an arm through the little back window and lifting a soda bottle full of honey-flavored Jack Daniel’s from the seat, twisting to hand it to Brady.
“Always.” I smirk.
“My girl.” He beams. “Careful with the clear stuff. If you start to feel overheated, tell me. I’ll get you some water and we can swap to beer, yeah?”
I don’t bother to point out I could get my own water, and he wouldn’t have to swap to anything just because my skin rebels against clear liquor sometimes. He’ll just give me that sharp stare of his, and I’ll crumble like a cookie anyway.
“You got it, Big Guy.”
Satisfied, he kisses my cheek and shuffles away, jumping over the side of the bed instead of weaving his way back through the gang of girls piled in it. He turns back when someone calls his name and grins up at a brunette wearing an AU tank top. He opens his arms in invitation, and she jumps into them, letting him carry her to the truck to our left.
I catch Mason’s eye, and he waves, making me shake my head with a knowing grin. Payton is so cute, thinking there was any chance he’d stay.
A few minutes pass and most of the girls clear the back of the truck bed, heading off to join whoever it was they were waiting for, so we drop down too.
Slowly but surely, everyone piles into their vehicles. Chase, our DD, drives us back to the football house for the after-party.
When we get there, the music is already reaching the curb, and inside, we find the keg stands are in full effect.
We pause just inside the entry, and I smile at the chaos. “Bros. Bros everywhere.”
Ari laughs, and we look up at Brady when he and Chase shift to stand before us.
“You girls know the rules,” Brady begins. “No—”
“Taking drinks from anyone but you,” both Ari and I say at the same time, and I lift the plastic bottle of liquor we brought for ourselves.
Chase raises a brow. “And no bathroom breaks alone.”
“And no leaving with anyone without talking to us first,” Brady adds, and they all look to me.
“Hey!” I defend, but Ari’s giggle has my head whipping her way.
“Well, I’m not going to go home with anyone, and Paige isn’t here tonight. That only leaves you.”
“Love Noah, not a fan of being the only single female in the gang. Paige needs to get her shit together and act like the twenty-one-year-old she is, not a forty-year-old divorcée.”
“I like a good MILF.” Brady grins.
“We know, Big Guy.” I pet his shoulder. “We know.”
Ari grins, wraps her arm around my shoulder, and drags us away from the guys.
“Okay,” she shouts. “What’s the plan? People watch in the corner, sit by the firepit out back until our buzz becomes something more, or hit the dance floor and figure the rest out later?”
“Option three, baby!”
She smiles, dragging me into the dead center of the makeshift dance floor. We dance to several songs, jumping up and down when “Shots” by LMFAO plays, getting lost within the people around us, swapping from partner to partner and utterly enjoying ourselves.
We pause, take another mini shot, offering some to a couple girls who shuffle in close at the sight of the bottle.
We cheer and get back to it.
Ari grips my arm, and I look up to see her lift her phone in the air, Noah’s face on the screen.
“Hey, best friend’s boyfriend!” I shout, blowing a kiss, and Noah smiles, waving back, a few guys who must be teammates crowding closer to see what all the noise is, I’m sure.
“I’m going to go out back and talk for a minute!” she shouts. “You coming?”
“Nope. I’ll be right here.”
She nods and walks off, and I watch as she makes her way toward the patio door, flagging Brady down on her way. He extracts himself from the girl who was using him as a barstool, smiling as he follows Ari out back.
I grin, forgoing the little shot glass around my neck and finishing off the last little bit in the water bottle before smashing it, dropping it, and kicking it off to the side. It’s fine—I usually come in the mornings to help with clean up anyway.
I close my eyes, moving to the beat as I gather my hair and tie it up in a high pony. Before my arms have even begun to lower, a pair of warm hands find my hips.