Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Ethan lived in a gated, upscale neighborhood with big houses. The long driveway was already filled with cars and we had to park next to the curb in the street. We all climbed out and I stared up at the huge, two-story, mid-century modern house that had music blaring from it.
“Impressed?” Colt asked when he caught me staring. I glanced at him. He looked from me to Ethan’s house. “Ethan’s dad owns a nightclub downtown and his mom is the weatherwoman for Channel Six.”
“No. Big houses have many faults.” Like if you scream, no one will hear you. My hands clenched into fists at my sides and I chastised myself for letting my thoughts go there.
“You grew up in a big house like this, right?” Creed asked, coming to stand next to us.
I nodded. “A red brick Victorian. I own it now.”
Their heads whipped in my direction. “You own it?” Colt asked.
“I didn’t have time to grab a lot or have the opportunity to go through any of my family’s belongings before I was put into WITSEC. I just took a few mementos and a bag of clothes. Logan suggested I pay to have someone pack everything up and put it in storage so I can sell the house, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it.”
“It took us a while to box up our dad’s stuff after he died,” Colt said. “Once we did and we were left standing in an empty bedroom none of us wanted, we made the decision to sell the house. The house we have now was something we all picked out together in order to move on.”
I put my hand in his. “I’m glad you did or else I wouldn’t have met any of you.”
“We would have seen you at school and we’d still be standing right here right now,” Creed said.
“We would have had to fight off the other guys trying to get your attention, but we would have gotten to you eventually,” Colt said.
I scoffed. “What other guys?”
The corner of Colt’s mouth lifted. “The moment I saw you, babe, I wanted you, and I made sure all the guys at our school knew it, too.”
I gaped. “What?”
“Why do you think I insisted on showing you around school the first day?” he asked.
My mouth dropped open even further. “I thought you were being nice.”
He winced. “I was. I wanted to get to know you more and I didn’t want other guys interrupting that.”
Creed chuckled. “He gave this off-limits glare to every guy who looked at you that first week.” He squeezed Colt’s shoulder. “Good job, bro.”
“I feel like I should be mad.” I sighed. “However, I find your possessiveness very attractive.”
“Thanks, babe,” Colt said and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Creed grumbled, as if he wanted to be anywhere but here, and we headed up to the house.
We walked right in through the front door. Just inside was a large foyer with a grand staircase that led upstairs. There were people everywhere. Colt hadn’t let go of my hand and was taking the lead as we walked through the foyer into a large open space that consisted of a living room, dining room, and kitchen. The entire far wall was floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge folding glass door that was open. Through the bodies of people standing around a few kegs on the back patio, I could see a giant pool.
Creed frowned at a group of guys staring at us, or more specifically me, as we walked by. “I’m going to get in a fight.”
I grabbed his hand, too, and pulled him along.
“Shiloh!” I heard Isabelle call. I searched for her and spotted her and Ethan making their way toward us from the large, drool-worthy kitchen. With a big smile, Isabelle hugged me. Stunned, it took me a second to hug her back. “You look amazing,” she gushed as she pulled away.
I beamed. “So do you.” She was wearing black shorts with a white, shimmering, sequined tank that really made her straight neon green hair pop.
I glanced at Ethan and found him already staring at me. “You do look like a vampire and Jessica Rabbit had a baby.”
Isabelle grinned at Ethan. “Right? I told you.”
Ethan nodded and I saw a mischievous glint spark in his eyes. “Are you ready to play a drinking game?”
Creed cursed. “We just walked through the door.”
Ethan lifted his arms out at his sides, looking around at everyone. “The whole point of a party is to party.”
Isabelle shook her head. “There’s no point in arguing. He’s been brainstorming the best drinking game to play with Shiloh for days.”
“A bet is a bet and Shi lost,” Ethan said. “Are you sure you don’t want to play, baby?”
Isabelle shook her head again. “There’s no way I’d win.” She winced and looked at me. “Prepare yourself.”
Gee, that’s reassuring.
Ethan laughed and waved for us to follow him back into the kitchen.
“What game did you end up choosing?” Colt asked.
“You can’t play. First-timers only,” Ethan said as he grabbed a bunch of shot glasses from a cabinet.
We all watched as Ethan placed four shot glasses in front of me on the kitchen island and four in front of himself. He began filling each shot glass in front of me with a different liquor. Jim Beam, Jose Cuervo, Fireball, and Bacardi 151. Then he did the same with his four shot glasses in the same order. I was acquainted with each of the spirits he’d used and all of them tasted terrible. That was a given, I found, with most alcohol. But I never drank it for its taste. If I had to pick a poison, it would be whiskey. It had a preferable burn when going down. Out of the selection Ethan had chosen, the Bacardi almost had me cringing. Rum and I didn’t get along.
Ethan rubbed his hands together with evil glee. “Here’s how we play?—”
“Shit, man, you’re going to get her trashed with one game,” Creed grumbled.
I almost snickered. It’d take more than four shots to do that. I wasn’t going to say that out loud, though. Not until I knew how this game was played.
“The deal was for one drinking game. I had to make it count,” Ethan argued. “Anyway, here’s how we do this…we’re each going to take a shot at the same time. The first person to make the slightest cringe loses. If neither of us reacts to the first shot we move to the next one, then so on and so forth.”
“What do I get when I beat you?” I asked.
“I knew you would say that,” Ethan said with a grin. “If I win, you have to play another drinking game.”
“Why am I getting the impression that you’re trying to get me drunk?”
“I’m not. I think it would be good for you to let loose a little,” he said. “As your friend, I think you deserve to have some fun for once.”
That was very sweet of him.
“Fine.” I looked to Isabelle. “What should I make him do if I win?”
She grinned and tapped her chin with her finger. “What do you think of the music playing?” she asked me.
It was good. Seemed like it was mostly rock. “You want to change it?”
“I think we should be allowed to DJ and dance later to some of our favorites. I was thinking some Taylor, Sia, Billie, and maybe even some Harry,” she said, her grin turning downright evil. She and Ethan were meant for each other.
I looked to Ethan. “I like that. If I win, Isabelle and I get to play DJ later.”
Ethan held a cocky smirk that I was going to enjoy removing from his face. “Deal.” He lifted the shot glass filled with Jim Beam and held it up.
I picked up my Jim Beam shot glass and clanked it with his. Without losing eye contact, we threw back our shots at the same time. I didn’t so much as blink as it scorched everything it touched on its way down my throat.
Ethan also was unfazed. “Impressive for someone who’s never been to a party.”
I scooped up my next shot glass, filled with Jose. “This is indeed my first party. However, this isn’t my first time doing shots.”
Colt and Creed chuckled next to me and Isabelle giggled. Ethan’s cocky smirk dropped just a smidge, but it was still satisfying to see.
Ethan clanked his shot glass with mine and we downed the Jose. I wasn’t a fan of tequila and it took effort to keep it from showing. Ethan hadn’t reacted to the shot, either. Colt, Creed, and Isabelle cheered, drawing the attention of others.
By the time we both set our empty shot glasses down, Ethan wasn’t smirking any longer.
Isabelle pulled out her phone from her back pocket. “I’m going to make a playlist for our DJ session.”
That made us laugh and Ethan pouted a little. “You’re supposed to be on my side,” he said to her.
“I’ll make it up to you later,” she said before putting her mouth to his ear and whispering something to him.
Ethan’s smile grew bigger and bigger as he listened to whatever she was telling him. I couldn’t help but watch them—their intimacy and how comfortable they were with each other. I couldn’t stop myself from comparing my relationship with Colt and Creed to theirs. Mine was so different. Not bad. Just different. But I wanted that intimacy and connection with Colt and Creed. Was it sex that brought Isabelle and Ethan that close? Was I ready to take that step with Colt and Creed? I think I am.
A hand touched my back. “You alright?” Colt whispered in my ear.
I nodded. “Yeah, I was just thinking,” I whispered back.
“About?” he asked.
I smiled. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Okay,” Ethan said, picking up the Fireball shot. “You ready?”
I scooped up my shot. We clanked our glasses and threw them back. Fireball was whiskey, so it wasn’t that bad. Ethan’s eyes watered a little, but other than that he had no reaction. We both looked down at the last shot. Bacardi 151. Cheese and rice. I had to give myself a mental pep talk before picking up the shot. I’d endured worse. I’d tasted worse. I will not react. I will not react.
Everyone was quiet as they watched us tap our glasses together and take the shots. My eyes burned and the alcohol tasted foul as it rolled over my tongue, but I held my composure.
Ethan coughed and his face scrunched up. Isabelle, Colt, and Creed cheered, claiming me as the winner. I let out a breath and gagged. “That was terrible. I need something to get rid of the taste in my mouth,” I begged the guys.
“Want a beer or a soda?” Colt asked.
“Beer, please,” I said.
Smiling, Colt put a hand on Ethan’s slumped shoulder. “You were bound to lose at something one of these days. Come on, let's go get a beer.”
Ethan threw an arm over Isabelle’s shoulders and the three of them headed out onto the back patio.
Creed’s arm wrapped around me and his hand flattened on my lower stomach, pulling me against him. I leaned back against his chest and tilted my head so I could look up at him. He was frowning toward the living room. I looked in that direction and saw Gabe standing with some of his teammates from the baseball team. He was smirking at Creed. As if feeling me staring at him, Gabe’s gaze shifted to me and his eyes turned predatory as they slid down my body. I knew it wasn’t because he found me attractive. It was to taunt Creed.
I caught sight of Cassy sitting with Amber on the couch a few feet away from her cousin, Gabe. She was watching Creed’s unease with disturbing smugness.
The need to slap that smugness off her face bubbled inside me. I spun to face Creed. “Will you indulge my need to be petty?”
He stared down at me with an unsure look. “What?”
My cheeks warmed, but I could blame it on the alcohol. “Will you kiss me?”
His brows shot up before his mouth stretched into a smile. “Alright,” he said, leaning close.
I put my fingers on his mouth, stopping him. “Kiss me like you’ve never kissed her.”
He pulled my hand away. “I’ve never kissed her like I’ve kissed you.” He slid his hand behind my neck, pulling me even closer until my head was tilted back and his lips hovered over mine. “She was just to pass the time. When I’m with you, time doesn’t exist. There’s just you.”
Cassy and everything around us ceased to exist. I wanted to smile or gush with happiness, but I kept my cool. “Good.” I pushed up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. I got to have my way with him until my tongue touched his. Then he took over, kissing the crap out of me. His tongue was skilled and the way it stroked mine made my thoughts wander to the memory of when he’d had it between my legs.
My head was a little dizzy when he eventually pulled away. Staring down at me, he whispered, “You’re flushed.”
I cleared my throat. “It’s the alcohol.”
He huffed a laugh. “Sure it is.”
The moment was ruined when I looked over at Cassy. She was standing, hands fisted at her sides, and by her expression, she was fuming. I gave her the same smug look she had given Creed and that sent her stomping away.
“I should encourage you not to stoop to her level,” Creed said as he pressed his lips just below my ear.
I shivered. “I blame you.”
He pulled away. “Me?”
I smiled up at him. “You called me your girlfriend.”
He smiled down at me. “Caught that, did you?”
“You know, we haven’t discussed what we are—you, me, and Colt. Or how this relationship works.”
He frowned a little. “I thought it was obvious.”
“Maybe it is.” I stepped back, needing a little space. “I’ve never done this before, let alone with two people.”
A red plastic cup appeared in front of me. Colt was standing next to us. “If that’s what you need, babe, we can talk about it. Later, though.”
“That’s fine.” I took the cup from him. “You should know that since you’ve already called me your girlfriend, I’ve claimed the title and there are no take-backs.”
They both smiled.