Page 11 of Stealing Summer
Heat crept up my neck, painting my cheeks a mortified shade of red. “Yeah, sorry about that,” I managed to say, forcing a smile that felt as shaky as my voice.
I glanced around, desperate for any lifeline to cling to, as Willow was now talking to his friend. “But you do have a beautiful home,” I offered a smile, hoping it would be enough to smooth over the comments I made about him earlier.
Reese’s reaction was minimal, his eyes holding mine for a mere moment before he acknowledged the compliment with a nonchalant, “Thanks.” Then he took a sip from the cup he was holding before saying, “Enjoy the party.”
Then, without another word, he finished the rest of his drink as he tipped it back in one smooth motion. His gaze drifted past me, scanning the room as if he were searching for something—or someone—far more interesting than me. His unjustified sense of entitlement was highly infuriating.
With ease, Reese set his empty cup down on a nearby table and turned his back to me, his shoulders broad and dismissive. The finality of the gesture left me standing there, feeling both slighted and oddly unsettled.
This was Reese Carrington—I knew about his arrogance on the field, his snide comments off it, and the way he seemed to revel in being a perpetual pain in the ass of anyone who crossed his path. Why did I even care?
I bit my tongue as irritation flared up inside me before redirecting my attention to Willow. “Well, he seems charming,” I said sarcastically.
“Oh, don’t let him get to you,” Willow pleaded. “He’s usually really nice. He probably just has a lot going on.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” I said, my voice dripping with disdain.
A sudden grip on my wrist pulled me away from Willow. I whipped around, strands of my hair catching in the draft, to find Parker’s concerned eyes boring into mine.
“Why were you talking to Reese?” His voice was low and urgent.
“Maybe because it’s his house,” I said with a shrug, pulling away my wrist from his firm hold, “And Willow introduced me. It was the polite thing to do.”
Parker’s frown deepened as his gaze shifted momentarily toward where Reese stood. He leaned in, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. “Look, I know we’re at his house, but do your best to stay away from him, okay? That is not the company you wanna keep.”
“Really?” I countered with a firm glare. “And here I thought this was just a friendly social gathering.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, the protective older brother mode kicking in full swing. “I’m serious, Chandler. You don’t know him like we do. Reese has a reputation?—”
“Trust me. I know all about the history—I’ve been to many games you’ve played against him, remember?” I pointed out, rolling my eyes for effect. “And you’re not the company I wanna keep either, but here we are.”
“Ha,” Parker chuckled dryly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a forced smile. “Hey, I just know guys, and that is definitely not one I’d trust.”
“Good thing I’m not asking you to trust him then,” I retorted, already turning on my heel, ready to leave the conversation and irrelevancy behind. “Goodbye, Parker,” I ended the conversation, my steps carrying me back toward Willow.
Willow was talking to another new face, and we were still in clear sight of Reese as he continued casual conversation with his friends. That crooked smile, those striking eyes—he was magnetic. Then... I saw her. A leggy brunette cozied up next to him, placing a perfectly manicured hand on his arm. She was gorgeous, of course. With her cascading dark locks and full lips, she looked like a model. The kind with a fierce glam squad. “Hey you,” he said, pulling her into an embrace. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
My stomach twisted into knots. So this was his girlfriend. This was probably who he was searching for in the crowd. I couldn’t deny the feeling of slight disappointment, even though I couldn’t pinpoint why.
“Who’s that with Reese?” I asked Willow, trying to sound casual.
“Oh, that’s Blair Cassidy,” Willow replied knowingly. “Her and Reese have been on and off forever. Looks like they must be on at the moment. Their dads both own the law firm in town. Those are two lawyers you don’t want on your bad side.”
I nodded, watching Blair whisper something in Reese’s ear that made him laugh. They really did seem perfect together. Two ridiculously good-looking rich kids. I suddenly felt very out of place at this party. With a sigh, I turned away from Reese and Blair’s intimate exchange with the image seared into my mind.
six
I made my way over to the crowded keg, hoping a refill would take my mind off Reese. I waited impatiently in the long line, shifting my weight from one foot to the other, checking the time on my phone again. It was 15 minutes before the line started creeping forward. When it was finally my turn, I struggled to work the tap, and it slipped from my grip, thudding to the floor. Foam spewed up as I scrambled, dropping my empty cup. It rolled away in the process while I cussed under my breath. Before I could get a handle on the tap, a pair of rough, powerful hands grabbed the other end.
“Here, let me help with that,” a smooth voice said.
I glanced over to see Reese, with an amused smile playing on his lips. He stole an empty cup from the next person in line behind me and expertly filled it to the brim with beer before he handed it over.
“Thanks,” I said, a bit flustered. Up close, his green eyes were even more mesmerizing.
“So, enjoying the party?” he asked, leaning against the wall beside us.
“Yeah, it’s... lively,” I said. An understatement, given the pulsing music coming from the other room, drunken laughter, and the couple currently making out on the couch nearby.