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I groaned. “Isn’t there something else we can do?”

“Like what?” She looked over her shoulder at me, genuinely perplexed.

“I don’t know!” I threw my arms up. “Anythingelse. I’m bored of the same old same old.”

“Okay,” she said with a patience-filled tone that immediately irritated me. Screw that tone.“What do you have in mind?” she added, only half invested now, too busy taking pictures of the crowd celebrating another touchdown. I didn’t know which team was winning, because I refused to pay attention.

“I’m not sure yet…” I eventually said. “…but I’ll figure it out.”

So why was it that thirty minutes later, I found myself sitting on the couch of none other than…who?Yep. Friggin’ Jaymes.

I was pouting like a child while Sara fed me shots of vodka every so often. Because let’s face it, she was right. There was shit else to do in this town.

She was currently laughing at something Jaymes had just said, or maybe it was the private dance he was jokingly giving her from the coffee table that was just funny in general. I guess the dancing was meant for the both of us, but my mind was stuck elsewhere. Focused on something else entirely. Orsomeoneelse.

Someone who happened to be walking through Jaymes’ front door at that very moment. Freshly showered and back in regular clothes. If you could even call them that. Because they shouldn’t have looked that good if they were just regular jeans and a black tee, right?

His hair was still damp, tossed back in an effortless, perfect mess. His green eyes shined with the happiness of winning a perfect game—not that I’d been watching or anything. I definitely hadn’t been watching.

I turned my back to the doorway, facing the TV instead. I knew I didn’t want to be here for a reason.Thanks for being the living, breathing reminder of all the things I can’t have in life, Greyson.

I realized a heartbeat too late that I’d be forced to watch the back of him disappear into the kitchen from this angle. From the top of his impeccably mussed up head to the bottom of his perfectly scuffed up shoes. And then watch as some random girl followed him through, wrapping her witch-like fingers around his wrist and pulling him back to say something in his ear.Good one, Jess!

He leaned down and listened to whatever stupid thing she was saying, her claws still grasping his arm. And then? He gave her one of his small, tilted smiles.One ofmysmiles.

My stomach turned, jealously twisting my gut.So this was how he was going to play it? Seriously?

I tried to ignore it. Them, my jealousy, Greyson’s successful attempt at being a total asshole by flirting with somebody else right in front of my face. Because funny thing? I’d never, not once, actually pegged him for one. Yet there he was. Smiling at another girl like an asshole straight from asshole-land where all the other assholes lived.

I downed the last of my most recent Sara-made concoction. I flipped the red cup over, set it down onto the coffee table, and spun it around mindlessly. Around, and around, and around. Ignoring everyone in the room, the house—the kitchen entryway—as best I could. Which was saying a lot. But then I heard it: her laughter. The girl Greyson was still with.With? Ugh. Maybe I should point her out to Jaymes so he can piss on her, too.Then Greyson would be alone at this party like I was.

Her laughter made my skin crawl. Like nails on a chalkboard. Or someone chewing with their mouth wide open. Or like some random girl clearly laying claim tomyGreysonwhile I sat across the room and was forced to watch.

It pissed me off. Her fakeness more than anything, because I knew Greyson, Iknewhim, and he was funny, but he wasn’tthatfucking funny. I couldn’t stand it any longer.

So I turned around and did one of the stupidest things I think I’ve ever done. I stood up, grabbed Jaymes’ hand, and led him straight down the hall and into his bedroom.

Like I said, stupid. But sometimes jealousy makes us do stupid,stupidthings.

Thirty-one Before

I’D LIKE TOsay that I pulled Jaymes into that room and brushed the whole thing off, or told him the truth, or did anything but what had happened next, but I was hurt and angry, and I’d felt all alone. And I’d finally come to the conclusion that if Greyson didn’t want me? There was someone standing right in front of me who did. Someone who’d never once not made it clear to me that he did. In whatever twisted, backwards way that was.

“Jess, babe?” Jaymes asked, clearly amused. I’d never dragged him into his room like this before. My hand was still clenched around his. He raised his eyebrows, a wicked smile curving his lips.

Green eyes, and full lips, and a tilted smile…those are the things I imagined in place of the features in front of me as I shoved all rational thought to the side and pulled Jaymes in for a kiss.

As soon as my lips touched his, he immediately took control, growling against my mouth and thrusting his hands into my hair and pressing my body right up against his. His mouth was aggressive, punishing. There was skill, and fire, and passion in his kiss. It lacked for nothing except for the most vital thing: my actually wantingto be there, withhislips pressed against mine.

But it still felt nice. Nice to be kissed; nice to be wanted. Nice enough that I kept our kiss going, opening my mouth to his, letting him slide his tongue over mine.

I’m not proud to admit that I made out with him for a while. A long while.Long enough for my lips to feel numb from the assault of his talented mouth. Long enough for us to have ended up on the bed with his shirt thrown on the floor. Long enough that he was clearly pushing for other things to happen.

Things I knew I didn’t want. Not with James, anyway.

I sat up, pushing him a few inches away, breathing heavily.

“Holy shit, babe. Best fucking kiss of my life,” his breathy words fell over my lips. “I knew it would be like that with us,” he added, falling onto his side on the bed beside me.