Page 59 of Show Me 1

“What party?” I asked like a dimwit, still stuck on his smile.

“The kegger.”

“Oh, no, we’re not going to that. The heyday of me and frat boy keggers has come and gone.”

“C’mon, it’ll be fun.” Sam raked his teeth over his lower lip, and I wondered if he knew what kind of effect it had on those with wimpy willpower such as myself. “I want you to.”

And sunk. Ugh.

I jumped as Matt slung an arm around me from behind. “What are we going to?”

“The kegger tonight at Sigma.”

“Fuck yeah.” My brother reached over my shoulder and bumped fists with Sam before ruffling my hair. “I’m starving, Jess. Can we go grab a bite?”

“Yeah, sure.”

The wattage on Sam’s grin cranked higher as he rocked a step back. “So I’ll see you tonight, then.Jess.Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you have a good time.”

I didn’t even know how the fuck to interpret the wink that accompanied that statement. But my dick didn’t seem to have any trouble.

21

Sam

Iwas still trying to recover from Friday night’s game and the car wash earlier today when we headed out for the Sigma kegger, but I wanted to show Joel a good time.

Judging by the way he was bopping around with his Solo cup in the air, I’d accomplished that mission. I glanced at my watch. Another hour and I could probably convince him to bail.

I grabbed the cup out of his hand and swallowed some of the punch. “Don’t drink too much of this shit or you’ll be hugging a toilet later.”

Joel cackled. “You act like I’ve never been to a party before.” He snatched the cup back. “Oh my god, this is the best kind of torture. Look at that guy over there. Do you know him?”

“Hayes? Yeah. He’s cool.”

“I don’t care if he’s cool. Is he gay?” Joel waggled his brows.

I laughed. “I don’t think so, no. And even if he was, he wouldn’t hook up with you tonight—no one here would—because they know I’d kick their ass.”

“Ugh. The patriarchy is so gross.”

I shoved him. “That’s not patriarchy, that’s big brotherhood.”

“Right.” Joel rolled his eyes. “Why do you keep glancing toward the porch? Waiting on someone?”

“No,” I lied and tried to sneak a look at my watch. Jesse and his brother were going for dinner earlier, just them, but it was almost ten. How fucking long did dinner take?

“You are the most unsubtle person I know.”

I stared at Joel, slightly affronted. “No I’m not. What do you mean?” Fuck, had I come on too strong with Jesse? Was I scaring him off when I didn’t even really know what I was doing in the first place?

Joel snickered. “You get the dopiest face around Jesse. That’s him, right, the twink you were bending my ear about a while back?”

I dragged a hand down my face. “Is it really that obvious?”

“I don’t think it is to him, but it is to me.” Joel shrugged. “He’s cute. But his brother? Dayum. He’s a meat and four. Speaking of…” He nudged my shoulder, and I cast a glance at the porch for the fiftieth time, but this time was rewarded by the sight of Jesse and his brother stepping outside and hovering near the wall.

“C’mon.” I didn’t want Jesse to feel awkward or uncomfortable or regret coming, so I lifted a hand to him and started in that direction. The look of relief that crossed his face when he spotted us gave me more of a buzz than all the punch I’d had.