Page 17

Gryff laughed, took her by the shoulders and spun her until she was facing me. “I think that’s the Kingman you meant that for.”

He gave her a little shove, and she stumbled her way right toward me. I geared up for a brand new confrontation with her, mentally preparing myself for a bigger slap than what Gryff had gotten. Hopefully I’d get the caress first though.

But without warning, she sort of... collapsed. Right into my lap.

I froze. Every muscle locked up as she curled into me, her head tucking perfectly under my chin, her lush ass filling my lap perfectly.

“Tempest?”

“Shh.” She pressed her face into my chest. “M’comfortable. ”

Jesus Christ.

My arms moved without my permission, wrapping around her. She was soft and warm and felt so damn right against me that my chest physically ached.

“Fuck,” I breathed, more to myself than to her. “I needed this.”

She hummed something that might have been agreement, her fingers curling into my shirt.

The room had gone suspiciously quiet. I looked up to find at least six phones pointed our way, and both Hannah and Alice wearing identical knowing grins.

“Don’t you dare,” I mouthed at them.

Parker just wiggled her phone at me and mouthed back, “Blackmail material.”

Great. She was totally going to blame me for this.

But Tempest shifted against me, making this little contented noise, and I couldn’t bring myself to care.

Let them take their pictures. Let them spread their rumors.

Right now, all that mattered was the girl in my arms and the way something in my chest had finally settled, like a key clicking into a lock I hadn’t known was there.

“You smell good,” she mumbled into my shirt. “Like... like my hero would smell.”

“Your what?”

But she was already pushing herself up, her eyes wide. “I think... I need air.”

That was my cue. Time to move this to the back porch before I had a vastly different kind of mess on my hands.

“Tempest.” I ducked my head to meet her eyes, which had gone slightly unfocused. “Let me get you some water.”

“Let me get you some water,” she mimicked, then immediately pressed a hand to her mouth. “Oh. That wasn’t nice. Guess I’m a mean drunk. But at least I’m not a bully like you...”

Bully?

Fuck me. Did she really think I was a bully? I thought we were having fun poking at each other.

Double fuck.

She trailed off, her face going pale, and I knew that look. I’d seen it on enough rookie partiers.

“Okay, time to get you that air.” I wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her toward the back door. To her sisters, I added, “I’ve got her.”

Hannah, wait, right, got it now, definitely Hannah this time, gave me a look that promised creative dismemberment if I screwed this up.

Tempest’s roommate, Parker, gave me two thumbs up and a smile, but then she narrowed her eyes and flashed the two finger I’m-watching-you signal.

I respected that. These girls looked after their own.

The back porch was mercifully empty. Tempest pulled away, yanking her arm from my hold, but then promptly slid down to the ground and pressed her forehead to the glass of the sliding door.

“The world’s spinny,” she muttered.

“That tends to happen when you try to drink an entire spring break’s worth of alcohol." I sat next to her, close enough to catch her if she toppled over, but not so close that she’d feel crowded. “Want to tell me what that was about?”

“You,” she poked me in the chest, “left. With sexy Sasha. ”

She lifted her head to glare at me, but the effect was somewhat ruined by the way she had to squint to focus. “Which is fine. You can leave with whoever you want. I don’t care.”

She very clearly cared. And if she were in better shape, I’d be fucking delighted.

“I took Sasha home because she was drunk and needed a safe ride.” I kept my voice gentle. “That’s all.”

“Oh, right.” She blinked a few times. “You’re sure back fast though. Quickie?”

Even drunk as shit, she was still filled with sass. No one but my brothers and one very bratty little sister sassed me. I liked it. Too much.

“Nope. When I take a woman to bed, there’s nothing quick about it. I like to take my time to tease, taste, make you tremble.”

“Pfft.” She leaned against my arm, losing her fight against consciousness. “I don’t tremble.”

“Then you haven’t had the right man in your bed.”

She didn’t say anything to that, and for a second, I wondered if she’d passed out. “You really just took her home cuz she was drunk and asked for a ride?”

“Yep.”

“That’s... actually really nice.”

“Try not to sound so surprised.”

“But you’re not nice.” She waved a hand vaguely. “You’re all... muscles. And beard. And two-weeks-only-no-girlfriend rules. And stupid perfect eyes that see too much. Nice guys don’t look like you.”

Jesus. Drunk Tempest was going to kill me.

I was going to kill whoever told her about my two- week rule. But I was also hoping she wouldn’t remember it tomorrow.

“I’m plenty nice,” I said, fighting a smile. “I even brought you water.”

I pulled a bottle from my pocket, that I’d grabbed on our way to the back porch, and held it out. She stared at it like it might bite her.

“You planned this,” she accused. “You knew I’d get drunk and need water.”

“Yes, that was my grand plan. Get you drunk by... leaving the party completely. So I could then rehydrate you.”

“Shut up.” But she took the water, and some of the tension in my chest eased. “Your face is stupid.”

“You just said my eyes were perfect.”

“They can be stupid and perfect.” She took a sip of water, then immediately made a face. “Everything’s wobbly.”

Before I could respond, she slumped sideways, her head sliding from my arm to my chest. Every muscle in my body locked up.

“You’re warm,” she mumbled.

Christ almighty.

I should move her. Should get her sisters to take her home, put some distance between us before I did something stupid like bury my face in her hair or pull her into my lap or?—

She nuzzled closer, and my brain short-circuited.

“This is nice,” she sighed. Then, so quietly I almost missed it, she said, “My hero would totally do this.”

“Your what? ”

But she was already out, breathing deep and even against my chest. Except for that cute little snuffle-snore she just made.

I’d pick her up, get her sisters, and drive them home... in a minute.