Page 57 of The Trouble with You (Rixon Raiders 1)

Not ever.

But my eyes had a mind of their own, skimming over to where he and the rest of the team sat. His head lifted, his gray-blue eyes fixing right on me, but I darted away quickly, feeling my cheeks heat.

Oblivious, Flick said, “What?” She gave me innocent puppy dog eyes.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Inclining her head, she studied me. “It’s okay to like him, you know?”

“I don’t…” I inhaled sharply. I didn’t like him. I didn’t. “Whatever. Can we talk about something else?”

A slow smile tugged at her mouth. “Does that mean you’ll come?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No,” her smile turned into a full grin. “No, you don’t.”

I was either a total doormat or the best friend a girl could have. The jury was still out on which as I downed the remainder of my drink, crushing the cup and throwing it in one of the trash cans Asher had strategically placed around his yard, which was as big, if not bigger, than everyone said it was. The place was freaking huge.

“I think I’m drunk,” I declared.

“Shall we get another?” Flick didn’t sound too sober herself as we meandered through the crowds of people all gathered to celebrate the team’s win against the Levinson Lion’s last night. According to everyone who was anyone it had been an easy game for the Raiders, taking them one step closer to the play-offs.

I hadn’t even put up a fight when Flick turned up on my doorstep earlier with a bag full of clothes and a smile not even the most stone-hearted of people could have refused. But so far, it wasn’t turning out to be all that bad. We’d managed to avoid my step-brother and his friends, or maybe they were avoiding us. Either way, we drank and danced and even joined in a game of beer pong or two.

It was strange at first, ha

ving people cheer my name.

My name.

Hailee. Hailee. Hailee.

But I couldn’t deny, even in my slightly intoxicated state, it was thrilling. I was thrilled by people shouting my name. Oh God, I was turning into Jason. The idea made me shudder.

“What did you say?” Flick’s head whipped around to mine.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah, you did. You said, you’re turning into Jason.”

“Did not.” I poked my tongue at her, and she frowned.

“I need to pee. Crap, I need to pee so bad.” Flick shoved me into a lawn chair, dancing on the spot like she had ants in her pants. “Stay right here, okay? I’ll be back.”

I waved her off as the world spun. Hoisting my legs over the arm of the chair, I dangled my head off the other one until I could see nothing but twinkling stars against a vast inky backdrop. It was so peaceful and calm, worlds away from the party I could vaguely hear going on around me.

“Comfortable?” a voice said from the shadows, and a face so breathtaking I sucked in a harsh breath, filled my vision. All intense eyes, straight-nose, and strong-jawed; even upside-down Cameron was beautiful.

I smiled up at him, giving a little sigh that pre-empted a hiccup. “Oops.” I clapped a hand over my mouth smothering my dreamy smile. He chuckled, dropping into another chair close by. “I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”

“You did?” I twisted my body to see him better but didn’t sit up. I liked the feeling of being upside down. Weightless.

“Yeah, I was hoping I might get a dance with you.”

“A dance, yeah, right.”

He didn’t laugh. Why isn’t he laughing?