Bad Romeo (Starcrossed #1)(14)
Author: Leisa Rayven

“Hey, Cassie, I’ve been looking for you. Glad you could make it.”

He hugs me, and I can feel Holt watching us.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I say and hug him back.

“Hey, Ethan,” he says and claps Holt on the shoulder. “Thanks for coming, man.”

Holt smiles, but it’s tight and forced. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“So,” Connor says. “A lot of our class is in the basement playing drinking games. Wanna join?”

I smile. “Sure.”

Holt shrugs. Connor leads the way.

When we get downstairs, about twenty people from our class are sitting in a circle with a collection of bottles, beer cans, and shot glasses littered across the floor.

“I found two more,” Connor says as he guides us into the circle. The group gives what can only be described as a drunken roar.

Zoe immediately pulls Holt down next to her and hands him a drink. Connor sits next to me. Jack sets us all up with a shot glass of brown liquid. Holt downs the shot and refuses a refill, muttering something about having to drive. It’s ironic that he’s one of the few people in our class who’s twenty-one and yet he’s the only one not drinking.

I drink my shot, then cough like I’ve swallowed acid.

Everyone laughs, and the games begin.

I try to concentrate, but I don’t really know the rules. I end up drinking a lot.

Too much.

After a while, everything’s funny. Everyone’s pretty. I want to hug and kiss them all because they’re just so nice and pretty and funny.

Then there’s music. Loud and pounding.

Someone pulls me to my feet. Connor.

He puts his arms around me, so I put mine around him, and I’m trying to dance, but all I can do is shuffle. Connor doesn’t care. He’s warm and grazes his nose down my throat.

“You smell so good, Cassie.”

I smile, because his nose tickles. Because he’s sweet. Because I like the way he holds me. I’m hanging off him and smiling, but my body feels heavy.

Then his lips are where his nose was, and I’m tingling. But something’s wrong.

The room is tilting. I pull back. I tell myself I’m not looking for Holt, but I am.

Everywhere people are dancing and laughing. Making out.

I see Holt across the room, sitting on a couch sipping a Coke. Zoe is talking to him and touching him in ways that say, “I’ll let you do whatever you want to me.” But he’s not listening to her. He’s looking at me, and now I’m tingling a whole lot more.

I don’t want him to make me feel things, so I turn back to Connor. He’s stroking my back. It feels nice.

His face is close, and he has that look in his eye. The one that says he wants me.

I’ve always craved a boy to look at me like that. Now one is, but all I can think about is the scowling face across the room.

“Cassie, I want to kiss you.”

He seems to search my face, looking for an answer. I want to be kissed, but I think it’s the alcohol.

Ruby’s voice is in my head telling me to stop being a pussy and just do it.

Connor’s gazing at my mouth as his face gets closer and closer, and I’m too hot and too drunk.

Then Connor’s kissing me, and there’s part of me that wants to kiss him back, but I can’t.

I pull away. “Connor…”

He smiles and drops his head.

“I’m sorry,” I say. I think I must be defective for not kissing him, because he’s really handsome and sweet.

He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I want to, I do…” I say, slurring but sincere.

“Yeah, but I get the feeling you want to kiss someone else more.”

He touches my cheek, and I don’t have a chance to tell him he’s wrong before he’s disappearing up the stairs.

The music changes, and it makes the floor shift so much I have to sit down.

I stagger toward the couches. They seem so far away.

Someone grabs my arm and guides me. Without looking, I know it’s Holt.

Jack appears on the other side and laughs. “Taylor, you are sooooo fucked up!”

Hyena giggles all around.

Warm hands are trying to push me onto the couch, but Jack gives me the bottle again, and it would be rude not to drink. I slap at the helpy hands and take the bottle.

I sip it and pull a face. It’s gross but awesome.

Everyone laughs, and so do I. Too loud. Too shrill. Drunk me laughs like an idiot.

“Okay, that’s it, she’s had enough.”

Holt’s voice. Gruff. Sounds like my father.

“Dude, no one’s forcing it down her throat. She’s a big girl.”

“Pass the bottle to someone else, Avery. Now.”

I stumble and everyone giggles.

Obviously, drunk-Cassie is hilarious.

They’re all blurry now. I’m blinking way too long. I sway and warm hands are on me again.

“Christ, Taylor, would you sit before you fall down?”

Cranky voice. Doesn’t approve of Drunk Cassie.

Drunk Cassie doesn’t give a flying fuck.

Giggles.

Just said the “F” word. In my brain.

Naughty Drunk Cassie.

I flop down on the sofa. It’s soft, and I’m tired. Seriously tired.

I lean against his body. Hard and warm. Smells good. I turn my face so I can smell better. Cotton shirt. Shoulder. Grab and sniff. Nice.

“Fuck me.” Man-voice. Sexy.

I grab more of him. Tug at his collar so I can get closer. Under the collar is skin. Warm. Tingly under my fingers.

“Jesus, Taylor…” His voice isn’t angry anymore. Different. Begging. “Stop.”

“No. S’nice. Smellsgood.”

Want more warm so I climb onto his lap. Legs either side of hips. Nose in neck. Hands in hair. So good.

“For fuck’s sake.” He pushes me away, and I pout.

I look at his face. So handsome when he frowns.

“Taylor, stop. You’re drunk.”

I flop forward.

“Please,” I say, fitting myself against his body. “Juswanna sleep for a minute.”

Nuzzle into neck again. Breathe in warm boy-skin.

He’s tense underneath me, but I’m comfortable. He smells amazing.

“Hey, check it out!” Shhh, Jack. Too loud. “Taylor’s finally found a way to rattle the unflappable Holt. I think he’s blushing!”

More laughter.

I whisper, “Shh,” and my lips touch his neck. He groans, and I want to do it again.