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Eve flushed and folded her arms over her chest, tossing her black curls back. “He’s not my keeper. I’m a senior. He can’t tell me what to do.”
Marcus laughed. “Let’s see about that.”
“Leave her be. If she wants to party, let her party,” another deep voice cut in.
Beckett, the host, lounged in the corner, his feet up, phone in hand. He was the biggest of the Ice Gods, and his powerful body filled the chair. He had dark hair and gray eyes, which were usually filled with jaded distain. He was the kind of good-looking that made it hard to look right at him. He was just too much. He didn’t look at us, but I had the feeling that somehow, he was watching. It was an odd sensation. Regardless, despite the banter that ensued since we’d landed smack dab in the middle of the Ice Gods’ little hangout, the new guy held my attention completely.
“I-I forgot something in the kitchen,” I muttered to Eve and turned around.
Deep laughter rumbled behind us. Marcus. “Oh look, we scared Bug away.”
I left the pool house and headed around the pool. My face flamed and I wanted to take my jacket off but was self-conscious of my short dress. I went in the house and pushed through the crowd, heading for the kitchen. It seemed best to hide somewhere busy. As paranoid as it was, I had a horrible feeling that my parking lot stranger was going to follow me. He hadn’t seemed like he was messing around when he’d followed me to my car.
I burrowed into a busy group by the refrigerator and peeked around. So far, there was no sign of him.
“Wow, Lillian, I’ve never seen you at one of Beck’s parties before,” a voice said just beside me.
I blinked up at another player, my mind blanking on his name for a long moment.
“Hi, Josh, yeah, it’s my first time. Don’t tell Coach, okay?”
Josh Samuels was okay. He was kind of a suck-up to my dad and had gone through a phase where he’d tried to butter me up to impress him. It hadn’t worked.
“I won’t, don’t worry. Isn’t it his birthday in a few weeks? The team is going to get him a gift or something. I’m organizing it.” Josh gave me his golden retriever smile.My dad’s birthday, right.It was a little after mine and I already had his gift picked out.
“Nice. He’ll like that.”
“Who’ll like what?”
The deep voice behind me registered at the same time a hard chest pressed against my back.
Josh turned and looked up, and up again. “Cayden, man. How are you enjoying your first Hade Harbor party?”
I froze, my front squished against the counter.Cayden.That was his name? He was standing so close, I couldn’t turn without rubbing my entire body against his. It was busy in the kitchen, and Josh didn’t seem to notice that the new guy had pinned me to the counter with his hips.
“Beckett wanted you. He’s out in the pool house.” Cayden’s voice was rough, rasping over my nerves and sending my tension higher.
Josh immediately brightened, setting down his beer. “Really? Cool. Be right back.”
“Wait—” I started, but Josh was already gone.
“What’s wrong,Bug. You don’t want to be left alone with me?” His hands landed on my hips, and his fingers pressed in, sinking into my flesh. He was so tall, my head fit into the space underneath his chin.
“I-I don’t know what to say.” Stating the obvious was about all my overheated brain could handle.
“But you had so much to say before… what was it you called me again?” His voice dipped low, grim amusement coloring his tone.
“I don’t remember.”
He chuckled. “I think you do.”
One of his hands slid around my belly, and my insides trembled. What was he up to? Nobody touched me like this, especially not a hockey player. The new guy was breaking all my father’s rules.
“Lily! There you are,” Eve’s voice washed over me.
Thank God.
“What are you doing?”
