“Allie?” His voice is flat yet somehow filled with so much suppressed emotion.
I swallow hard and tug my hand free from his hold.
Silence hangs between us again and I push up from my seat. “I’m going to get another drink,” I say, needing a reason to escape his presence. There’s something about Roman that has me convinced he’s dangerous, yet I’m drawn to him all the same.
He doesn’t say anything and he doesn’t try to follow me. He brushes a hand through his thick, dark hair, his nostrils flaring, but no sound escapes him. I pause by the door, giving myself one last second to drink him in before I escape inside, cursing myself for being stupid. Roman is trouble, and I’m not going to make the same bad decisions again.
NINE
Allie
“Allie!” Aaron shouts as soon as I step into the living room. He must have come inside after I left the bonfire. “Come play with me.” He’s standing in front of the dining table. Red cups set up to form triangles on either end.
I smile but it's forced. “I was wondering when the beer pong games would begin,” I say and head toward him.
The cabin is packed and I have to weave my way through the sea of bodies to get to Aaron. No one bothers to get out of my way but when I finally reach him, he tugs me closer, an arm wrapping around my shoulder as he lifts a beer high in the air. “I’ve got my partner. Who’s brave enough to be our challengers?” Cheers go up and I can smell the beer radiating off him as though it’s seeping through his pores.
How many has he had?
I pull away from his hold and shake my head. “I’m not really in the mood to play tonight. But I’ll watch.”
His bottom lip juts out. “Aw, come on, Allie.”
I shake my head. “N— “
The leggy blonde from earlier steps up beside Aaron. “Hey, Henderson. I’ll be your partner,” she purrs.
He looks at her and I track his gaze as he takes in her barely covered body. His lips press into a tight line but his eyes don’t leave her. I can tell he’s tempted so I decide to give him a nudge in the right direction.
“Cool. Thanks,” I tell her. “I appreciate you taking my place.”
She sneers at me. “I’m not doing you any favors. Why are you even here?”
I suck in a breath, taken aback by the open hostility. I open my mouth and then close it. Unsure how to respond. A few other girls beside her start laughing and I stumble back a step.
“Good one, Sarah,” a girl remarks.
The blonde, Sarah, beams at her friends and then turns back to me with an obvious look of contempt. “Really, though. No one wants you here. Why don’t you slink back to whatever stuffy prep school you were expelled from? I’m sure Daddy Warbucks can help you out.”
“Hey. Not cool.” Aaron finally comes to my defense.
The girl rolls her eyes. “Come on, Aaron. You know she doesn’t belong here.” She wraps her arms around his neck and mashes her breasts against his chest. “Send her away already so you and I can have some fun,” she whines. The sound grates on my ears. Does she think guys like that?
Aaron’s gaze flicks between us with uncertainty.
Seriously? He invitedme.
Anger ignites in my chest.
Seeing my expression, he pulls her arms away from his neck and takes a step back. “Sorry, Sarah. Allie’s my friend. I’m not cool with you talking to her like that.”
Her eyes widen and her mouth hangs open for a second before she snaps it closed. “Excuse me?”
He shrugs and runs a hand over the back of his neck. “Look. I know— “
“Screw you! Your loss, Henderson. Don’t expect to get a second chance.” She brushes past me to leave the room, shoulder checking me along the way. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out at her and turn grateful eyes toward Aaron.
“Thanks. You didn’t have to do that,” I mutter.
