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And, well, worse, because now I was going to have to make sure I wasn’t pregnant and maybe Steven would assume he could just do it bare like that every time since I’d allowed it once. But in a strange way there was something exhilarating about ha
ving to deal with those problems. Suddenly I felt like I really had a whole adult world of my own, instead of being eighteen and still a baby.
And just like every other adult, I now had very practical concerns seeping in. I nuzzled into Steven to smell his skin and so there was a small chance he wouldn’t hear my words. “Should we, um, get back to the party now before anyone misses us?”
“Nah,” said Steven. “I fucking hate those things too. Ashleigh doesn’t fucking want to see my face either. What I’ll do is, I’ll take you home after. Let Callie know you’re good for a ride back.”
“I’m understanding less and less how you can even be friends with Lucas’s bunch,” I commented.
I somehow felt Steven’s smile come into his face though I couldn’t see it, and I thought I recognised there were two parts to that reaction. He liked the idea that he was messing with my expectations… and he really liked Lucas.
“Lucas and me, we’re just a good team. We had to work together in a class a few years back, hit it off right away and we’ve been tight ever since. I’m not like all his other little rich friends… and that’s just fucking fine by both of us.”
“Callie isn’t like those other friends either,” I had to point out.
A grunt. “Ah yes, the little chigger.”
I punched him in the chest, and I swear my fist just bounced right off. He was so built I couldn’t believe he was essentially in my bed. “You be on your best behaviour talking about my friends.”
“Ah, yes. You being the only one who can harass them.” Steven sat up suddenly so I slid off him. I thought at first I’d pissed him off with my comments, but he was staring at the television. “So are you interested in games, or just not at all?”
“I don’t have anything against the idea of them?”
“Good enough for me.” Steven bounced over to a cabinet under the TV. “I’m pretty sure Ashleigh has an old 360 in here. Bound to have Halo at least.”
I shook myself out of staring at his naked arse to fumble for Callie’s poor dress and start wriggling it over my head.
Steven glanced back at me. “Nah, keep that off. I want to watch you while you play for me. I’m going to offer you some encouragement.”
I shivered.
“I suppose you might want to put something under you when you sit on the couch,” Steven added. I’d never before been struck with such conflicting desires: to squeal in disgust like a little kid, and to pump my fist in the air like someone who was really winning at life.
“Are you sure Ashleigh isn’t going to come yell at us for hiding out in here?” After what had just happened, sitting down next to Steven on the couch was actually more awkward than before.
“I’m sure she’ll be too busy entertaining her fans inside. Then she’ll be busy being mad because everyone’s drunk off their face. I don’t know what she expects when she’s inviting pigs to a grand ball.”
I giggled.
Steven put a controller in my hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk you through everything. Do a good job… well, I might have something else for you to grab onto.”
I didn’t think I was ever going to be some champion gamer, but Steven was definitely pleased by how hard I tried. I was balanced on his lap, all sorts of parts bumping and rubbing against one another, and I almost felt like this was totally normal.
Then Steven brought the TV back to its main menu, and I shrieked at the time displayed. “Midnight? Is that right?”
Steven shrugged. “Probably?”
I was up and rummaging through my handbag, dropped thoughtlessly in the middle of the floor. “I hope Callie isn’t ready to go home yet.”
“Lucas isn’t going to be ready to go home,” said Steven, as if that was the end of it.
I had a whole bunch of missed calls from Callie, as well as several texts repeating the same request that I call her as soon as I could. Then a text from Aileen that had me really worried: Callie is going nuts. You’d better come back if you can.
I showed Steven my messages and he groaned. “What the fuck is she doing?”
“Well, I’d better go back and find out.” Now I was thinking a bit more clearly, it wasn’t like I could have Steven drop me off at home now, and definitely not in the morning. “Sorry, I know I said—”
Steven put a hand over my mouth. “It’s okay, you’re right. Fucking Callie.”
