I did. The football darts toward Charlie. Her face is surprised but happy when she lunges for it. The guys from the other team immediately try to run for it, and as the play continues, all I can think about is Logan, his hold on me, the way his right hand drags down my arm, and how as he slowly brings me down to my feet, my body slides along his.
Then he pulls away. I hate that he did. I like the way I felt against him. I like the way his stubble felt against my skin. I like the way his arm felt around my stomach. I just like being near him.
Before I can reel in my thoughts, Logan’s hand slaps my ass. I jump. “Good job.” He winks; then he swims toward the rest of the group surrounding Charlie.
We lost the game. Win or lose, I had a really good time. It was getting kind of late and more partiers were arriving, so I took a shower, changed, and headed back down.
Charlie is sitting by the fire pit with Santino when I get out back. Logan is there as well. His eyes catch mine and I smile at him. He smiles back and waves for me to come over. I’m about fifteen feet away when Blair Bitch calls my name. I turn around.
“I wanted to talk to you.” She looks over my shoulder.
“Okay. What’s up?” I ask.
“Are you and, you know, Logan, like, a thing?”
“No.”
She nods. “Oh. Because it seems like you are.”
“I can assure you we’re not. Aren’t you with Bryson? Do you have a thing for Logan?”
She grimaces. “Um, no. I would never date Logan even if I was single.”
She’s got my full attention now. “Why not?” I ask.
She takes in a deep, dramatic breath. “Well, he’s not exactly the commitment type. And he’s slept with a few of my friends—who all had bad experiences with him. Not in bed! Just, you know, the way he treated them afterward. I haven’t seen you in a long time, and I really want to make amends with you, so I guess this is my way of apologizing. I’d really love to be friends.” She smiles.
“Yeah. Thanks. I appreciate that.”
I decide to stay away from the fire pit and go for a walk instead.
Mega Bitch waves at me and smiles wickedly. What the hell? Because I know she has a tendency of making my life a living hell every time she’s around, I can only imagine what she just said to Jenna. I know for a fact she’s putting her devilish claws away right now because before she got to her, Jenna was coming my way. Now she’s walking in the opposite direction, heading toward the bench swing. Great. I stand, ignore the questions about where I’m going, and head over to Jenna.
She’s swinging alone. I plop my ass down beside her without asking, but she doesn’t look at me. She keeps her eyes focused straight ahead. “Can I help you?” she asks.
Yep. Mega Bitch said something to tick her off. But I’m not one to beat around the bush. “I saw you talking to Blair.”
“Yeah. And?”
“And she said something to you about me, didn’t she?”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
She turns to look at me. “Why do you think she’d talk about you? To me, no less?”
“Because Mega Bitch and I despise one another. We don’t speak at all. We can’t stand to be in the same room together. And when we are, she manages to do anything and everything to grate on every nerve of mine. So after she stopped you just now, then waved at me as if she won some type of stupid fucking game, I knew she said something to turn you off. So spill it.”
Jenna huffs out a long, draining breath. “She said you’re not the commitment type.”
“Half true,” I confess.
“You slept with almost all of her friends.”
“I slept with one friend of hers. After I realized the two of them were friends, I ended that shit real quick. Go on.”
Jenna narrows her eyes. “You treat women like crap.”
“In the short amount of time we’ve spent together, have I treated you like crap?”
“No. But you could be trying to get into my pants.”
I smile. “What makes you think you’re my type?” She quickly closes her mouth. “I’m kidding, Jenna. You’re definitely my type. Trust me.”
“Well, you’re not mine.” For some reason that tiny insult makes me chuckle. “I’m serious,” she adds. I nod, still smiling. She squares her shoulders and continues, “Logan, I’m just not that into you. At all.”
“Okay, I get the hint. And because you’re just not that into me, I’m guessing no date?”
She shakes her head and shrugs once. “No. Sorry.”
“Well damn. There’s no way I can change your mind? Not even this.” I wave my hand over my face and smile charmingly.
She laughs and taps a fist to my shoulder. “You’re a dork.”
I chuckle. “That’s a first.”
Jenna’s smile softens. “Seriously, though, can we be friends? Is that okay?”
Friends. I allow the word to simmer in my thoughts. “I’m not certain two people of the opposite sex—who are clearly attracted to each other—can remain friends.”
“I have a feeling you’re attracted to most any woman.”
I raise a finger. “Nuh-uh, not Mega Bitch. I’m definitely not attracted to her.”
Jenna laughs again, a bit harder this time. “Okay, you have a point. But you can do it. We can be friends. I have hope for you.”
“All right, McDaniel. I can’t promise I won’t try to cop a feel here and there or try to kiss you or even try to make you fall for me. But I can most definitely try not to.”
“You’re funny,” she says, her lips pursing to the side.
“It’s part of my charm.” Jenna shakes her head and leans back in the swing. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into my side. She freezes. “I’m a touchy-feely kind of guy, but I promise not to cop a feel on the first night of our friendship.”
She nudges my rib with an elbow. “Jerk.” Then she nestles closer to me. “Want to hear something funny?”
“Always,” I respond, giving us another push with my foot. The swing takes off again.
“It’s about Blair Bitch.”
“You mean Mega Bitch?” I correct her.
“How about we combine the two and from now on refer to her as Blair Mega Bitch.”
“Hmm…” I repeat the name in my head. “I like. Go on.”