All The Wild Ones | Wildfire Series

Play Ball

NESSA

The party was in full swing by the time we arrived, and walking through the crush of people to try to get to the kitchen was like weaving to the front of a crowd at a concert. Except it kind of felt like we were the main event that everyone was here to see.

The football team had been overly kind to me since I started dating Grayson, proving all my conceptions about them to be wrong. But tonight, it was different.

Hollers and shouts as soon as we entered through the front door. Pats on Grayson's back. Smiles at me. It seemed like maybe everyone was going over the top to make sure we still felt welcome despite Gray's midseason exit from the team.

God, I really was wrong about all of them.

Julian was leaning against the back door in the kitchen when he caught sight of us. He waved and then kicked open the cooler at his feet, pointing to it in an offering. With a firm grip on my hand, Grayson towed me through the crowd until we reached Julian's side, shaking his head at the cooler full of beer.

Grayson didn't drink, and he knew I didn't drink beer. He glanced at me instead, forcing a ghost of a smile onto his face.

"Do you want me to mix you a drink, or do you want to wait until Beau is here and let him do the honors?"

I couldn't help but perk up a bit at the mention of Beau. He always made everything...easier. Lighter. "Beau's coming?"

He nodded. "Yeah, and Madie and Bren."

"You invited them all?" Something warm and fuzzy was happening inside me.

"I shot Bren a text earlier." He sighed. "Might need him tonight."

I raised a brow, shocked that Grayson would ever admit to needing Bren.

"Don't look at me like that." Grayson rolled his eyes at my questioning glance. "When it comes to protecting you, he's the best backup I've got."

"You know...it was actually Beau that kept both Madie and me safe and sane all last spring. Give him some credit, too. I owe him."

Grayson made a face. And I knew it had nothing to do with Beau and everything to do with the fact that there was a large chunk of time where my friends had taken care of me because he couldn't. I bit down on my tongue, wishing I hadn't said anything. His absence wasn't his fault, and I would never forgive myself for thinking at one point that it had been.

With an eventual smile, Grayson leaned back against the countertops, trying to find a place to put his hands that wasn't covered in cups or empty beer cans. "Yeah, but Beau acts like he wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Maybe he doesn't act that way, but have you seen him without a shirt on?" I teased. "Dude is actually ripped."

A flash of possession whipped through Grayson's eyes. Raising one arm, he curled it around my back, pulling me tight to his side. Bending down, he brushed a kiss right below my ear. "Don't make me regret being cool about you living with another guy," he said.

Throwing my head back, I laughed. And then I changed the subject.

Grayson and I both knew there was nothing to be concerned about when it came to Beau Martin.

"To answer your question, I'd love it if you made me a drink," I said, already feeling lighter than I had on my way here. Talking to Grayson had always seemed so easy, so perfectly distracting in the best of ways, and tonight was no different. Being with him didn't get old, even though we spent every night talking until we fell asleep. Or until it led to other things.