Hit Like A Girl

13

I eventually found Leana. Sat on a table surrounded by a bunch of guys I didn't recognise, her lips attached to a bottle of red wine - I barely reached her in time before she could finish it off all in one go.

I physically grabbed the bottle from her, sending the red liquid dribbling down her red lips and chin. Some of the boys watching groaned in disappointment, but I ignored them.

"Are you out of your mind?" I cried, shaking the bottle which was already half-empty. I looked back to Leana with raised brows, "You drank this all by yourself?"

She just chuckled loudly at me, licking away the wine around her mouth with a long tongue and pushed me lightly. "Come on, Evie - live a little!"

Some of the guys cheered in agreement, raising their glasses. Leana beamed at them, completely owning the spotlight.

"I intend to," I answered back, setting the wine under the table. "And I hope to have a working liver in tact by the end of it."

Leana chuckled again, her glazed blue eyes shining.

I shook my head at her in disbelief. I should never have left her alone for a second. In that instant, she decided that she was tired of sitting on the desk and lunched herself at me. Arms wrapping around my shoulders for support, she let out a groan and put all of her weight onto me.

I staggered back with a grunt, completely taken off guard. "Leana."

Some of the boys stood nearby chuckled quietly, observing the pair of us with raised brows. I scowled at them with enough ferocity that they instantly found somewhere else to turn their attention. I wrapped my arms around Leana's middle to stop her from falling on her knees.

"I want to get some fresh air." She moaned onto my neck, her breath sweet with the smell of wine. She felt so small in my arms, I suddenly had a new instinct to protect her from anything.

I sighed, trying to arrange her in such a way that I wouldn't break my back, I escorted her to the back door leading to the garden.

Pushing past bodies and briefly spotting Jason once again, smirking down at some red head who was blushing at glancing up at him shyly. I rolled my eyes and stormed into the large garden to be greeted by a very welcome cold autumn breeze - that should wake Leana up a bit.

Dave's garden was epic in size. One long stretch of well-kept lawn, with a few trees scattered and framing the edges, one pair of trees held up a red and yellow hammock that looked incredibly cozy.

Benches and sets of tables and chairs were placed at both the front and the far end of the garden. The far end being cut off by a river that backed the entire row of houses along this road. The other side of the river leading to a public park - not leaving much privacy for the back of the house, but then again, the rich loved to show off their fancy expensive houses.

Dave's house was no exception.

It seemed a few people had already beaten us to the garden, and were sat over along the river side, taking and drinking. I set Leana down on the first bench in sight and she flopped down taking a deep breath of fresh air into her lungs.

"Better?" I asked her, sitting across from her on a seperate cast-iron chair.

Blue eyes opened as Leana gave me a sleepy smile, "Much. It's so hot in there." She touched her forehead with a hand, frowning a little.

"The bottle of wine you almost finished single-handed doesn't help." I quipped, earning a feint smile from Leana.

She sighed and fixed her attention on me, "Yeah, I got a bit carried away there I think."

I scoffed, "You think?"

She huffed a laugh, closing her eyes - she looked tired, or just wasted by the alcohol. It was hard to tell.

I was about to offer to get her a glass of water, when a voice drawled from behind us.

"So this is Evie's mysterious friend?"

I rolled my eyes with a groan, just as I shifted in my seat to find Jason standing there, his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. A faint smile was on his lips, his brows lowered as those intense dark eyes flicked toward me.

And for the first time since I'd met him, I found myself shifting under that gaze, those bronze eyes holding me in place with unrelenting focus. His stare so intense and dominating, that some inner part of me cocked it's head with a new sense of keen awareness.

The sensation was startling enough that I found myself snapping at him, "What happened to the red-head? Not your type?"

Those lowered brows rose slightly, his lips pulling into a grin as he continued to fix his gaze at me, "Not really." His voice was low and smooth, laced with amusement.

I dragged my attention back to Leana, about to suggest we go back inside. But she was goggling up at Jason, who hadn't even acknowledged her yet from fixing his attention on me. I sighed, just as she finally found the courage to speak.

"You must be Evie's latest victim." She gave him a self-assured smirk.

And I was impressed by the amount of sass she put into her tone, despite looking like she was about to pass out from the sheer perfection of him.

Not that I found him resembling perfection in any shape or form. However, I didn't fail not notice that his face was irritatingly symmetrical, his jawline sharp and strong. Those lowered brows and dark eyes making him look hostile and intimidating, and his lips...

I needed a drink, and suddenly wished I hadn't left that bottle of wine under the table back inside the house.

Jason gave a low laugh that had Leana almost melting, before drawling, "Not for long it seems," He surveyed her from head to toe, eyes sweeping over her curves under that red dress. I tensed, and Leana went still and blushed. Jason gave her a bedroom smile, "Looks like I might be your victim."

Leana suddenly lost the ability to speak and I scoffed, unable to believe what I was hearing.

"Are you serious?" I smirked at him, unimpressed - finally getting him to stop seducing Leana with his eyes, and flicked his attention toward me with a satisfied grin.

"Jealous, Evie? Try not to be - it's very unattractive."

"Fuck off." I snapped, instantly hating that I'd ever come to this stupid party.

He raised his brows at me again, feigning shock. "Now that's not very attractive either."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not as shallow as you, asshole." I growled, taking a threatening step toward him. He actually took a pace back, satisfaction thrummed in my veins - though his cocky grin had returned once more as those dark eyes held my angry glare.

The air between us went taught. And then shattered like glass, as Leana cleared her throat. I blinked and took a step back, Jason doing the same - all of a sudden it went awkwardly quiet.

Until a voice called us over from the other end of the garden.