“Are you having a good time?”
“Always, Cap.”
Letting out a breath, I shake my head and hold up my hands. “You know what, forget it, this was a bad idea. I'll just go.”
Yes! Go, before she gets here. Fuck her, you shouldn't be doing anything for her.
Chad laughs loudly, throwing out his hand to grab my shoulder. “I'm fucking with you, Max, come on in. It's about time you joined us again, it's been fucking years.”
Years is an understatement.
I haven't talked to most of these people since we were in grade school. Partly because they ousted me as the poor kid, and partly because they're all dicks. I knew that even at seven years old.
Basketball is all I've ever had, and all I've ever really been good at. But it only goes as far as the court. I show up for practice, I run the court, and I become one of them. For that hour of practice or one of the games, you can’t pick me out of the crowd. I belong. But take the ball out of my hands, and I go back to being an outsider.
A set of hands curl over my shoulders right before I step inside. “You actually came, motherfucker. I bet Prairie you'd bail, you proved me wrong. Now I'm out money you son of a bitch.”
Amy gives me a wiggle as she squeezes past me and stands next to Chad. “He's with me, didn't think he'd show, but I'm happily surprised.”
Chad nods, opening the door wider, and fanning out his arm with a beer in his hand. “Welcome, enjoy getting wasted.” He leaves with Brent, throwing an arm around his neck and tugging him into a headlock.
Prairie limps next to Amy and smiles. “Hey,” she says, batting her lashes as she tips her chin into her chest shyly. “Amy had me convinced you wouldn't show.”
“Really?” I ask, letting my gaze move to Amy.
She holds out her arms and shrugs. “You officially suck, Max. I owe her twenty bucks.” Amy laughs, giving me a soft punch in the arm. “Who's ready for a drink?”
“Sure, I'll take one,” Prairie says, holding up her hand like she's in class.
“All right, let's go get fucked up!” Amy calls out, throwing an arm up as she grabs Prairie by the hand, and pulls her into the house.
The music blasts from the speakers, with bass so heavy I feel my ribs vibrating. We hit the keg, each of us getting a beer. The girls take small sips, dancing in place to the beat. I hold my cup, ditching it the first second no one is looking.
Dumping it into a punch bowl, I hold the empty cup. I hate drinking. Don't get me wrong, I don't care if other people do it, it's just not my thing. But who at eighteen years old turns down getting fucked up at a party?
So, I play pretend. No one needs to know I'm sober as a nun in church. I know enough to steer clear of the shit that helped ruin my life.
Leaning back against the huge, stone fireplace, I watch Prairie dance. She's wriggling her hips, moving to the music. Her eyes flash over her shoulder, checking to see if I'm watching.
Ruin her. The thought turns me wicked.
Every inch of my body is simmering with need. I want to fuck her; I want to make her explode with pleasure. And then I want to destroy her.
Pursing my lips, I smirk as she slips her hands up through her hair and sticks her ass out. This little game she's playing is setting my skin on fire. I'm burning up.
She works her way back to me, seductively rolling her hips. “Dance with me?” Prairie asks as she tangles her fingers in mine and tries to pull me in.
“Not a chance in hell. I don't dance.”
“Please?” she asks, pouting her lips and looking up at me.
“How do I say no to that?”
“You can't.” Licking her lips, she walks us out to the center of the room.
Her hair has a soft curl to it, bangs pulled out of her face with a clip. A tint of pink coats her full, lush lips, and her cheeks hold a kiss of the sun. This girl is naturally beautiful, she doesn't even need makeup.
A loose dress slips easily around her body, moving with her every move. The material is smooth, covered in small purple flowers, and a set of big white buttons line from the neck to the bottom.
Prairie reaches out and grabs my hand, dragging me into the cluster of bodies that are all grinding on each other.
She's facing away from me, her back bare, sleek, with lines and muscles I want to kiss. Her hands roll up her sides, and she gives me a sexy look over her shoulder.
There's something in that look, a spark, a twinkle, a light that makes my cock jerk. Closing the distance between us, I set my hands on her hips and move with her body. Her ass presses back into my dick, rubbing up and down.
This girl, this innocent, virtuous, angelic—woman, nothing about her is anything less than perfect.
My fingers ride her ribs, tracing the outside of her tits and moving up her neck. We're so close I can see the goosebumps as they jump across her skin, moving like a wave over the surface.
Lowering my face to her shoulder, I lightly kiss the curve of her shoulder. I can't stop myself, I have to taste her, even if it's just a little. Her skin is sweet, like honey and roses, and I'm tempted to lick her from throat to collarbone.
Prairie wraps her arm around my neck and lays her head back on my chest. Wrapping my arms around her waist, we move in unison.
Back and forth, back and forth, we rock and sway. I can hear the music around us, and the other people in the room laughing and talking, but I don't hear the words.
All I hear is the beat of my heart in my chest. It's pounding hard, forcing blood down into my cock as she rubs her ass harder against me. The sharp edge of her nails rake up through my hair, twisting and tugging as she nuzzles her face against my neck.
“Hey,” she whispers into my ear, “it's getting hot in here, want to go outside?”
I don't answer, I just take her hand and lead her from the living room, through the kitchen and out the sliding back doors. The cool night air hits my face, chilling the sweat that's dripping down the center of my back.
The back patio is packed with people, so I look around for a quiet spot to take her. Noticing the pool house, I pull her around the edge of the in-ground pool, stepping over empty cups, and pushed over lawn furniture.
The pool house is dark, so I'm pretty sure no one else is inside. Prairie's fingers tighten around mine, and that only intensifies my drive to get her alone.
I want her just for me. No one else nearby, no one else's eyes prying, just the two of us. That's my perfect night.
We walk to the door, and Prairie snuggles up close behind me as I test the knob. It's open, and I give it a little push. The glass door swings inward, and a rush of warm air spills out.
Stepping inside, I reach back and take her hand to pull her in with me. Prairie steps in behind me with a little resistance. “Is it all right for us to come in here? Chad won't mind, will he?”
“Probably not, but he doesn't need to know. No one needs to know.” I look back at her and smirk, but her eyes are unsure.
I know right then that she isn't a girl who gets in trouble. The innocence is real.
“It's fine, he's got a hoard of kids tearing up the inside of his house, I don't think he gives two shits about us back here.”
“True,” she says with a smile as she coasts past me, exploring the fancy pool room.