Page 20 of The Risk Taker

Austin blows out a slow breath, setting his cup down. “Tell me again why she’s with that guy?”

Ryan shakes his head. “Because apparently love is blind. And also brain-dead.”

Before I can answer, a girl slips into the circle beside Logan and smiles up at him.

“That was impressive,” she says, her glossy lips lifting into a flirty smile. “You two make a decent team.”

Logan tips his head. “We try. Though I was clearly carrying him.”

I arch a brow, ready to tell him he did no such thing, but the girl beats me to it and laughs, shuffling closer to Logan. “Didn’t look like that from where I was standing.”

“You want to stick around to witness our rematch?”

“Maybe,” she says, a teasing lilt in her voice. “If there’s a drink involved.”

His grin widens and I know she’s got him. His gaze flicks across the group once more—pausing on me for half a second—and he shoots me a wink before he’s gone, following her toward the kitchen.

I don’t know why I care.

I shouldn’t.

I’m just here to keep tabs on him and make sure he doesn’t end up wasted or show up to practice late… again. I don’t give a flying fuck if he flirts his way through the party.

And yet, the second he disappears from view, something in my chest twists sharp.

Austin says something beside me, but it gets lost under the noise in my head.

I grab the nearest drink off the beer pong table and take a swallow before I even register what’s in it.

That’s when I hear a soft feminine voice beside me.

“Hey.”

I pull the cup away and glance down at the girl standing in front of me, her hips moving slowly to the music while her eyes are on me. She leans in close enough that I catch the faint trace of perfume under the smell of beer.

“You wanna dance?” she asks, smiling.

“Sorry. Not interested,” I say before I even blink.

Her smile slips as she blinks—clearly not used to rejection—then disappears back into the crowd.

Austin lets out a low whistle. “Cold, Hayes.”

“She’s not my type,” I say, taking another sip.

He grins. “Yeah? And what is your type?”

Ryan chuckles beside him. “Don’t waste your breath. He sure as shit isn’t telling. Man’s a vault.”

They’re both looking at me, waiting for me to reply or tell them to fuck off, and normally I would. But I just lift the cup again and let the burn sit on my tongue.

And still… my eyes drift—because they always seem to do—across the room, where Logan’s by the kitchen with the girl, leaning down to whisper something in her ear which she laughs at.

My grip tightens on the cup without meaning to, and I lift it to my lips, finishing off what’s left of my drink.

Austin claps a hand to my shoulder, letting out a low laugh. “One of these days, Hayes, we’re gonna get you to actually enjoy yourself.”

I give a small laugh, mostly for his benefit. “Yeah. Maybe.”