“Hey, beautiful,” he coos in a deep voice.
Yep. This is about to happen.
“Hey, random, drunk guy,” I answer, folding my arms over Kelly’s red shirt that shows far too much. One of these times I’ll stand up against her brash orders on what I can and can’t wear to these nightmares. These days I’m most comfortable in things that cover every inch of my skin, like a moo-moo or a snowsuit.
He leans against the wall at my side, grinning in the cheesy way really cocky guys do when they think they’re being charming. “What are you doing here all alone, sweet thing?”
“Oh, you know. Trying to avoid anyone who thinks because I’m standing here alone that it’s an open invitation to come hit on me.”
His eyes narrow like he’s trying to focus. The smell of booze blasts off him with all the appeal of a skunk in heat. “I haven’t seen you around. You probably know who I am, right?” When I shake my head, he touches his chest with both hands. “Cal Howard?
Starter on the basketball team?”
“A baller?” I fake a gasp. “Shut. Up. ”
The kind of foolish, drunken smile that can make a guy look like a complete moron appears on his lips. Though I’ve never been to a game, I’m sure if his coach knew he could easily blow a .3 about now, he’d be on his way to developing a healthy dose of bleacher-butt next season.
“A pretty little thing like you probably doesn’t know much about basketball. I could take you down to the court some time, teach you how to shoot. Maybe play a little one-on-one?”
I send an SOS text to Kelly, hoping she’ll give up among her throws of passion to save me.
Where r u? I’ve exceeded my capacity 4 douchery
“You textin’ someone?” Cal asks, leaning down to get a look at my phone. Leaning way too close, I might add. The only thing worse than a sloppy drunk is one who’s big enough to fit me in his pocket, and even worse yet, determined. How exactly did I let Kelly talk me into coming here?
These parties are the worst.
“My boyfriend,” I lie, nodding. “He’s head of security for the Vikings. Big guy, about six four and three fifty. He should be here any minute. I’m sure he’d be into talking sports with you if you want to stick around.”
Cal sways on his feet. I can literally see his intelligence shrinking as he tries to think.
“Do you have a problem with me?”
Taking a deep breath, I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “I would actually have to know you before I could make such conclusions.”
His eyebrows raise clumsily as he takes a step closer. “Maybe you should take the time to get to know me.” The stench of his breath about knocks me over when he moves in to grab my arm.
“Hey!” I yell, trying to shake him off. “Let go of me!” Quite frankly my new buddy Cal seems too inebriated to have a full understanding of what country he’s in at the moment, but I take a step back anyway, ready to bolt.
Out of nowhere, another guy steps in at my side. Nice build with short, dark hair, casually dressed rather than some of the pretentious guys in sports jackets and pressed button downs. The fragrance of men’s body spray, spearmint gum, and something else musky and manly follows him. I hardly notice anything else once his piercing, steely blue eyes fall on me.
“Hey,” he says, his voice deliciously deep and smooth. A nice row of white teeth appears behind his easygoing smile, slight pucker of dimples popping onto his cheeks.
I throw my own version of a sexy smile back his way, but it probably looks more like a five-year-old meeting her first Disney princess in person. “Hey.”
He tips his head at Cal, his eyes never leaving mine. “Everything okay?”
“She’s fine,” Cal answers, finally dropping my arm. “We were just getting to know each other.”
The two guys study each other with their chests out, chins lifted, gazes hard. My money would go on the baller by freakishly unnatural height alone, but the new guy doesn’t seem threatened. The intensity between them pinches my lungs.
“It’s fine, really. He was just telling me he had to leave,” I finally say, not wanting to see the hot guy get his ass kicked.
Cal glares at me a minute before he finally turns, stumbling as he mutters “bitch”, and disappears into the crowd. There’s nothing like the shunning by someone whose morals are clearly higher than yours, especially when they’re too blitzed to remember it in the morning.
The new guy shakes his head, irritation visible in his expression. His clear eyes are so beautiful, they about take my breath away. “You okay?”
I bray in a nervous giggle. “Guys like that with a shoe size bigger than his IQ? It takes a lot more than that to fluster me.”