Page 180 of Just This Once

“Oh, no,” Hope groaned, reading his expression. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” he started immediately, only to wince. “It just didn’t feel as if it was going anywhere, so we broke it off.”

“Shit, man,” I uttered.

He only shrugged and glanced away. “It’s…whatever,” he muttered, only to cast Hope a look that caused me to pull my head back in surprise and wonder whatthatwas about. “I’m actually kind of relieved,” he added, smiling at me and then Damien.

“Well, then, congrats,” Damien told him, lifting his bottle to clink with Thane’s. “To freedom.”

“To freedom,” Thane answered and turned to me, only to pause when he saw the clear, plastic bottle of water I held in one hand. “Still abstaining, huh?” he asked, bumping his beer into my water.

“Fuck, yes,” I answered, taking another sip to keep my liver nice and flushed. “The next transplant donor my baby gets is gonna beme.”

Hope shook her head as if I were a lost cause, even though she gazed up at me as if I were some kind of knight in shining fucking armor. “It’s only been four months since I got this one. I think you have some time before I need another, even though—” Whistling low, she shook her head and wiped a hand over her abdomen. “Thisbetterbe the last one I need.”

“I’m going to be ready, anyway,” I assured and dutifully took another sip.

“Isn’t he so cute?” Thane murmured, setting a hand on Damien’s shoulder to address him.

“So stinkin’ cute,” Damien agreed as they both watched me with tipped heads.

I rolled my eyes. “Fuck you, fuckers. I can be nice when I want to.”

They laughed, and Hope set her head on my shoulder as she smoothed her fingers down my chest. “Way to activate his anger,” she warned them. “Don’t expect me to protect you now.”

She laughed at her own joke, only to lift her hand to her mouth so she could smother a yawn.

Growing alert, I glanced at her face and gripped the side of her arm. “You okay? Gettin’ tired?”

“A little, maybe,” she admitted. Then she sent me a sleepy smile. “I was actually going to tell you I might order a ride andgo home for the night. But you should stay. Have fun with your boys.”

“Fuck that.” I wanted to be withher. “I’ll take you home,” I said as I shoved my bottle of water at Thane without looking at him. “We’re going to go,” I told him and Damien, my eyes still on my girl.

“Parker, no,” she protested. “Stay.”

“Don’t wanna,” I answered with a shake of my head. “You’re not ordering a ride. Have you not heard how common it is for a single, young woman traveling alone to get kidnapped, raped, and killed by climbing into cars with complete strangers? Besides, I’d rather be with you.”

Without looking at them, I lifted a finger threateningly toward Damien and Thane. “Don’t fucking say it.”

When they snickered at mycutebehavior, I shook my head and focused on Hope. “Save me,” I begged her. “I need to get away from these morons, STAT.”

She laughed but relented. “Okay. But we gotta make our rounds and say goodbye to Alec first. And give our congratulations to Foster.”

Mr. Football had managed to lead the Stallions into the national championships for three straight years in a row, so we’d thrown another party for him at Archer House. The whole town was ablaze with celebrations tonight.

But I was personally ready to turn in with my special person and spend the rest of the night wrapped in her arms.

Already imagining all the things I wanted to do to her as soon as we got home, I tugged on her hand. “Alright. Let’s go.”

We found Alec first, spoiling Xander—per his usual—as he brought her a drink and fawned over her, talking discreetly in her ear as if he were trying to boost her mood because she looked a bit down.

When she sent him a grateful smile and squeezed his arm, I feared he might blow his load in his pants right then and there.

Besotted idiot. He’d been waiting on the girl hand and foot, pampering and coddling her ever since she’d given his sister a liver and saved her life. It didn’t seem to matter that she’d completely healed months ago, either.

Seriously, if the guys should teaseanyoneabout acting too cute, they should definitely point at Younger. He didn’t even try to hide his adoration. He was flat-out, crazy in love with the Union girl, and she’d friend-zoned him. Hard.

But Hope was able to tear him away from his swooning long enough to give him a hug goodbye.

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