Page 40 of Ice Bet

“Why the encouragement, Sully? Want her even drunker than she is?”

“I wish you would stop talking about me like I’m not here,” she slurred.

Even if I didn’t flip the last cup before her, I would have flung her over my shoulder and pulled her out of the party regardless, because I’d had enough.

“Time to go, Duster,” I said, rounding the table and wiping the back of my hand against the leftover beer on my lips.

Her arms crossed. “No.”

I bent my head low. “I didn’t peg you to be a cheater, Duster.”

“I amnota cheater,Broom.”

“Broom?” I repeated.Did she just call me a broom?

She giggled, and it was sort of cute. “You call me a household tool; I callyoua household tool.”

I laughed out loud, and Riley’s triumphant mood quickly disappeared. Her shoulders dropped, and her arms hung down by her sides in defeat.

“You can call me whatever you want as long as you follow through on the bet. I won fair and square. Let’s go.”

“Make me.”

“My pleasure,” I said.

I quickly dropped down, wrapped my arms around the backs of her thighs, and flung her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Aasher!” It was obvious that she was surprised, and part of me was worried someone would take a photo and share it with Coach, but I’d just have to rat her out and tell him that it was the only way she’d leave the party after getting smashed.

He said he trusted me, and I hoped he did.

I’m not sure he should after I threw her into the pantry and kissed her, but I’d make sure to leave that part of the night out.

“Put me down!”

I walked through the party with Riley’s ass beside my head and her arms punching along my spine. It didn’t hurt, so I let her work out her frustration. She didn’t stop until we were outside and alone.

I turned back to the party and looked for Sully because it wouldn’t be surprising if he tried to follow us. Anything to be Riley’s knight covered in nothing but devious lies and fake chivalry, but no one was standing there except Sutton. She was drunk too, but I couldn’t carry both of them home. Riley shouted for her to go back to the party. She made some dig about me stealing all her fun, but I ignored her and continued down the sidewalk, making sure my car was locked.

“Are you seriously going to carry me the whole way in the freezing cold?” Riley hit me one last time before seemingly giving up.

“Well, if you would have left with me an hour ago, I could have driven us home, but instead, you forced me to play a game of flip cup, and now I’m half-buzzed, so thanks for that.”

“I didn’t force you.”

“Do you really think I’d leave you at a house party while you arethisdrunk?”

Her chest rumbled against my body with a huff, and I stopped walking. “I can take care of myself.”

“Can you?” I asked, noticing the way her voice dropped in between slurring.

She was quiet, and the only thing I could focus on was my overactive imagination as I continued on our trek. My arm was sore by the time we got to our apartment complex, but I kept her flung over my body until we made it to her door.

“Time to get down, Duster.”

There was a slight whimper that left her lips.

“Riley?” I lifted my shoulder to shake her awake.

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