Page 4 of Ink & Stardust

“What? They have a lot of colors, and I like to color match my outfits.”

“My God, what am I going to do with you?” She chuckles, taking my hand. “Come on, let’s get you a drink. You look like you need one.”

“Oh, I don’t—” I get ready to tell her I don’t drink but quickly stop myself. Just because I’ve only drunk one time in my life doesn’t mean I can’t have a drink at a party. One drink does not equate to getting drunk, and honestly, she’s right; I could use a drink. “A drink sounds good,” I say instead.

“Couple of things.” She leans in to speak as we head up the sidewalk toward the porch. “Don’t set your drink down for any reason. Don’t accept a drink from anyone who isn’t me. And don’t leave the main areas of the house. The last thing you want is to find yourself in a room with a drunk stranger who thinks no means yes.”

I swallow hard at her words, my own eyes widening this time. Fearing that if I open my mouth, I might actually puke on my pretty pink shoes, I nod once in understanding.

“Relax, it’s not as bad as it sounds. But as women, we have to be vigilant. You’ll be fine. I promise,” she reassures me, though it’s not very reassuring if we’re being honest. “Besides, if anyone fucks with you, they’ll have to answer to me.” She knocks her hip against mine and winks.

Given that the music can be heard well before we enter the house, I expect not to be able to hear anything once we get inside, but it’s not nearly as offensive as I expect as we step over the threshold and into the foyer, which several people loitering around inhabit.

“When is Maisie getting here again?” I raise my voice to ask.

“She’s coming straight from soccer, if she’s not already here,” she informs me, tugging my hand as she leads me farther into the house as if she’s been here a hundred times before.

We weave in and out of people dancing, talking, and even making out, despite the audience of people around them, until we eventually end up in a big kitchen that has much fewer people than the packed living room and hallway.

“What’s your drink of choice?” Char asks, gesturing to the two kegs on the table or the array of liquor on the kitchen island.

“Just a beer is fine.”

Charlotte nods once, releasing my hand to grab two red cups from the table and proceeds to fill them both to the rim with beer before handing me one.

“What now?” I ask and take a tentative sip of my drink. It’s cold and bitter but isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever tasted, so I go in for another drink, hoping it will calm me down a bit.

“Now we mingle.” She grins, gesturing back toward the way we came.

I nod, like I have any idea what she means by mingle, following her back out into the hallway. Only, instead of turning the way we came, she leads us in the opposite direction to where the hall eventually opens up to a large room at the back of the house.

There are four couches spread across the space. A couple of them are turned in to accommodate a bigger group, while the other two are spread out. A couple of guys waiting for their turn at the pool table occupy one, while the other is hosting a couple who seem to have forgotten they’re at a party. By the looks of them, they’ll be naked and going at it within minutes.

“Char!” one of the guys currently playing pool hollers as soon as he sees my roommate.

“Hey!” She waves across the room at the dirty-blond whom she clearly knows. “Come on, let’s go say hi.”

“You go ahead,” I tell her, feeling extremely out of place and a little uncomfortable, if I’m being honest. “I’m gonna go find a seat.”

“You sure? You’ll be okay?”

I want to sayhell no, I won’t, don’t you dare leave me,but instead, only nod, watching her walk off moments later.

She skips across the room and lands in the man’s arms. The two hug and share in conversation that I clearly can’t hear from this distance.

Turning my attention back to the larger group occupying the two couches to the right, I see there’s an empty space at the edge of one of them and decide to head in that direction. As much as I don’t want to just plop down next to a bunch of strangers, I alsodon’t want to stand here in full view of everyone like a freaking loser, so I choose the lesser evil.

As I round the couch and prepare to sit down, some girl cuts me off, jumping into the lap of the only other person sitting on that particular couch, another female who is very clearly one of her friends.

With an eye roll I reserve only for myself, I lower myself down onto the couch, tucking my dress under my legs as I do. No one pays me a bit of attention, or at least, that’s what I think, until I look up mid-drink and meet a pair of dark blue eyes staring back at me.

I don’t know how to describe the feeling that rushes through me. Like I’ve just touched a live electrical wire, every nerve in my body jolts.

I don’t... I can’t... I’m speechless. Hell, I can’t even formulate a coherent thought. He’s... He’s...Beautiful.Maybe the most attractive man I’ve ever seen in my life. No, scratch that; he isdefinitelythe most attractive man I have ever seen.

I blink, quickly lowering my cup as I take him in. He has dark, disheveled hair, shaved on the sides and a little longer on top. A solitary strand falls over his brow, brushing the corner of his eye in a way that makes me desperate to reach out and brush it away. His nose is straight and damn near perfect, if not for the small bump across the bridge that tells me he likely broke it at some point in his life. He has a strong, well-defined jawline, which is peppered with a dusting of dark hair. Think Skeet Ulrich circa 1996—if you know, you know. Only this guy is even hotter.

My eyes dip lower and my breath hitches.

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