Page 50 of Game Changer
Until now.
Maya wanted to go to a party with her friends but refused to go unless I joined her. I wasn’t going to leave her hanging, so I came out despite my distaste for partying. I did it too much in high school with Cameron, and it got old pretty quickly. Maya didn’t get a chance to experience these types of things as much as she would have liked, what with her parents being so strict, so I sucked it up for her and plastered a smile on my face.
Luckily, it’s in another dorm, and it’s low-key. There are only about fifteen people max, but I’m unsurprised that Maya is the center of attention. She lights up every room she walks into. She’s the life of the party, always has been, and although I’d never change that about her, it’s difficultnotto compare myself to all the guys discreetly checking her out. None of them know I’m her boyfriend. Well, I think that’s what I am. Fuck. How could I have forgotten to clarify a title?
Shifting uncomfortably, I take a swig of my beer and internally groan. Maya is playing a game of suck and blow, and every now and then she’ll smile over at me before Destiny or Callie grabs her attention again. In tight leather pants, heels, and a baby-pink corset, she’s mouth watering tonight, but it’s her laugh and her ability to work a room that keeps my eyes glued to hers and her nearby surroundings. I don’t trust any of the guys here simply because I don’t know them, and after the situation at the frat party, I’m not taking any chances.
“It’s Ethan, right?” A random girl calls my name from the circle and waves me over. “Join us! You haven’t played one round.”
“Nah, I’m good here. Thanks, though.”
“Come on,” she says and scoots over. “There’s plenty of room next to me.”
“I’m—”
Maya cuts me off before I can finish. “He said he’s fine.” Her smile is sweet.Toosweet. She looks downright murderous when her attention shifts from me to the brown-haired girl in the circle. Guilt creeps through my veins, but what do I have to be guilty about? I was saying no. Maya isn’t mad atme, is she?
The girl shrugs, twirling a card from the deck between her fingertips. “Sorry, why can’t he sit next to me? Are you guys—”
“It doesn’t matterwhatwe are. He said no, so he clearly doesn’t want to play. Now, can we continue the game?” In this scenario, the last thing I expected was forMayato get jealous. She has no reason to be worried, but I have to admit, seeing her acting possessive brings me the reassurance I didn’t realize I needed until now. Her voice carries a hint of her accent, which only comes out when she’s angry, and it’s doing dangerous things to me. “Actually, play this round without me. I’m going to grab a drink.” She rises from the couch and heads for the counter in the kitchen, where the liquor bottles are displayed. This is a shared suite between three people, so it’s a lot bigger than our dorm rooms.
“You okay?” I ask when I reach her side.
She pours vodka in silence.
“She was only trying to be nice,” I add. “She didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Ethan, you’re so oblivious. She was hitting on you.”
“Okay, let’s say she was. That doesn’t mean I want her. I want nothing to do with her.”
“Iknowthat, it’s just—” I’m utterly confused when she knocks back half of her drink. “You could do so much better than me.”
What the hell is she talking about?
She’s been drinking, this much I know, but what’s the saying? Drunk words are sober thoughts?
“I think you’re wrong.” The sad expression on her face nearly breaks my heart in two, so I tilt her chin up so she can look me in the eyes. “You’re the perfect girl for me, Maya, and I’m sorry if I haven’t given you the reassurance you need. We never clarified what we are, so I didn’t want to make a move on you around your friends if you didn’t want them to know, and—”
“I’m going to stop you right there.” She sets her drink down and steps closer until we’re chest to chest. “I’m not embarrassed by you, Ethan. Not now, not ever. You’re not the only one with doubts going into this. I’ll admit it’s terrifying to try again after we crashed and burned before, but one thing you’ll never have to worry about? Me wanting you. I’vealwayswanted you.” She hooks her arms around my neck, and I instinctively tug her against my chest.
“And I’ve always wantedyou. You don’t have to worry about other girls, Maya.”
She shrugs. “It wouldn’t be the first time a guy has chosen someone else over me. A lot can happen when people get to drinking, Ethan.”
Sometimes, I forget Maya has a lot more experience. I remember the guys she brought around in high school, and all of them pissed me off. Not only because I wanted Maya for myself, but they genuinely didn’t treat her right, and I told her as much. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s gone through some duds, and especially since we’ve both been drinking, I can see why it’s a trigger for her.
“I’m not trying to compare you to guys from my past,” she blurts. “I’m tipsy and not thinking clearly. Ignore me.”
“I’m not going to ignore you. I want to put your worries to rest.” I cup her cheek, stroking the pad of my thumb along her perfect contour line (something she taught me about last week). We’re more similar than I imagined us to be. Beneath her mask of confidence is a girl who’s as lost and insecure as I am, but there’s no one else I’d rather go on this journey to discover ourselves with. No one else I’d rather be vulnerable with. No one else I’d rather share a bowl of ice cream with at three in the morning.
We may both be a mess right now, but we’ll figure ourselves out.
Together.
“It doesn’t matter how drunk I get, Maya Garcia. Do you want to know why?” I press my lips against the shell of her ear, loving the tiny inhale of breath she takes when I whisper, “Because no amount of liquor could make me forget who I belong to.”
She pulls back to stare up at me in a lust-filled daze. “Ethan?”
