Page 36 of Since Always

I shrug. "Mine's not so bad."

He lowers his head and takes my mouth into his. I sink into it, bringing my hand up to pull him into me.

"Oh no, are you two going to be like this all night?" Lexi laughs beside us, and we draw apart and look around. The entire group is watching us. "Get a room."

Drew cranks his face back to me at that, shooting me a questioning look. This is my home, and we both know we have a room, should we want it. Somehow, a fact hits me I hadn't realized until now. Drew and I are going to have sex tonight. I mean, he definitely thinks we are going to have sex tonight. My chest tightens with nerves at the thought. Am I ready for that?

I am overcome with the need to put some space between us.

"I have to go make the rounds," I say with a smile. "Hostessing, you know? I'll find you guys later?"

"Count on it, beautiful," he says with a wink. It is just a little too smooth.

I glance at Lexi, who catches something in my eye.

"Need some help chatting people up?" She offers. "I'll come with you."

"I'd love that." We leave the group and disappear back into the crowd inside.

"Cassidy," a man my father's age says, seconds after I step inside the house. He is vaguely familiar, but I have no idea who he is.

"Oh, hi. It's good to see you."

"You too, my girl. You have grown up to be so beautiful. Are you in school now?"

"Yes, sir. USC."

"Going to be joining the company when you graduate?"

"Yes, of course."

"Oh, Cassidy, I'm sorry, we've got to go find your mom for that thing," Lexi says from behind me, and then turns to the man. "I'm sorry, if you'll excuse us."

"Of course," he says, nodding his head at us. Lexi pulls me through the room and down the hall.

"Thanks," I say.

"Where's an empty room?" she asks, and I lead her towards the office.

We run into her parents on the way and stop to say hi and catch up. After a few moments, Lexi makes an excuse that we were headed to the restroom and we slip away and into the office.

"Spill, Sloane," she says after closing out the music and voices behind the door. The stillness is a welcome reprieve, even this early in the night.

"Spill what?"

"What's your deal? Are you not into Drew? Because you seem like you are, one moment, and then it's like a switch flips."

"I don't know, honestly. He's nice—sometimes. He's definitely not my type. But I thought it would be fun to have, like, a casual hook-up. I don't know... Then I get inside my head about it. It's not really me and I'm trying to make myself."

"I mean, don't make yourself have a hookup. That's crazy," she says. "I have a feeling he isn't getting that vibe from you yet, though. So, either you are going to have to have a conversation with him, or we are going to have to come up with a plan."

I smile at her as I sink into one of the overstuffed chairs on the side of the room. Lexi follows and sits beside me.

"Thanks. I know we don't talk all the time, but you are a good friend."

"We should talk more, you know. When we aren't here. I'd totally come out to LA to see you."

"Oh my God, I would love that. And I would love coming to New York too."

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