By the time we got to Manny's, I was a bundle of nerves. I was shocked that Rachel had agreed to go to this party with me, let alone she came dressed like she was. I walked in behind her, enjoying the way her leather pants caressed the curves of her ass and hung low on her hips. I curled my hand around her waist as I walked behind her. She covered my hand with hers and I welcomed her touch, thankful she didn't think I was being too possessive.

We walked down the long hallway toward the back of the house. I was constantly being stopped by people I knew, some from work and some from school. Rachel seemed impressed by my popularity, but it was making me all kinds of anxious. There were too many people here that knew things about me that Rachel didn't know. And the more they drank, the more they would talk. This was a terrible idea.

I kept Rachel close to me, more than necessary. A loose arm draped over her shoulder wasn't enough, no I kept my arms around her waist in a ridiculously possessive manner and when that wasn't enough I doubled down with a nuzzle to her neck or a lingering whisper in her ear. She responded eagerly to all of it, oblivious to how I was making sure everyone knew she was my girl. Or maybe she wasn't oblivious and...she liked it?

After running into several more guys from the gym and school, we finally entered the living room. Manny had the perfect party house, right on the beach. The largest room took up the entire width of the house with floor to ceiling patio doors leading to a deck that overlooked the ocean. During the warmer months, the parties would spill out onto the beach, but when it was cold like this, it was still nice to look out at the calming waves.

I led Rachel to the view and watched her face as she took it all in. "It's great, huh?"

She sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "Beautiful."

I swept her hair over her shoulder, holding a few curly waves in my fingers. "I agree. Absolutely beautiful," I commented as my eyes poured over her profile. Her long, dark lashes fluttered as she turned to face me. She had some sparkly glitter on her cheeks that reflected off the lights in the room and made me smile in response. I'd never seen her wear this much makeup before, hell, she never needed it. But it struck me as cute that she went to the extra effort. Was that for me?

She turned to face me now and a shy smile began to form when she realized that I wasn't talking about the view. I returned that smile when she rested her hands on my hips, allowing her thumbs to sneak under my t-shirt and brush my sides. It was the tiniest contact, but because she initiated it, I was all in and turned the fuck on. My hands felt useless at my sides, so I buried them in her hair, gripping her neck and pulling that sweet mouth of hers to mine.

"Lahote! Get the fuck over here!"

I pressed my forehead to Rachel's and groaned loudly. "I can't believe I brought you to this party."

She laughed and gave me a small kiss before dragging me over to the kitchen, where Jared was still hollering for me. "Dude...please tell me you didn't forget the beer!"

I scowled as I scanned the kitchen counter and took inventory of several different kinds of clear and brown liquors. "This isn't enough?" I asked skeptically.

"This is our pre-drink," Jared grinned as he poured himself a shot of whiskey and tossed it back.

I nodded and motioned for him to give me one too. I glanced around, looking for Rachel. She wandered off to dance with a couple of girls I didn't recognize from school. I smirked when she found me watching her. She waved me over, but I refused. She retaliated by falling into a line dance with the other girls and shaking her ass. I threw back a second shot and grimaced from the burn.

"Who's the goddess?" Jared asked playfully.

I never took my eyes off of her. "That's Rachel."

Jared clutched his heart and gasped, "That's her? That's the girl you gush about all the time?"

I whacked Jared in the stomach with the back of my hand and scowled. "I do not...gush."

"Whatever, man. You can't stop staring at her...that must mean something."

I nodded absently and lowered my voice under the pulsating music the dj provided. "She told Josh I'm her boyfriend."

"Well, shit! Man, that means you're finally getting somewhere. Congrats!" Jared exclaimed, handing me another shot.

I tossed it back and washed it down with a bottle of beer from the cooler at my feet. I gave up my surveillance of Rachel for the moment, turning to find Jared pouring more shots on the counter. "I did get that beer. But I left it in the trunk."

"Well then let's go!" Jared was bouncing with excitement.

I looked back at Rachel, still dancing and laughing and still surrounded by girls. I motioned toward the door and she waved me off. I hated to leave her here, but what choice did I have?"

"Having fun?" Jacob sidled up beside me and shoved a few pretzel rods into his mouth.

"Oh thank God. Keep an eye on your sister, I'll be right back."

Jacob grumbled something about not being his sister's keeper as I disappeared down the hall and out the door. I was grateful that Jacob had accepted my invitation to the party, even if I had only done it to try to make up for all those weeks I had ignored Rachel's phone calls.

I cringed at the thought of how badly I had behaved when Rachel told me she wasn't coming home for Thanksgiving. At least she forgave me. And somehow the time and distance seemed to deepen our feelings for each other. At least it did for me. And since she's the one who decided we are a couple now, she must feel the same way.

When Jared and I returned with armloads of beer from my car, my eyes scanned the room. No Jacob...no Rachel? Fuck! Where did they go?

Several minutes passed before I finally located Rachel and Embry coming inside from the deck and I stopped myself from glaring at him. She noticed me watching her. I crossed the room to meet her in the middle, pulling her hand from Embry's and shooting him a dirty look I hope Rachel didn't see.

"So you and Embry?" I asked skeptically, gesturing my thumb in his direction.

"Poor kid has a crush. He was just looking for some advice," she insisted.

"A crush on you?"

She laughed. "No! Some girl at school."

"I missed you," I announced like an idiot.

"How much have you had to drink?" she quizzed curiously, leaning up to get a whiff of my breath.

I slipped my arms around her back and ran my fingers over her bare skin. She sighed and shuddered a little. "I just had a couple shots."

She turned in my arms, rubbing her ass against my dick and holding my hands away from her body as we swayed to the music. "You must have had enough to get you to loosen up a little...since we're dancing."

I spun her back around to face me and gripped her hips roughly. I jerked her body close to mine and I noticed the way her breathing sped up when I did. I pressed my lips to her neck and felt her fingers in my hair, urging me for more. I nipped at her skin and dug my fingers into her hips. I wanted her so fucking bad.

She yanked on my hair and I dragged my mouth away from her neck. "Let's go get a drink," she urged.

I groaned as she pulled me back to the kitchen. We received a standing ovation from Jared, Quil, Embry and even Josh, who had finally showed up. Jacob just scowled at us. I rolled my eyes and opened another beer. "Can someone get this lady a drink?"

Jared passed her a wine cooler and let his eyes roam over her. "I'm Jared Cameron."

Rachel took the bottle from him and she grabbed the shot he held in his other hand, downing it one swallow. "Nice to meet you," she smirked. "I'm Rachel...but I bet you already knew that." She winked at him and he looked flustered. I loved it. This girl was too perfect.

"We should play quarters," she announced happily. She turned to me and began digging in my pockets for change.

"Jesus, buy me dinner first," I grumbled playfully as she eyed me seductively.

"You love it," she teased as her fingers grazed my semi-hard dick through the material of my pockets.

"I probably have some quarters too, Rachel," Quil offered hopefully.

"Get 'em yourself, Ateara," I growled, never taking my eyes off of Rachel.

"Here we go," she declared, displaying the quarters she found and demonstrating how to play. "There's nothing to it," she insisted, expertly sinking her first two shots. "Who wants to try next?"

Josh smiled at her. "I will."

"Ugh. Why are you here, Josh? I'm still mad at you," Rachel groused and bounced two more quarters in.

Josh retold the story of how he had punched me earlier, but Rachel had included the part where he had to trick me to accomplish that feat. Then she made him take three shots of the cheapest vodka on the counter and laughed as he nearly gagged on it.

When someone bumped into me, I accidentally sandwiched Rachel between the end of counter and myself. She lost her concentration when I pressed my hips forward into her and breathed in her ear. She missed the shot for the first time and the guys appreciated it.

"Now you can take the shot," Jared ordered, holding one up for her.

"I will if you do," she countered.

He shrugged and nodded, pouring himself one as well. "Let's all do one." Jared lined the shot glasses up and filled them all to the top. He placed one in front of each of us, Jacob, Embry, and Quil included. I watched their faces, wondering if they would actually go through with it.

"Let's make this a little more challenging, shall we?" Rachel replied once everyone had their shot.

"How?"

"No hands," she instructed. She held her hands up, tucked them behind her back, leaned forward, wrapped her lips around the rim of the glass, oh fuck, tipped her head back, and swallowed it all without spilling. No one said a word. I, on the other hand, slid my hand behind her neck and kissed her hungrily. And she was damn lucky that was all I did to her, because the visual of her mouth wrapped around that glass had me wishing she would wrap her mouth around me.

I tasted the whiskey in her mouth when she slid her tongue between my lips. We finally tore our mouths away from each other when Jacob made a gagging sound. Damn cock block.

I watched as the other guys tried it, with varying degrees of success. She laughed and I openly stared at her beautiful throat. I wanted her so badly. Every part of me ached because I wanted her too much. How did I get so lucky?
....