Part 8 (1/2)

Finley groaned. ”Promise me you'll stay out of trouble.”

”I can promise you that we're staying in tonight.”

”Better than nothing,” Finley grumbled. ”Please text me if something goes wrong.”

”Will do.” He ended their call, then turned his attention to Jackson and Kellogg-two of the Avengers' starting defensive linemen. ”Fellas and company, make yourself at home.”

”Your idea to ride solo?” Kellogg asked before a sly smile spread across his mouth. ”Or did B's video scare off all the honeys?”

Jackson slung his arm around a tall brunette. ”Instagram says otherwise. Where's your girl?”

”She's busy.” Or so he presumed. Didn't teachers have to prepare for the next day the night before? ”Besides, you meatheads would scare her off.”

Kellogg flipped him off. ”We're not that bad.”

They weren't, but he knew how intimidating a group of football players could be to someone not familiar with the game. Harper was anything but familiar.

And he was anything but a standup guy for not inviting her.

”Not to worry. You'll meet her... eventually.” That seemed to pacify Kellogg, who had turned his attention to his dates.

Jackson turned up the music and Austin began pouring drinks, something he enjoyed doing at parties. In college, he'd bartended in order to save money because it was a real fear that he'd get hurt at any time and blow his chances for an NFL career. And if he was too hurt in college for the NFL to notice him, then he was too hurt to play, which meant he would no longer have a scholars.h.i.+p. His family couldn't afford out-of-state tuition. He couldn't afford to come home a loser.

As the party went on, more guys showed up with guests. Pretty soon, the women outnumbered the men, but Austin didn't stop keeping an eye on their drinks. Well, as much as he could keep track of them.

The last thing he wanted was a woman getting a.s.saulted, and that had nothing to with his or his team's reputation... except for the fact that he didn't know some of the newer guys all that well and until he did, then he couldn't be too careful.

In his mind, it was man's job to protect a woman from danger, especially when danger came in the form of a guy two-to-three times her size.

A curvy woman with blonde and pink hair approached him. Wearing a white, spandex dress that barely reached mid-thigh, she was a head turner. Austin didn't think it made him an a.s.shole just to notice.

”Hi, I'm Serena, and you're hot as f.u.c.k,” she said, loud enough for him to hear her above the music and hum of conversation. ”Bianca's stupid for letting you go.”

He eyed her, keeping his gaze on her face. ”Not a fan, I see.”

She shrugged. ”You could say that.”

He had said that. Gesturing to the bar, he asked, ”What can I get you?”

”I was hoping for some alone time.”

”There's three guests rooms upstairs. All have locks. Have at 'em.”

Serena made a face. ”I meant I wanted alone time with you.”

”I'm really flattered, but-”

”And I really can't believe you're turning this,” she swept her hand up and down her body, ”down.”

Austin crossed his arms over his chest. ”Look, I don't want to come across as a d.i.c.k-”

”Too late”

”But I'm... involved with someone.”

”Involved? What the h.e.l.l is that supposed to mean?” Serena asked.

Jackson joined them at the bar, and Austin breathed out a sigh of relief. ”It means that my man is taken... but I'm clearly available.”

Serena ran her gaze up and down Jackson, obviously liking what she saw. ”Now that I think about it, I really like my men... bigger, if you know what I mean.”

Although her comment was meant to be an insult, Austin was more than happy to let her rake him over the coals. Besides, he was firmly confident in his size and what he could do with it. Not even his ex could claim that he sucked in bed. She never had either.

”That's right, girl.” Jackson flashed one of his trademark smiles. ”In fact, I say we leave this place.”

”Yeah, any place is better than this.” Serena shot Austin a triumphant look.

He supposed he should attempt to be upset, but he didn't have it in him. Instead, he gave her a little wave. Her eyes narrowed before she flounced away on Jackson's arm. Since Austin knew Jackson hadn't had a drop of alcohol to drink, he didn't try to stop them.

However, he did shoot off a text to Finley. While he didn't normally rat out his teammates, Jackson might need some help. The guy was one of the good ones, even if his taste in women sucked. Besides, he would hate for him to get in trouble with Serena. And she seemed like trouble with a capital T.

Austin: Houston, we might have a problem.

Finley: What did you do?

Austin: Not me. Jackson. Left with a Serena. No last name.

Finley: Please tell me she's not the same Serena who went crazytown on her ex-boyfriend's house by setting it on fire for kissing another woman in a movie.

He blinked, and then re-read Finley's text. Serena had set her ex's house on fire? Maybe he'd gotten off easy with Bianca.

Austin: I don't know. Sorry.

Finley: Thanks for the head's up. I'll text Jackson.

Austin shoved his phone into his pocket and surveyed the two-story room. All around him, his teammates were living it up and having a good time. Some were starting to pair off and head upstairs. As long as they stayed out of his bedroom, he didn't give a d.a.m.n where they ended up.

Picking up his gla.s.s of Gentleman Jack, he joined the guys at the pool table. While he'd been the one to invite his teammates and their dates over, he did have to keep his nose clean. Avoiding women like Serena was high on his priority list, but not being caught up in drama was just as high.

”You're up, Lawson.” Davidson handed him a pool stick.

Austin set his gla.s.s down, that familiar feeling of winning at all costs surging through him as he surveyed the guys standing around the billiard table. ”Who wants to lose first?”

Harper walked Libby back down Poplar Street, her favorite Pandora station playing on her headphones as they headed home. She'd had a long day at school and needed more time than usual to clear her head.

Instead of relaxing with a good book, she had decided to get some fresh air. However, she wasn't sure the long walk had done her much good. For one, she couldn't get Austin out of her head. And two, she'd felt off at work.

There had been lots of whispering going on when she arrived that morning. But whenever Harper tried to get in on the conversations, they'd abruptly stopped. If she didn't know any better, she'd think those conversations were about her, but she wasn't gossip material.