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I raised my eyebrows and shooktired, but I didn’t want to bring up last year’s incident, either That’s what I was really worried about

A year ago, before Tate had left for France, I’d let Madoc dump her car keys in the pool here and watched as she dived in to fish theured this was the last place she’d want to be

In fact, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be here myself

Not only did I have our own after-party planned, but the longer I waited to come clean about the rest of the story, theon it all week, and it was ti bullet

I needed to tell her about Jax

Walking through the ceramic-tiled foyer, we followed Madoc down the carpeted stairs into the huge dipped living roo room already bustled with at least sixty or seventy of our classh my shoes

My ar that Tate had coh Shit

Her chest rose and fell quickly, and she sed, clearly nervous Like a deer in headlights

My stohtened, and I just wanted to take her out of there now This was a bad idea

"Tate, are you okay?" I kept my voice soft, but I was afraid she’d haul off and break my nose this tio

She narrowed her eyes as she looked around, and then she just shook her head "Yeah, I need a drink"

I didn’t believe her, but the corners of h a throng of people co out of the kitchen as Adrenalize by In This Mo drinks, and I watched as Tate took the one he offered

I was the designated driver tonight--well, pretty ht, since I barely drank in public--and I definitely didn’t plan on staying here long anyway I just stood there, trying not to laugh as she choked down the dark liquid

Madoc grinned from ear to ear as she tipped her chin up, sed the last of her drink and then threw the cup into the sink

She coughed into her hand, and all I could do was hold her waist, letting her get comfortable

She should have fun I didn’t want her nervous or scared that a prank was going to go down

And that’s why she was drinking, so I just let it be

"Aw, she’s as red as a tomato," Madoc joked

"Piss off," Tate scowled at him, but he just winked at her

KC and Liaht-eyed and s, while he looked constipated with his bored expression and pursed lips

"Hey, guys," she greeted, pulling Liam behind her

He pushed the hair out of his eyes and nodded at Madoc andhiht face

He probably still thought I’d gotten in his girlfriend’s pants, and I couldn’t help being i hi him suffer, no doubt And why shouldn’t she?

She and Tate still weren’t back to square one, but they’d get there, and Liao fk himself

Madoc finished off his drink and i two more until I shook my head at hiotin, I whispered in her ear "Come with rabbed her hand and led her out of the kitchen We squeezed through the crowd of partygoers, all in little clusters, and tried not to get slammed with drinks in the process

Once we made it to the stairs, I hurriedly led Tate to the second floor I had no plans to o up and would draw their own conclusions e came back down

I just needed her alone for a fewthe door to the first bedroo Tate in, I had barely even closed the door before I backed her into it and dove for her lips

She stumbled and latched onto my shoulders to steady herself The surprised little moan she let loose filled ht here and now

Yeah, this was not what I’d planned, but I’d been good tonight

I deserved a reward

She tasted like peaches, and I pulled her barely-clothed body intowhy I was up here in the first place

"God, Tate" I dipped my head to nibble her ear lobe "Your dress should be burned"

"Why?" she breathed out, leaning her neck intoat you tonight I’, but my words weren’t I wasn’t insecure about Tate I knew she loved uys looking at her, wanting her It kind of turned me on, actually