Chase calls out just as I make it past him and the rest of the guys. One of them pauses the game and Chase's outburst causes every single pair of eyes to dart towards me. Feeling uncomfortable with the attention, I look down, relaxing slightly when I feel Lexi wrap her arm around me.

"Don't you dare embarrass her like that. She can wear whatever the fuck she wants and you can't say shit about it." Lexi snaps at her boyfriend and I feel terrible for putting them in this position.

"I can go ch―"

"No," Lexi says at the same time that Chase says "Yes". She raises a challenging eyebrow and he backs off.

"Sorry, Rory. Be safe." Is all he says before we walk out the door. A cab is already waiting for us outside the house and I sigh a breath of relief to be away from all that testosterone.

"Lexi I'm sorr―"

"Don't apologize. Chase has no control over what you do or what you wear. You're an adult, he should treat you like one." She says gently and I smile at her.

"Thank you," I say quietly, hugging her as the girls start talking about tonight. I hear a few warnings but they tell me that we're going to have tons of fun and I believe them.

We arrive at a large house party that is already in full swing and we pay the driver before getting out. I hear some whistles coming from some guys loitering about in the yard but we ignore them. A few people greet Lexi and Faye as we step inside.

Kiki and I follow the girls to the kitchen, where they mix drinks and hand us each a red cup full of something. I smell it and smile when I catch the scent of something fruity. I take a sip and the sweet liquid coats my mouth, not bitter like the beer that I tried before. I eagerly drink more and Lexi stops me.

"Easy there, take your time with it." She says gently, making me a new one as I had almost finished my first one. We chat and finish up our drinks before agreeing to dance. Faye, Kiki, and I all have an advantage but Lexi's confidence puts her right there with us. We sway and laugh and I feel myself tripping over my feet a few times, causing giggles to come out of all of our mouths.

"Hey, let's go sit for a minute." Faye says and we all nod. I can't stop smiling and Kiki links her arm through mine as we follow the girls through the house. We pass someone who invites us to join a game going on upstairs and we agree, the four of us following her.

We join a room that currently holds about eight people. Six guys, and only two girls. I assume they wanted our group to join for even numbers. Each of these guys stares at us like food but the rest of the girls either don't notice or choose to ignore it. I just continue giggling and sit down with my legs folded to one side, draping my jacket over my lap.

My eyes widen when I spot Maddox sitting directly across from me, his eyes already on mine. Quickly looking away, I ignore him once again. He just had to be here. "So we're going to be playing Never Have I Ever because we want to hear all of your dirty secrets." One of the guys says mischievously and sits down in the circle. "But this game has a twist. We will be saying things that we have done, and you drink if you haven't done it." I try to pay attention to his instructions as I've never played before. "I'll start off easy. Never have I ever had sex."

My eyes widen. That's easy? I hesitantly take a sip of my drink and notice that I'm the only one. All eyes dart to me and Maddox is currently glaring at the guy who stated the rules, nostrils flaring as he does.

"No way she's a virgin." One of the guys says and laughs as if I'm lying. My cheeks tinge red in embarrassment and Lexi places her hand on my leg to soothe me.

"Moving on. Never have I ever gone to boarding school." Lexi says and looks at me, everybody drinks except for Maddox and me and I'm surprised. The game goes around the circle and I end up having to drink every time. My drink is quickly finished, so someone hands me an unopened beer to continue. I ask Lexi to crack it open and when she passes it back to me, I take a sip.

It's my turn. "Never have I ever...snogged with someone on a public beach." I giggle and everyone looks at me, surprised that I'd ever done that. Maddox chokes on his drink but lowers it because he obviously has done that. The girls give me cheeky looks and I keep giggling obliviously.

"I'll be right back," I say and stumble trying to stand up. I hear a few laughs but manage to stay on my feet and walk to the door. Making my way down the hallway slowly, in search of the bathroom, I hear a few guys speak up behind me. Not thinking anything of it, I turn when I feel a hand on my waist.

"Hey babe, wanna cross some of those things from your bucket list?" One of the guys from the room asks me, flanked by two others that I don't recognize.

"We can all join in. The more the merrier right?" One of the other two asks and I shake my head, unable to find my words. I sigh in relief when I see Maddox march up behind them. He taps the shoulder of the guy touching me and when the guy turns around, Maddox throws a punch directly into his nose. I gasp as I hear the sound of something cracking and fear for him, covering my mouth with my hands.

The other two back off immediately, clearly no match for Maddox's large, muscular build and intimidating persona. After a few seconds, I let out a surprised giggle and look down at the guy on the ground, my usual fear of fighting gone. "Ouch," I say, somehow finding amusement in the situation and Maddox just looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Aurora! You can't just go off like that alone!" I hear Kiki's voice and turn to see her, followed by Lexi and Faye. I lose my balance and lean on the guardrail but Maddox has other plans and throws me over his shoulder instead, giving me a nice view of his perfect butt. I poke it and giggle.

"I'll take her home," Maddox says and I turn my head, smiling at the girls while I hang upside down. Kiki looks wary but Lexi puts a hand on her shoulder and nods.

His hand is placed directly on my butt, hiding the view up my short dress from anyone we pass, but it sends tingles up my spine and I clench my legs together, making him chuckle deeply. My view changes from hardwood to grass in a matter of seconds.

Maddox opens a car door and sets me down in the leather seat gently. The world spins and I blink quickly. He climbs into the driver's side and sends a text before driving off. My head slumps against the window and I know I probably look a mess.

"Are you pissed?" I slur, leaning my head to look at his profile, watching his temptingly sharp jaw clench and unclench repeatedly, eyes straight ahead.

"Yes."

"Then why are you driving?" I exclaim nervously and he looks at me quickly, furrowing his eyes.

"I'm not drunk. I'm mad." He grumbles.

"Why did you kiss me if you were just going to ignore me after?" I ask, completely placid again and somehow closer to his face.

"Stop acting like a four-year-old Aurora,"

I stick my tongue out as my response and see his eyes roll. When we pull into the driveway, I know it must be really late because all the lights are off in the house. Maddox throws me over his shoulder again and keeps his hand on my butt despite my quiet protests.

"There's no need to manhandle me now. Nobody can see up my dress."

"Hey, Eric," Maddox says just as I feel another person approach and then walk past, Eric's face amused as he looks back at the scene.

Trying to wiggle enough for Maddox to set me down, he just picks up his hand and brings it back down harder, making me yelp. Not necessarily from the pain, but the feeling deep within paired with it, the same one I felt when he pressed himself against me at the beach.

I don't say anything and neither does he, silently carrying me to my room. He places me on my bed and turns to leave when I gather the strength to jump up and embrace him. Linking my arms around his neck, I press my lips to his, eager to feel what only he gives me again, but he tears his mouth away from me and gently pushes me off.

He almost walks out until I open my mouth. "Am I a bad kisser?"

Turning back around to face me, he stares at me, surprised. "A bad kisser?" He repeats, and I nod, losing my small shred of confidence from before. "Why the hell would you think that?" He asks and I shrug.

"After the beach, you... I just want to know what you're thinking."

"Trust me, you don't" He growls and I cross my arms.

"Yes, I do!" I whisper-shout, trying not to wake anyone up, even though the nearest bedroom is on the other side of Maddox's. He takes two steps closer, close enough that I can feel his warm breath against my forehead.

"So you want to know about how, ever since you stepped foot in this house, I haven't been able to fuck another girl? Or how those fucking adorable knee socks of yours give me anything but innocent thoughts? How I want them wrapped around my hips? Don't even get me started on the shower. I can smell you in it and I can't leave the bathroom without fucking my fist first, picturing you in that tiny white towel."

I bat my eyelashes in shock, trying to process his words. My mouth opens and closes repeatedly, staring up at him but not knowing how to respond. He waits, breathing heavily with dark eyes tracing over my body, still barely covered by the tiny black piece of fabric. I pull the hem down again which pulls down the top and his eyes dart to my cleavage.

Maddox looks at me like he simultaneously wants to tear every scrap of fabric off of my body and light it on fire, or keep me far enough away that my hands can't reach out to touch him.

"Kiss me."