“We should all go downstairs,” she said. “Nate’s down there.”

“He is?” Logan moved back, his eyebrows bunching together slightly.

She nodded. “Yep, and he seems happy.” Her finger rested on Logan’s chest. “Don’t take that away from him.”

“Why would I?”

“Because the two of you bicker like you’re married. You’re either loving each other or you’re at each other’s throats. Stop it.” She meant business. “I’m getting flashbacks of Analise versus David 2.0.”

A look of horror flashed in Logan’s eyes. He stopped in his tracks. “Don’t insult me like that. At least tell me I’m David, not Analise. Anything but Analise.”

Sam shook her head, moving ahead of him. “Then stop the bickering.” She led the way out of the kitchen, and the two girls who’d been at her side earlier fell into place again.

Logan remained a step behind with me. He shook his head, muttering under his breath. “That’s the worst thing she could’ve called me. I’m not Analise. No way in hell. I’d be David all the way.” He cringed. “I don’t even want to be that.”

“Who are David and Analise?”

Logan was still shaking his head, but his arm lifted around my shoulders, like it’d been around Sam’s moments ago. The whole motion seemed so natural, like I’d stepped close to him thousands of times before and my shoulders were always where he rested his arm.

I didn’t register it until it was done, and I was tucked close to his chest. I faced him, staring right into his collar where it rested against his neck and chest. I blinked a few times, then my body caught on to where I was standing and grew heated. It bloomed up inside of me, sending my pulse on a race, and I tried to calm down. I didn’t want him to feel my heartbeat. His arm lay so close to the veins in my neck.

If he could feel it, he didn’t seem to care. He rested his forehead to mine. “Do me a favor.”

Anything. “Yeah?”

His arm tightened a fraction, and he gazed into my depths. “Never insinuate that I’m being like someone’s parents, especially ones that are super fucked up.”

I frowned. “Okay.”

“Thank God,” he breathed out.

I thought he was going to remove his arm then, and I waited for it, knowing I would miss it, but he didn’t. He just turned so we could walk beside each other. I followed his lead as we left the kitchen and went to the basement. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Nate stood at the pool table, aiming to take a shot.

Logan stopped, watching in silence until Nate’s pool cue connected with the white ball. It shot forward, hitting a red ball that bounced off the side of the table and hit a blue striped ball. That ball sank into the pocket, and the red ball ricocheted to a far corner of the table.

“Hey!” Nate’s opponent protested. “Thanks, asshole. That was going to be my next shot.”

Nate straightened and gave the guy a smirk. “Why do you think I used it? I had a straight shot if I wanted.”

The guy grumbled, stepping back as Nate circled the table for another shot. The guy muttered something, but it was lost as Logan’s arm left my shoulders. He caught my hand and led me around a group of girls to a table in the corner where Samantha, her two friends, and a few guys had gathered. All were watching the game, but as we approached, their focus shifted to Logan and me.

Particularly to our joined hands.

I pulled away, and Logan moved forward, a smirk already on his face. He went over to where Nate stood.

“Taylor?” Sam gestured to the empty seat across from her. As I slid into it, she leaned forward so I could hear her. The music and conversation in the basement were loud. “Logan’s talked about you.”

“He has?”

She nodded. “Just to say that he likes you. That’s high praise from him. He acts like he’s everyone’s good friend, but he doesn’t actually like a lot of people.”

Her two friends groaned.

Sam shot them a look. “This is Katie and Nina. They lived on my floor last year,” Sam added. “When we were freshmen.”

I nodded to both. “Hello.”

Each gave me a polite, forced smile.

Sam laughed and leaned in. “Don’t take that personally. They’re both a little in love with Logan, even though I’ve told them not to be.” She gave them a pointed look, her eyebrows arching up.

Katie, the redhead, wrinkled her nose and turned away to watch the pool game. Nina, the petite one, didn’t react. She didn’t scowl and pointedly look away.

Sam sighed, shaking her head. “They’ll warm up to you. Don’t worry. They’re actually really great and loyal friends.” She threw that last word toward them with another pointed look.

Katie didn’t look at her, but the scowl lessened on her face. Nina met my eyes for a moment, and I caught the slightest glimmer of a smile before it vanished.

Sam gave me one more reassuring smile before turning toward the pool table. “Logan, you and Taylor want something to drink?”

Logan was saying something to Nate, but he turned to see the empty space in front of me. “I was going to grab something upstairs. Taylor, you want something?”

Sam stood, waving for him to stay. “Taylor and I will go grab something for both of you. What do you want?”

He shrugged. “A beer is fine.” He met my gaze again. “You want me to come with you?”