“We were too busy pretending to be cool?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Jason came over then, a scowl on his face. “I couldn’t get one. You were wrong, Claire. They do remember me.”

She almost choked. “You’re kidding.”

He rolled his eyes, and took the one she was holding. “Nope, sweet chickadee. They remember me. This is Blaze’s party. I didn’t know this house was his. He moved. He was closer to Cain campus last year.”

Claire held her hands up. “Chill, okay. I’ll get you a drink, and stop worrying. If they were going to throw you out, you wouldn’t have been allowed back here.”

“Mmm-hmmm.” He glowered at her retreating back over the drink he still held. “She’s off to get her own self a drink.” He raised the glass to me. “And I’m no idiot. They’re waiting for Logan Kade to get here. Then they’ll see what he wants to do with me.”

“Okay.” I shifted closer to him. “What happened, and who is Logan Kade? His name sounds familiar.”

“His name’s familiar because his brother is a football god around these parts: Mason Kade. I’m sure your dad’s mentioned him.”

I scratched at the corner of my mouth. Was that where I’d heard that name before?

“So his brother is a big football guy. What does that have to do with Logan and whoever this Park guy is? How were you involved?”

“Mason Kade hated Sebastian Park last year, so that meant his brother hated him, too. I don’t know the reason why. There are rumors, of course,” Jason said, fluttering his hands through the air. “But who really knows? What I do know is that I took bets on some fights for Park last year. Logan Kade wanted me to open it up to his buddies at a party, and I wouldn’t do it. It was a conflict of interest. I owed Sebastian. Everyone knew about the beef between the two. I was protecting myself.”

He ran a hand over his face. “Since then, I’ve not been invited to any Cain University party. Park basically got run out of town, and the Kades took over, kind of. I mean, a lot of people have no clue about the rivalry, but everyone who matters knows, and they paid attention. Once Kade gets here, they’re going to throw me out…” His voice trailed off as his gaze fixed on something over my shoulder.

He suddenly resembled an owl. His eyes got big, and his chest rose as he sucked in a quick breath of air.

Someone new had arrived at the party, and turning around, I assumed it was Logan Kade. I could only see the back of him. He was talking to a group of guys right outside the back door, and someone motioned in our direction.

Jason groaned.

Logan lifted his head, looking right at us.

From the back, he was the finest specimen I’d seen in a long time. Tall. Lean. Broad shoulders. Trim waist. His shirt clung to his form, outlining his lithe build. He was obviously an athlete. Guys couldn’t get that look unless they played sports on an almost-daily basis and for hours at a time. Others might try to mold and sculpt their bodies to look as good as this one, but their efforts never played out.

Even the back of his neck was delicious. His shirt hugged the muscles of his shoulder and the ridges where his neck and shoulders became one. His hair had a crew cut. When he finally glanced over his shoulder again, looking in the direction the other guy had pointed, his eyes found mine. They held firm.

I swallowed, feeling like I’d just gotten the wind knocked out of me. He was breathtaking.

Dark chocolate eyes. Long eyelashes I would’ve killed for when I was younger—hell, I still would. He had an angular face with high cheekbones, and the front of him matched his back. His biceps bulged, and his shirtsleeves tightened around them for a second before they relaxed. The outline of washboard abs was visible through his shirt. His jeans sealed the image, making my mouth water, and I finally pulled my eyes away.

I had to. I hadn’t reacted to a guy like this in a long time. It didn’t feel right. A breeze picked up, sliding across the back of my neck, and goose bumps formed. I felt a shiver go through my body, and I turned, as if to shield myself from the wind. Maybe I was shielding myself from this guy. I didn’t know. He was just…too much. His charismatic pull still tugged at me, even when I wasn’t looking at him.

I swallowed over a knot. Claire hurried over toward us, holding two big glasses in front of her. She almost tripped in her haste. “He doesn’t even remember you, Jason,” Claire said once she arrived. “You don’t have to leave.”

“No.” Jason shook his head. “I’m going. I’m not sticking around and waiting for whatever Kade is going to do.”

“Come on—”

“He starts fights, and he finishes them,” Jason said firmly. “Don’t try to tell me you’re not hoping he’ll come over. I know you’ve got the hots for him. Honestly, Claire. He’s a manwhore. He’s had a different girl with him every time I’ve seen him. And look at him.” Jason pointed as Logan Kade approached. “Tonight’s no different. There are two girls with his group. I’m not—”

Claire huffed. “Believe it or not, not every girl is enamored with him. I’ve got my own set of friends and—”

Jason’s voice rose higher as Logan approached. “Like you said before, he’s up here…” His hand rose to his head, then lowered to his waist. “And we’re down here. Isn’t that the way it is?”