You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 8

Easton

Everyone is talking about Ryan's party when we return to school Monday morning. That's because anyone who's anyone was there, rumors swirling through the hallways and throughout my first period class about who got the drunkest, the sickest, who hooked up in Ryan's parents’ bed.

I only remember one thing from the night

The girl I kissed in the bathroom.

The rest is one big blur.

But I remember every detail about that deliciously curvy waist and the softness of her skin and the way her lips had melded to mine. And since waking up with a whopping hangover the next morning, I've been trying to recall every chick who was at the party, comparing them to my memory of her. I don't understand why this girl is such a mystery

She must be somewhere in this school and I'm going to find her.

That should be easy. There are only two kinds of girls who attend Washington High- ones that disgust me and are not my type at all, and ones I've already been

with.

Since I'm on the hunt, I make sure to look at both categories while I'm passing them in the hallway.

By lunch, I haven't made any progress, and I join the guys in the cafeteria, filling my tray with a few slices of pizza and a drink before I take a seat between Ryan and Blake

“I'm still feeling like death,” Blake says, staring at his bowl of French fries, not putting a single one in his mouth. “I had Rebecca stop by my place yesterday afternoon and her deep throating couldn't even take this headache away.”

“Damn.” I bite into the pepperoni slice. “I was feeling pretty rough yesterday afternoon, too, but getting some head would have helped.” I think of mystery girl's lips, how they would feel sucking around my tip and lowering down my shaft.

Fuck.

“Tell me about it,” Blake replies. “And that chick has a mouth like a vacuum, but I was doing everything I could not to throw up.”

My cell vibrates in my pocket, and I take it out, seeing a text from my father, letting me know he’s taking my mother away this weekend, and I'll be home alone. “Hey,” I say, tapping the screen to pull up a calendar, “isn’t Saturday Halloween?”

“I think so, why?" Blake says.

I glance up from my phone, a smile moving over my face. “Mom and Dad are going out of town. Guess who's having a party?”

“Oh, hell yes,” Ryan replies. “But what about your brothers? Will they be stopping by to make sure that's not what you're doing?”

Both are older than me and work with my father at his law firm, footsteps that I'm supposed to follow. The pressure my dad puts

on me every day is more than want to carry

“Nah,” I answer. “T'll tell them I'm staying at your place, so there's no reason for them to pop in.”

“I like this idea,” Blake says. “A lot.”

I write out a quick text, shooting it off to the important people in our class, making sure everyone knows about the plan, and I take another bite of my pizza.

“I've got an idea,” Blake says. “Why not make it a costume party?”

I swallow, wiping my mouth. “For

real?”

“Yeah, why not. Can you imagine

how the girls will dress? How much tits and ass will be on display?” “Girls love any reason to put on a costume,” Ryan agrees.

“Which usually looks more like lingerie,” Blake says, his eyes closing, like he's dreaming about it already. “All those hotties under one roof, it's going to be the fucking playboy mansion at your

crib.”

“I'm sold.” I take out my phone and type up another message, letting the group know to wear costumes.

I wonder if mystery girl will hear about the party and attend and

what kind of costume she’ll have on, if it will reveal that perfect chest with hard, perky nipples, or that ass I can't stop thinking

about.

A grin pulls across Ryan's lips as he nods. “I think we should all go as Hugh Hefner, the owner of Playboy Magazine.”

“And round up a ménage of bunnies for the night,” Blake adds. “Shhh,” I warn as Sadie walks into the cafeteria, Ryan's sister behind her, Sadie heading straight for Ryan. “Here comes the bunny killer.”

Sadie stops in front of our table,

practically bouncing. “Sooo, I hear there's a Halloween party this weekend.” She holds up her phone, like she just read the text.

“Word travels fast,” I reply.

“l love costume parties,” she sings. “Ryan, we should go as Ken and Barbie, how cute would that be?”

Ryan takes a bite of his sandwich, replying with a full mouth, “I'm dressing up with the guys.”

“Well, whatever, I'll wear something else, then.”

“Will it be skimpy?” Blake asks her.

She slaps his shoulder. “I'm not one of those girls.”

“What about you, Harper?” Blake asks. “Are you one of those girls?" “Watch it!" Ryan seethes.

I look at his sister, waiting for her to answer, which I'm sure is going to erupt a fight between her and Ryan. As she contemplates her response, my stare focuses on her mouth

I'm surprised by how sexy it is.

In

Her tongue slowly slides out to lick across her bottom lip, so full and now wet.

And hot as hell.

Fuck no, Easton, stop putting your brain there. She's Ryan's twin

sister and he’s already pissed that his friends are giving her attention. An idea comes to me out of nowhere and I say, “Doesn’t matter,” before she has a chance to respond, “because you're not coming.” She looks at me, like I just said the wildest thing. “Excuse me?”

“No siblings allowed,” I tell her.

If Ryan doesn't want his boys hitting on his sister, the way he'd struggled like hell with her at the pool party, then this should make him happy

The amusement on his face and his laughter tells me I made the

right call.

“You're saying ... I'm not invited?” she clarifies.

"Did you get my text, asking you to come?” I don't have to look at my phone to know she wasn't on that group message; I don't have her number.

Her eyes widened. “No.”

“Then, no, you're not invited.”

“I know you're not being that much of a dick,” Sadie snaps at me, her nostrils flaring, teeth showing like a rabid dog. “She's coming and I know Ryan will side with me.”

Ryan puts his hands up in the air.

“I'm not getting in the middle of this.”

“You already are,” Sadie confirms. She glares at me and adds, “See you Saturday, dickhead.”

Both girls walk away, but not before Harper gives me one final stare that involves her teeth gnawing on her lower lip.

Damn it, that lip.

I hope she keeps her pretty mouth at home where it belongs.

Far away from Ryan's friends.

And me.