Fuck it if he looked clingy. He wasn’t getting sucked into another conversation and abandoning her again. They strode to the house together, Eden ducking into a side bathroom, and he went to one up the hall. That was the good thing about mansions—always plenty of toilets. He waited for Eden in the hallway and when she reappeared, her cheeks were flushed. He’d bet a million dollars she’d been vaping and downing the rest of her flask. Not that he blamed her. “How are you, pretty girl?”

She gave him a wry smile. “I’m good, Sloan.”

“Ah, don’t call me that, baby.”

She walked toward him, swishing her gold skirt. “But it’s such a posh name. And you’re some kind of Scottish prince, after all.”

He shook his head. “Sorry, I should have told you. It’s not a big deal, is it?”

“It’s okay.” She glanced up the hall. “Do you want to go upstairs? I could show you my old bedroom…?”

From the look in her eyes, he knew that wasn’t what she wanted to do. He groaned. “I don’t trust myself to see your old bedroom.”

“But I thought you were up for anything?”

There was a challenge in her voice. She wanted to do something stupid and that would be fine, but the odds that no one would notice they were missing or that they re-emerged with rumpled fuck-hair was zero. They shouldn’t risk it.

Fuck, I really am a square.

“Let’s go back to the party.”

Her face fell. “Are you serious?”

He cupped her jaw. “Baby, the second we’re out of here, I’ll destroy you. Your pussy will never be the same.”

Her pupils expanded, making her look like a beautiful, stoned elf. “I want that now.”

He kissed her lightly. “Soon.”

She followed him with her lips, trying to make it last longer. “Just a little trip upstairs? We don’t have to do everything.”

“Eden, I’m not gonna get your parents to hate me this early on.” He held out a hand. “Come on, let’s get back out there.”

All the joy bleached from Eden’s face. Willow’s chest contracted. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the double doors. “Let’s go. We wouldn’t want to disappoint George and Maggie.”

Back outside, Eden refused to meet his gaze. She tugged him toward a blond guy and tapped his shoulder. “Brian, this is Sloan. Sloan, this is my second cousin, Brian. I think Brian goes for the Sharks.”