Drink in hand, I make my way to a quiet section of the wall and begin my mental countdown. I get a few sideways glances, even an ogle or two, but when I shy away and don’t return the interest, I’m mostly ignored. I’ve spent my life trying not to be seen. I’m a master at it now.

I’m halfway through my drink when I hear it. Austin’s laugh. It isn’t just the light chuckle I usually hear when I’ve done something stupid. It’s a full belly laugh like the one we shared when I was idiotically screaming “Loosey-goosey” at the top of my lungs. I scan the room for him, wondering what made him laugh. Wondering who made him laugh.

Am I seriously jealous someone else got his laugh?

What was it I said about not being a creepy fangirl?

My eyes finally find him across the room. He’s surrounded by a group of guys, other football players if I had to guess. One of them is gesturing wildly, in the throes of a super-engaging story. I let out a little sigh of relief.

Austin’s sitting on the armrest of the couch, a beer in hand and an easy smile on his sexy lips. He is so casually confident, as if he owns the universe and everyone in it. He’s drop-dead gorgeous as always, with his jeans that hug all the right places and a snug black T-shirt that shows off his amazing arms. I try to hide a shudder remembering how it feels when those arms are wrapped around me.

He is every bit the cocky athlete, but it’s more than that. He fits in. He belongs. I’ve never felt that and I doubt I ever will. Last night, when he took my hand and said everyone is weird, I wanted to believe him so badly. But he isn’t. He’s everything I’m not. I’m both jealous and in awe of him. I watch him from the corner of the room for several minutes. Possibly without blinking.

Ease up, creepy stalker!

I try to drag my eyes away from him until I see a tall blonde bombshell lean against his shoulders. If I was trying to describe every man’s dream girl, she’d be it. Her shapely tan legs seem to go on forever, only coming to an end at her firm butt and slender hips. Keep moving up and there’s her tiny waist and flat abs, followed by a pair of perky boobs. And that’s just her body. She also happens to have the face of an angel. If someone put a gun to my head, I wouldn’t be able to say what’s more stunning, her full red lips or the long lashes fluttering over her hazel eyes.