Draco: Book Two of The Stardust Series

by Autumn Reed

  As before with Chase, I sensed that Patrick was watching my interactions with the guys, observing us. I wondered what he was thinking.

  “Of course,” Patrick said. “You know you don’t have to ask.”

  Crap. I had completely forgotten about Liam’s text last night. Even though Knox helped me with the basics, I still wasn’t sure I was ready. I considered pretending that I didn’t have the proper attire, but I had packed workout clothes in my bag in case I felt like going for a run. I really did want to learn how to play, I just wasn’t sure Liam was the right teacher.

  Patrick stood from the table and I followed suit. “I believe Chase left your bag in the mudroom. You’re welcome to change in the downstairs guest room.”

  Liam remained in the kitchen while Patrick escorted me down the hall. This guestroom was as nice as the one I had stayed in previously, just with slightly different decor. After placing my bag at the door, Patrick said, “Thanks for a lovely afternoon, Haley.”

  “No, thank you, Patrick.” I smiled, hoping he could tell how sincere I was. “Lunch was delicious, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to get to know you better.”

  Once Patrick left, I changed into my navy and cranberry athletic shorts and cranberry-colored V-neck T-shirt. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail and grabbed my sunglasses before meeting Liam at the front door.

  He crossed his arms and leaned back on his heels, giving me his usual once-over. “Clearly I can’t count on Theo to shop for proper tennis attire. Don’t get me wrong; the shorts are nice, but we must find you a tennis skirt. Preferably a really short one.”

  I rolled my eyes and pushed past him and out the front door.

  “No need to get huffy. You don’t have to wear a skirt . . . I have a vivid imagination,” he said.

  I stopped in my tracks so suddenly that he bumped into the back of me. I spun around and glared at him. “You, Liam Carlyle, are incorrigible.”

  His grin grew slowly until it was an all-out devilish smirk. “Thank you.”

  Shaking my head, I started walking again toward the tennis courts I’d seen near Patrick’s house. Liam casually flung an arm around my shoulder and asked, “So, Haley, are you ready to learn from the best?”

  “I don’t know, maybe we should alert the media instead. Apparently the world’s best tennis player is hiding in San Jose. Move over Roger Federer.”

  Liam’s laugh was contagious and I couldn’t help but let out a giggle of my own. “Have I ever told you how much I adore your cheekiness?”

  Apparently I was suddenly possessed by a coy teenage girl, because I found myself flirting back. “No . . . but, please do go on. What else about me do you adore?” Did I really just say that?

  Liam moved in front of me, walking backwards while he spoke, his amusement obvious. “Brilliant. Ten minutes alone with me and I’ve corrupted you.”

  Holding up his hand, he started ticking off his fingers. “Your hair—especially when you wear it down. The barely-there freckles on your nose. Your mouth. Your legs.”

  I practically shouted, trying to interrupt him. “Okay, okay. I get the picture.”

  His grin was rakish. “You sure? I can keep going.”

  “Positive.” I jogged ahead, relieved to find the courts empty. I didn’t need any witnesses to what would inevitably be a serious stomping by Liam.

  Liam walked to the opposite side of the court, his racket in one hand, several tennis balls in the other. He looked every inch the tennis pro as he shifted the balls in his hand before placing all but one in his pocket.

  “Don’t worry about scoring or rules; let’s just hit the ball around for now. We can score later.” A smirk passed his lips while I pointedly ignored his innuendo.

  Liam bounced the ball on the ground in front of him before hitting it gracefully over the net. I returned it, feeling edgy yet determined. We volleyed the ball back and forth for a while.

  “Relax, gorgeous. This isn’t the Wimbledon championships,” Liam called out, smiling.

  “I am relaxed,” I practically barked back, but even I knew that was a lie.

  When the ball returned to him, he pocketed it before walking around the net toward my side of the court. He stopped less than a foot away from me. “You have to relax,” he said, drawing out the word while he grabbed my hips and swayed them from side to side. My skin burned beneath his touch as my hips loosened and he started swaying with me.

  We stopped moving, but his hands remained in place as he continued talking. “Quit thinking so much. You have the technique, but you need the finesse.”

  I was thankful I at least had my sunglasses to hide behind. “Um, thanks. I think.”

  “Anytime.” He flashed me a smile that was dazzling. “You’ve got potential and you are fit.” He eyed me from head to toe before drawing in a breath that hitched.

  “I should hope so; I do workout.”

  He laughed. “Ahhh, such an American. To us Brits, ‘fit’ is a slang term for someone who is hot or attractive.”

  I blushed. Liam was on a roll today.

  “Now do you think you can loosen up and have some fun?” He tweaked my nose.

  Not wanting him to discover how much his touch was distracting me, I opted for a bossy attitude. “Yes. Now get back on your side of the court and tell me how the scoring works so I can beat the pants off of you.”

  When his eyebrow rose above his sunglasses, I immediately cringed at my word choice. Fortunately, amazingly, Liam let the remark pass without comment and jogged back to his side before explaining the scoring while we hit the ball back and forth.

  When he finally finished, I said, “Games, sets, matches. Got it.” Thanks to my beginner’s tennis lesson from Knox, I was prepared.

  Liam served, his form elegant as he powerfully struck the ball. It came flying across the net and I returned it, feeling the power in his stroke when it met my racket. I had played once with Knox, and he was a powerful player, but Liam had the grace of a tennis pro. He was light on his feet, quickly and efficiently covering the court.

  Finally, the volley ended with Liam scoring the point. “Fifteen-love,” Liam called out.

  “Did you just call me ‘love’?” I asked playfully, knowing full well it was the tennis term for “zero.” Geez, was there something in that lemonade?

  He chuckled, pausing before he served again. “Just stating the score, gorgeous. Would you prefer that I call you ‘love’?”

  Three games later, Liam remained in the lead, although I had held my own and even won a game in the set.

  “Time out,” Liam called.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Everything but that atrocious technique you’re trying to pass as a backhand.”

  “What’s wrong with it?” I shrugged my shoulders.

  He came to my side of the court and stood parallel to me. “Watch and learn.” He demonstrated a few backhand strokes as he explained the optimal way to employ it. Then he watched as I attempted a few.

  “Better, but something is still off,” he said, moving to stand behind me. He reached around and laid his hands over mine as we held the racket together. I could feel the full length of his muscular body behind me, his warmth radiating off him in waves. Tennis. Tennis. Tennis. I kept repeating the word to anchor myself in reality.

  He brushed my ponytail to the side, his long fingers softly grazing my arm as he returned his hand to mine. And just when I didn’t think he could get any closer, he hunched to mirror my own size.

  With his face mere inches from mine, he said, “Ahhh, now I see,” before he repositioned my left hand and then replaced his hand over mine again. “Now let’s try.”

  We swung together and I could feel the difference. When he stepped back from me, I immediately missed the feel of him. No. No. No, Haley. You cannot let yourself be captivated by Liam’s charm.

  “Next time, don’t let Knox give you tennis pointers; leave it to the master.” Liam smirked.

  My mouth involuntarily
dropped open in shock before I could attempt to protest. Liam placed a finger under my chin and gently lifted, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Don’t even try to argue, it’s written all over your beautiful face.” His sincerity sucked the air right out of me, and I stood there staring back at him without moving.

  We resumed play and once I had recovered my wits, I finally decided to ask how he knew about my secret tennis lesson.

  “So, what makes you think Knox gave me pointers?”

  “One: you may have some natural talent, but you were a little too knowledgeable for a complete novice.” He returned the ball.

  “Two: among the guys, Knox is the only one with passable tennis skills. Although I’m not sure whether it was his idea or yours.” The ball flew across the net.

  “And, three: it was a mere hunch, but your reaction confirmed it.” Next time, I’m having Knox work on my poker face, I thought as the ball soared over the net once more.

  “Since you’re such the tennis pro, would you care to make a wager?” He asked, a tantalizingly devious expression playing across his face.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “If I win,” he said, “I cash in on that dinner for two at the restaurant, or kitchen, of your choice.”

  “What about your trust-fund girlfriend?” I hit the ball back slightly harder than I intended.

  Liam almost missed the shot but recovered in time to return it. “Somebody’s been keeping tabs on me,” he said, his expression smug. “But if you’d done a better job, you’d know she’s not my girlfriend.”

  “And if I win?” I asked.

  “Not likely, but I’ll humor you. What would you like?”

  “If I win . . . I get to drive your car.” I grinned, imagining what it would be like to not only beat Liam but get to drive his sports car.

  “Do you even have a driver’s license?”

  “Of course—Jackson gave me one.”

  Liam laughed. “A valid driver’s license, Haley.”

  “I know how to drive. We could go outside the city, where there are less cars.”

  “Since I assume it will be a moot point, I accept your wager.”

  “Game on.”

  Despite my best efforts, Liam trounced me. Of course, he gloated all the way back to Patrick’s house. We cut through the back of the property, and just as we passed Patrick’s pool, Liam had the nerve to say, “Bollocks. I should have wagered a swim with you in a bikini.”

  I didn’t think, I just acted, shoving him into the pool fully clothed. When he came to the surface, sputtering, I said with a sweet smile, “You looked like you could use a cool down.”

  Game, set, match.

  Firecracker

  I shouldn’t have been laying in bed in the middle of the afternoon. But after getting up early to run with Knox and then another self-defense lesson with Ethan, it had been an unusually busy Sunday. And since I’d be joining the entire team at the beach in an hour, I seriously needed time to decompress.

  Flipping through the music on my iPhone, I paused on “Collide” and pressed play. I’d probably listened to the song ten times since downloading it on Friday night. And, if I had to be honest, it wasn’t just because I loved the song—and I really did. Mostly, I couldn’t stop thinking about my entire evening with Chase. Playing his guitar and then singing for him had been surprisingly exhilarating, not to mention his own swoon-worthy performances.

  And then, just when I’d thought things couldn’t get any more intense between us, we’d spent the night practically wrapped around each other. It wasn’t intentional; we started out on our own sides of the bed, not even touching. But when I woke up a few hours later, Chase had moved closer to me and our legs were intertwined. Afraid he would wake up and discover us like that, I shifted slightly, but that just caused him to pull me closer in his sleep.

  So, I stayed that way—twisted in the sheets with him—and tried desperately to relax and fall back asleep. Instead, I lay awake for what felt like hours and felt Chase’s every breath on my neck and every unintentional brush of his body against mine. As my blood pulsated through my veins, I didn’t think I’d ever been so aware of my own heartbeat. It was the sweetest kind of torture, wanting so much to burrow into his strong embrace, but spending every second terrified of what would happen if I did.

  I knew better, I really did. But that knowledge didn’t stop me from fixating on what an amazing boyfriend he would be. Between his all-American good looks and adorable personality, he was quite possibly the perfect guy. And let’s not forget those sky-blue eyes and that dimple that could melt hearts with just one smile.

  I buried my head under my pillow. Haley, you are so screwed.

  Knowing I would obsess over how to act around him in front of the rest of the guys if I stayed in bed, I forced myself to get up and change clothes. Thankful that the temperature was cool enough to forgo a swimsuit, I slipped into a pair of denim shorts and flowy turquoise top. I threw a book and sweater in my tote before re-doing my braid and adding a swipe of pink lipgloss.

  “Haley!” I heard Theo’s voice carry down the hall. “It’s time to go!”

  When I reached the living room, Penny immediately trotted over to me and sat, looking up at me expectantly, her tail wagging. I reached down and scratched behind her ears. “Hello, Penny. I’ve missed you.”

  Jackson walked over. “You must have made an impression on her at the party. She’s usually not quite so friendly with new people.”

  Theo laughed, “Penny’s probably just happy to have another girl around.”

  Jackson scanned the loft. “What happened to Ethan? Wasn’t he here earlier for Haley’s self-defense lesson?”

  Theo snorted, “I’m pretty sure he had to go let off some steam after that.”

  Knox smacked him in the shoulder. “Shut up, Theo.” Turning to me, he said, “Ready to go?”

  As we headed out, I realized that Jackson made a valid point. Why didn’t Ethan just hang out at the loft after the lesson? It’s not like he would have gone all the way home just to come back to the beach. From what I knew, his place was closer to the office than to the loft; he would be heading in the complete opposite direction of the beach.

  When we reached the Jeep, Theo groaned. “Really, Jackson? You just had to take the top off?” He smoothed his perfectly-styled hair. “I don’t know why I even try,” he sighed dramatically.

  “Deal with it, freckles. We’re going to the beach; no one cares about your hair. Plus, Haley likes the top down.”

  All three sets of eyes swung to me and I shrugged. “What? It’s fun. Like a rugged convertible.”

  Jackson opened the back door and Penny jumped in, settling on the seat next to Theo. I climbed in after her, happy to sit in the back with my furry friend.

  A few miles outside of town, Theo turned to me. “I can’t believe you haven’t been to the beach yet. We’re terrible tour guides.”

  “Well, it’s not like I haven’t seen the beach.”

  He shook his head, “Still, there’s no excuse. You know, you can ask me when you want to go somewhere.”

  “It’s not a big deal. I know you guys are busy.”

  Jackson caught my eye in the rearview mirror. “Theo’s right, Haley. You don’t have to be so accommodating all the time.”

  He pulled into a dirt parking area on the side of the road with a few other vehicles, thankfully cutting off the conversation. I looked around but didn’t see any signs. How did anyone know there was a public beach here?

  We parked next to Chase’s SUV where he, Ethan, and Liam were pulling a cooler and some bags out of the trunk. After unloading from Jackson’s Jeep, Knox and Jackson grabbed a few bags from the trunk and headed toward what looked like the beginnings of a trail. I followed behind, Penny and Theo at my side.

  We took the path over railroad tracks and down a hill until we reached the sand. The beach was nestled between rocky cliffs, making it feel surprisingly secluded. There were maybe fifteen othe
r people there: a family with children making sandcastles, a couple groups of co-eds, and several surfers in the distance. Numerous pelicans dotted the cliffs, occasionally diving into the water or flying overhead.

  While I checked out the scenery, the guys were busy staking a claim on our portion of the beach. Several grabbed beers from the cooler and Chase set up a game that looked like a mini trampoline with balls the size of an over-sized grapefruit. Okaaay.

  I walked over to Jackson. “Anything I can help with?”

  “I think we’re good for now.” He smiled. “Want to play a game?”

  Theo sang out, “Yeah, Haley. You can be on my team.”

  When Knox scowled behind Theo’s back, I knew he was thinking about Theo’s injury. It had been a week since Theo mysteriously injured himself on a work assignment, and the stitches wouldn’t heal for at least another week or so.

  “Theodore.” I gave him my best you’re in trouble look and placed my hands on my hips.

  “Yes, Haley.” He batted his eyelashes innocently.

  “Do you want to climb El Gigante or not?”

  He blew out a breath. “Fine. I’ll sit this one out.”

  “I’ll hang out with you—we can watch and commentate.”

  He pointed a finger at me. “No way; you’re playing. I’ll be the ref.”

  “I don’t mind. I’m not even sure what kind of game that is.”

  The rest of the guys walked up, and I found myself in the middle of a huddle of six super hot guys. I saw at least one, if not more, of them on a daily basis, but it had been awhile since we were all together. I blinked, still stunned by each and every one of them. Would the butterflies they induced ever go away? I sure hope not.

  Jackson spoke up. “Chase set up Spikeball. Everyone in?”

  The guys nodded in agreement and he continued talking. “Okay, teams of two. Chase, you’re with me. Knox, you and Liam can be a team. Haley, you and Ethan together. Good?”

  I leaned over to Ethan. “Sorry you’re stuck with me. I have no clue what Spikeball is.”