She took a moment to respond. “I think Dee has her hands full, but she did a great job decorating the house.”
“Don’t let her fool you into believing she did all of this herself. She recruited me from the moment I got home.”
“Oh.” Surprise flickered across her face. “You both did a great job.”
I was trying and failing to keep my eyes above the neck. Holy shit, that dress answered the question on whether or not her blushes traveled south when she flushed. They did. “Where did you get this dress?”
“Your sister,” she replied blandly.
Well hell. Frowning, I shuddered as the mental image of my sister wearing the dress formed.
“I don’t even know what to say about that.”
“Say about what, babe?”
I stiffened at the sound of Ash’s voice. A second later, she had her arm around my waist. Instinct demanded that I remove it, but then again, did I not just witness Kat kissing the douche bag? It was on the cheek, but still. Lowering my lashes, I watched Kat as Ash fitted the front of her body against my side.
Brief, but it was there, a flicker of anger, a slight darkening in her eyes as she eyed Ash. Anger could only exist if there was jealousy, and if Kat was jealous…?
I smiled lazily.
“That’s a cute dress. It’s Dee’s, right?” Ash asked. “I think she got it when we went shopping together, but it usually looks looser on her.”
Oh dammit. I started to respond, but Kat snapped right to it, which I should’ve known. She didn’t need me to defend her always. “I think,” she said, “you forgot some jeans or the bottom part of your dress.”
Ash smirked, but then turned back to me. “Babe, you rushed off so fast. I had to search the entire upstairs for you. Why don’t we go back to your room and finish what we started?”
Oh dammit all to hell. I exhaled out of my nose as I stepped out of Ash’s loose embrace. I glanced at Kat, and that anger…it was gone, and there was another all-too-quick shimmer of emotion before she raised her brows at me. Before I could say a word, she spun around, slipping between a couple who looked like they were seconds away from getting pregnant and two laughing girls.
“Kat,” I called out.
She kept going, her back unnaturally stiff.
Cursing under my breath, I looked at Ash. “Really?”
Her smile was smug. “I told you I wasn’t going to help you.”
“That wasn’t necessary, and you know it.” I started after Kat and made it a few steps before I stopped. Twisting sideways, I grabbed the guy who was getting down to business with some chick on my couch. I yanked him up and spun him around. It was Donnie, a senior like me.
“What the—?” Donnie cut himself off the moment he realized who it was.
I shoved him back, sparing the girl a brief glance. “Not in here. Not ever. Got it?”
“Got it,” he replied.
Letting Donnie go, I made it as far as the kitchen before Ash caught up with me. She darted in front of me. “Okay,” she said. “Maybe that was going too far.”
“You think?” I frowned as I caught a glimpse of my sister. She was with Carissa and Lesa, but it was the way Adam was rubbing her arm that drew my attention.
Ash clasped her hands together in front of her. “But you did see what I saw, right? She kissed that guy—”
“On the cheek,” I growled.
“Like that’s a difference.” She wiggled her brows. “And he’s kind of hot.”
“Ash—”
“Okay, he’s really hot.”
Lesa passed us, running her hand over her curly hair. “Who’s hot? You?” She grinned unabashedly. “Yes. You are hot.”
“Blake is also hot,” Ash chimed in, and I tilted my head to the side, staring at her. “Isn’t he, Carissa?”
Lesa frowned. “Yes, Blake is very hot, too. By the way,” she gestured at her chest with her red Solo cup, “I’m Lesa.”
Ash shrugged as she tugged on the hem of her dress. “Whatever.”
The human girl stared at Ash. “Okay. It’s not like we look alike. I’m white with an awesome touch of Hispanic, and Carissa is half black and half Asian. Kind of hard to get us confused.”
Well, Lesa had a point, and this just got real awkward, and Ash stared at her, apparently oblivious. “Anyway,” Lesa drew the word out. “Why are we talking about how good-looking Blake is? Not that I don’t mind chatting about that.”
“He was here with Kat.” Ash’s hand snapped out, and she plucked a fresh cup out of some random person’s grip. She eyed the contents. “She kissed him.”
“On the cheek,” I repeated.
Lesa snickered. “I would totally be kissing him someplace else.”
I looked at her.
“And you, too,” she added quickly, and I frowned. She giggled. “Well, if I didn’t have a boyfriend, that is.”
“Uh, that’s good to know.” My heart started pounding as if I’d just run a mile. Concern bloomed in my gut. “Have you seen Kat?”
Lesa sipped her drink. “She went outside to get some fresh air. Didn’t look too happy.”