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"Thanks Dad!" Marlie says, stepping out of the car that carries all four of them. Marlie's father was the only one who was willing to bring the four of them to a frat party. Dad would kill Veronica if he knew she was at a frat party. "I'll be back before 2, I swear."
"Hey, you said midnight!" he shouts, but Marlie closes the door just as he says that.
To prevent herself from laughing, Veronica opens the car door and thanks Marlie's dad. Tanner and Scarlett follow suit and soon, they're in the mansion of one of their classmates.
"Where do they get the money for this?" Scarlett asks, looking up at the ceiling. She's dressed as Cindy Moon from Spiderman, following the theme of Heroes versus Villains for the party.
Marlie, who's dressed as Athena, replies, "No idea, but you're coming with me." She places an arm around Scarlett's shoulders and drags her with her.
Veronica and Tanner share a quick glance and follows them. They don't exactly know where they're supposed to go either.
"Hey Hardy," Marlie calls, turning to look at Veronica.
It takes Veronica a few seconds to realise that she's calling for her, who's dressed as Black Cat—otherwise known as Felicia Hardy. Technically, Black Cat doesn't even fit the theme of this party, but she chooses to ignore that. "Yes?"
"You and Spiderman should go to the dance floor or something." Marlie winks. Tanner is dressed as Spiderman for this party, except he discarded the mask. "Get some drinks too—unless you'd rather play spin the bottle?"
"Yeah, no thanks," Veronica confirms. "Scar is playing spin the bottle?"
Scarlett looks briefly alarmed, but she glances at Marlie and her expression is back to normal. "I guess so," she replies, smiling slightly.
"We'll see you guys later?" Tanner asks. Marlie nods, then drags Scarlett along with her to the game of spin the bottle.
Tanner turns to Veronica. "How would you feel about grabbing a drink or two?"
She shrugs in response. "I'm up if you're up."
He gives a small smile, then takes Veronica's hand in his, pulling her to the drinks counter. She's all too aware of the contact between her hand and his—and of how much she likes it.
Once he pours them both a drink and hands Veronica her cup, he questions her, "So, why Black Cat, Ronnie?"
She takes her time with answering, taking a sip of her drink and swirling it down her throat. His eyes follow the motion of both her hand and her throat, then goes back up to her eyes. "She's cool, what can I say?"
Tanner makes an expression that shows his agreement, then he takes a sip of his own drink. Veronica tilts her head at him. "Why did you agree to this party?" she asks.
"Same reason you did," he replies simply.
"Scarlett?"
He inclines his head slightly, then turns to look at her. He's silent for a few seconds, his gaze focused solely on her. She returns the favour, studying him in his entirety. It is only because she's so focused on him that she notices the way he swallows hard, the way his eyes flit down to her lips ever so often.
Tanner clears his throat. "Would you," he says, loud enough so that Veronica can hear him over the music, "be interested in playing a game of Truth or Drink?"
Veronica raises a brow. After careful consideration—and another sip of her drink—she finally replies, "I would."
"Do you want to start first?" he asks.
She doesn't respond, but she's thinking of a question to ask Tanner. After a good five seconds have passed, she finally questions him, "What's the worst pickup line someone has used on you?"
She has no doubt that Tanner has girls cooing over him. Brunette, tall, muscular—all physical traits of someone who would earn stares from multiple girls.
And if Veronica is one of those girls, she doesn't want to think about it.
"Well," he starts. There's only the sound of the music blasting from the mansion speakers as Tanner goes over the pickup lines he's received before in his head. Veronica found herself not wanting to know how many girls have used pickup lines on him. "I think it was 'Are you French? Because Eiffel for you.'"
Veronica snorts. "You're not even French."
"Exactly," Tanner states, smiling. "My turn."
In the seconds that it takes him to come up with a question, someone taps Veronica's shoulder. She turns around and sees a blonde guy standing way too close to her. She straightens up against the counter. "Can I help you?"
"Care for a drink with me?" the guy asks.
Veronica glances at Tanner for a split second. "No."
"Come on," the guy prompts, inching closer to her. "Not even one?"
She slides along the counter to move closer to Tanner and further from the guy. "You heard me, horribly-bleached-blondie."
She swears she hears Tanner stifle a laugh.
The guy stiffens, but recovers quickly. "You weren't even pretty anyway," he says, rolling his eyes and taking a cup of drink for himself. He walks off, pretending that he never talked to Veronica.
She rolls her eyes. "Guys and their fragile ego."
Tanner laughs lightly, but doesn't remark on what she said. Instead, he continues the game of Truth or Drink, "What's your biggest turn-on?"
Someone who doesn't play about his ambitions. Veronica flashes a quick smile, then refills her plastic cup with alcohol. She downs the cup in one mouthful.
"Interesting," Tanner comments. She's about to ask him to elaborate, but then he says, "Your turn."
"If you had to sleep with someone in this room," she asked, never breaking eye contact with Tanner, "who would it be?"
He stares at her for a few seconds, blinking but otherwise unresponsive. He does what she did the previous round—down the cup full of alcohol.
"Have you ever," he said, not waiting for her to prompt him, "flirted your way out of a situation?"
She gives him a close-lipped smile. "Yes."
His interest perks up at that. "What situation?"
"You'll have to wait your turn, Tanner," Veronica teases. He rolls his eyes but keeps quiet. She can already feel the alcohol catching up to her, because her next question is, "Have you ever had a crush on someone at this party?"
He lets out a big sigh, followed by a short whistle. "Maybe?"
Veronica raises a brow. "That's not a real answer."
Instead of giving an answer, he just smiles—which makes her falter briefly—and takes another swig from his cup.
"Hello again!" a familiar voice calls out to the two of them. They turn around, face to face with Marlie and Scarlett. "Hope you don't mind that we're back!"
"Not at all," Tanner says. Is that tension Veronica detects in his tone?
"Can we all please dance?" Marlie asks, practically begging. "I know both of you hate it, but it'll do you a solid. Trust me."
Truly, the alcohol is getting to Veronica's head. "Sure, why not?"
Marlie beams and turns to Tanner. "You too?"
"Sure," he says. Veronica looks at him, confused as to why he said yes. Then again, she isn't even sure why she said yes.
"Perfect," Marlie exclaims. "Follow me!"
Scarlett falls in beside Veronica. "Have you been drinking?"
"A little," Veronica confesses. Of course Scarlett is the first person to notice she's been drinking.
"And I assume Tanner too?"
Veronica shrugs slightly. "Maybe."
Scarlett shakes her head. "Hopefully you two won't pass out."
"Relax, Scar," Marlie says, popping out of nowhere. "A little alcohol never killed anyone."
Scarlett raises a brow at Marlie. To that, Marlie grins and pulls Scarlett onto the dance floor by both her hands.
The music is loud throughout the mansion. Veronica starts to dance along to the beat—or at least, what she thinks is an acceptable dance. Tanner mirrors her movements, his body close enough to hers that she can feel the heat radiating off of it.
He leans in close to her ear. "Just so you know," his lips brush against the shell of her ear, "you look stunning in that outfit."
Veronica angles her head up at Tanner, ready to call his bluff, but there's no sign on his face that indicates that he's teasing her. Without thinking, she cups his cheek with her hand. He responds by placing his own hand over hers, leaning into her touch.
"Ronnie," he breathes. He raises his own hand and places it at the nape of her neck. His thumb caresses the spot where Veronica's jaw meets her ear. She expects to hear some kind of alarm going off in her head, but there's only the thought of Tanner's lips and how much she wants to feel them under hers in her head.
After a glance at her lips, he leans in, pressing his lips to hers. She deepens the kiss, pressing her body to his. She wants this. She craves this. And it's because she's spent so long observing Tanner so closely that she knows he craves this too.
The kiss is slow and tender at first, but then it gradually becomes hotter and faster. His hand moves from the nape of her neck to tangle in her ponytail. He tugs on it lightly, giving her a tingling sensation in her scalp.
Maybe this is a mistake. But Veronica can't bring herself to care at the moment; she only wants Tanner.
Only when they're almost out of breath do they finally break apart, but their hands don't move anywhere.
"Veronica Sterling," Tanner whispers, her name like a prayer on his lips. He hesitates for a second, then asks nervously, "Do you regret it?"
She considers the question. Does she? She isn't feeling guilty or anything, but it can just be the alcohol preventing her from feeling anything other than good. Also, she is too distracted by how adorable nervous Tanner is.
And hot. Definitely hot.
She comes to a conclusion and flashes him a sweet smile. "Ask me again tomorrow."