Cate smirked when Baze sat down beside her in the front of the classroom. "Are you lost?" She asked.
Baze and the other football players always sat in the back so teachers couldn't see what they were doing. Which was usually not what they were supposed to be doing. Not that any of the teachers would care if they knew Baze wasn't paying attention. His charm didn't only work on cheerleaders. It also got him whatever he wanted from authority figures, which he knew and took advantage of.
Baze was only sitting in the front of English in case they paired off to read Romeo and Juliet again. There's no way Dewey Johnson was working with Cate again. Baze would be the first to ask her this time.
He didn't want Cate to know he was that jealous, though, so he shrugged and tried to act nonchalant. "I wanted to sit by you today."
Cate tried not to smile. She knew exactly what Baze was up to and she was loving every minute of it.
"Did you hear about Jaime's party?" Baze asked, intentionally changing the subject.
Cate frowned slightly. Who was she kidding? She didn't have the upper hand this time around. Sure, Baze might be a little jealous, but he was still the popular quarterback and she was still the bookworm.
She'd never been invited to parties, but she usually heard about them through the grapevine. That all changed when she was pregnant. The few friends she'd had got tired of her never wanting to do anything and even they stopped including her. Alice was the only one that even acted remotely friendly toward Cate anymore.
As a result, Cate hadn't heard about Jaime's party and knew she probably wouldn't have if Baze hadn't brought it up. She would never admit that to Baze, though. Instead she said, "Yeah. Who hasn't?"
"Are you gonna go?" Baze asked.
Cate rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm gonna take Lux to a keg party," she said sarcastically.
"If you, uh, wanted to go, my mom could watch Lux," Baze offered hopefully.
"If you're sure…" Cate said. She knew she shouldn't want to go to the party. Jaime hadn't invited her. She wasn't friends with anyone who would be there. But for some reason she was dying to go.
"I'm sure," Baze said quickly, relieved that Cate had said yes. He'd never been nervous about asking a girl out before. Probably because he'd always known they would say yes in the past. Cate was different. She didn't trip over herself to please Baze like the other girls he'd been interested in.
Baze was sorely disappointed that they didn't read Romeo and Juliet that day. They discussed the metaphors in the play as a class. He should have sat in the back.
He couldn't doodle in his notebook to pass the time because their teacher could see everything he was doing. How did Cate sit in the front every day? Class had only been in session for fifteen minutes and Baze was already bored out of his mind.
He glanced at Cate to see what she was doing. She was staring at her notebook intently, hastily scribbling down every last word their teacher was saying. Her chocolate eyes were focused on the lined pages. She was kind of cute when she was being studious, Baze thought.
Baze looked up in surprise when the bell rang. He'd been watching Cate for forty-five minutes.
Baze stood on Cate's doorstep. He took a deep breath before knocking.
This was ridiculous. Why was Baze's stomach tied in knots? He'd been over to Cate's house almost every day since Cate brought Lux home.
But usually they just hung out. Tonight he was taking her to Jaime's party. Everything would be different.
Baze's breath caught in his chest when Cate opened the door. She looked unbelievably hot. She was wearing a red dress that left little to the imagination. He stared at her, appreciating every curve.
Cate shifted uncomfortably under Baze's gaze. She wondered if she looked all right. She hadn't been to a party in well over a year. She didn't know what everyone would be wearing. She hoped the dress wasn't too much. Maybe everyone would be wearing jeans.
"It's kinda cool. Maybe I should change," Cate said, fidgeting nervously with her necklace.
"You don't need to change," Baze said quickly. He shrugged out of his leather jacket and draped it over Cate's shoulders.
Cate smiled as Baze helped her into his jacket. It felt warm from his skin and smelled like Baze. Masculine and strong. She never wanted to take it off.
Baze opened the passenger door for Cate and she slid into his car.
When Baze got in, he adjusted the heat, making sure the vents were pointed at Cate. "Are you getting enough heat?" He asked.
"Yeah." Cate smiled.
Jaime's was already crowded when they arrived. Baze seemed to know everyone. As they made their way into the living room, several people stopped Baze to say hi.
Cate didn't see any friendly faces. She stood beside Baze awkwardly while he started talking about how crazy Jaime's last party had been with a group of kids. No one acknowledged Cate and she couldn't exactly join in the conversation because she hadn't been at the party in question.
Cate shifted uncomfortably beside Baze. She didn't know what to do. She felt so awkward just standing there. She slipped away.
"Is this the line for the keg?" A football player asked Cate as she weaved through the crowd.
Cate stared at him. He looked familiar, but she didn't know his name. She thought he was a year younger than her.
She didn't know many of the kids who weren't in her class. Not unless they were in the Honors Society or on Student Council, which eliminated most of the jocks.
She may not know him, but at least he was speaking to her. That was an improvement. Cate nodded and joined him in line.
Before Cate knew it, she was at the front of the line and someone was handing her a red plastic cup filled with cheap beer. She wasn't much of a drinker. One of the only other times she drank was the night she got pregnant. It had only taken two Zimas to get her tipsy that night.
Tipsy was an understatement. She'd been drunk. Drunk enough to sleep with a guy she barely knew.
Cate knew deep down that the alcohol was an excuse. And a lame one at that. She would have slept with Baze that night even if she'd been completely sober. It wasn't just the alcohol that made it so Cate couldn't think straight. It was Baze. He did something to her.
Cate looked for Baze and saw that he was still surrounded by people. He was laughing. It looked like he was having fun. Like he didn't miss her.
Cate sighed. What had she been thinking? That she'd show up with Baze and be instantly popular? Yeah, right. It would take more than a date with the popular quarterback to repair her reputation, Cate knew.
Cate sipped her beer absent-mindedly. She glanced around. Maybe Alice would be there by now. Then Cate wouldn't be stuck standing there alone.
Cate saw three popular cheerleaders dancing provocatively. She recognized one of them, Meghan, as the head cheerleader Baze had dated for a few months. Cate couldn't help but compare herself to the pretty blonde. Not only was Meghan gorgeous, but she was popular as well.
What did Baze see in Cate after being with someone like that? It was like going from an ice cream sundae to a scoop of plain vanilla.
"You want another?"
Cate looked up in surprise. Jaime was gesturing toward her empty cup. She hadn't even realized she drank the whole thing. "Yeah," she said.
"Thanks," Cate said when Jaime handed her a full cup.
Baze glanced around, looking for Cate. He didn't know what had happened. One minute she'd been standing beside him, their hands linked, and the next she was gone.
Every time Baze tried to go find her, someone else came over to say hi. He didn't want to be rude, but he really just wanted to find Cate.
He hadn't heard a word his friends had said. His mind was on the girl he'd come with. The only one he wanted to leave with.
He frowned as he scanned the room. Where had she gone? Damn it. Jaime's house was so crowded. He couldn't pick anyone out of the crowd.
"Hey, man, have you seen Cate?" Baze asked Steve, a football player, passing by.
"Cate?" Steve made a face. "Cate who?"
Baze sighed. "Never mind."
None of his friends even knew who Cate was. And if they did, they thought she was a nobody. Just like he had a year ago.
How did he go two and a half years without noticing her? She was beautiful. Inside and out. Which was more than he could say for most of his so-called friends.
He remembered Cate freshman year with headgear and a padded bra. He'd written her off the second he saw her.
Now the headgear was gone. In its place was a beautiful smile. A smile he'd do just about anything to see.
Somehow Baze knew Cate wouldn't be smiling wherever she was. Bringing her here was a stupid idea. This wasn't her scene. He should've taken her somewhere she liked.
"Dude, your date is wasted!" Jaime said.
Baze frowned. "Cate?"
Jaime shrugged. "Hot girl in a red dress?"
"Where is she?" Baze asked urgently.
"By the keg," Jaime replied.
Baze made his way through the crowd with purpose. He had to get to Cate. To make sure she was all right.
Cate knew she was a little drunk. She didn't think she was that drunk, but she kept dropping her purse on the floor. She just couldn't seem to hold onto it.
She would stop drinking now. She would have to find some other way to occupy herself until Baze was done holding court with his fan club.
"Hey! I know you!" A young looking kid said, pointing at Cate.
Cate stared at him. He didn't look the least bit familiar. Ironically everyone at Jaime's party went to school with her and a lot of them looked unfamiliar.
"You're the senior that got knocked up!" The kid continued.
"Should you be drinking if you're pregnant?" A JV cheerleader asked.
Cate's cheeks burned. She wanted to die of embarrassment. She grabbed a half-full cup from the counter and chugged it.
Baze heard the exchange from across the room. His hands balled into fists at his sides. He recognized the kid as a freshman football player.
Baze pushed his way to Cate. He glared at the freshman. "Get lost," he said, his tone dangerous.
The kid didn't need to be told twice. He knew better than to mess with the starting quarterback.
Baze turned to Cate. She swayed slightly, grabbing the kitchen counter. He put his arm around and led her to the front door.
"Where are we going?" Cate asked, slurring slightly.
"Out," Baze replied.
"We're leaving? I was having fun at the party," Cate said. She couldn't even say it without laughing. It was the opposite of the truth. She'd felt out of place the whole night. She couldn't wait to leave.
"I wasn't," Baze muttered.
Baze guided Cate to his car and helped her into the passenger seat.
Baze drove Cate home. He pulled to a stop in front of her house. She struggled to unbuckle her seatbelt, her coordination shot because of the alcohol.
Baze leaned over and unbuckled her, his hands grazing her hips. His touch felt so good.
Without thinking, Cate kissed Baze hard. She'd never made the first move before in her life. She knew the alcohol was making her uncharacteristically bold.
Baze was surprised when he felt Cate's tongue in his mouth. Her fingers ran through his hair and tore at his shirt. She was so hot. And this take charge thing she had going on was really turning him on. Baze groaned when Cate began fumbling to unbutton his jeans.
"Do you have a condom?" Cate asked. She giggled. "Preferably one that hasn't been in your wallet for two years."
Baze swallowed hard. He stared at Cate.
He struggled to think clearly when all he wanted was to be inside Cate. Damn it. He knew that no matter how badly he wanted her, this wasn't the time.
Their first time had been in the back of his mom's minivan when Cate was drunk. With a condom that had been in his wallet for two years, as Cate had just reminded him. He hadn't felt for her then what he felt for her now.
Baze knew he wanted it to be different the next time he took Cate to bed. For starters, he didn't want her to be drunk. No, she would want to be with him without the influence of alcohol next time.
"No," Baze mumbled, shaking his head.
Cate frowned slightly. "We can be careful."
"No. Not tonight," Baze said.
Cate made a face. She might be drunk, but she wasn't completely out of it. She still knew rejection when she heard it.
What guy turned down sex? Not Baze, Cate knew. At least not in the past. He had a reputation as a player for a reason. He must really not want her.
Cate's expression hardened. She threw open the car door and stalked away.
Baze swore as he hurried after her. He put his arm around Cate to steady her.
Cate shrugged away.
"Let me help you," Baze said.
Cate shook her head. "No. Leave me alone."
"You don't mean that," Baze said, his voice laced with hurt.
"Tell me something. Do you have a moral problem with taking advantage of drunk girls? Or is it just me?" Cate said loudly.
"I'm trying to do the right thing here," Baze mumbled.
"For once," Cate shot back.
Baze's expression was pained. He'd been trying to do the right thing for the better part of a year where Cate was concerned. He thought she'd noticed, but maybe she still thought of him as the jerk who'd knocked her up and denied sleeping with her.
At the moment doing the right thing was damn near killing him. He wanted Cate so badly it hurt.
Baze walked Cate in despite her protests. He helped her up the stairs to her bedroom. "Do you, uh, need help getting undressed?" Baze asked.
"No. And you obviously don't want to see me undressed," Cate muttered angrily.
Baze sighed. Cate couldn't be further from the truth. He went downstairs and got a glass of water and two aspirin for Cate.
When Baze returned to Cate's bedroom, she was lying on her bed, still wearing the red dress and heels. Baze laughed. He took her shoes off for her. Somehow he knew he didn't have enough self-control to remove her dress and not let things go any further. He set the glass of water and aspirin on Cate's bedside table and left.