“Dude, I know you like that girl or whatever, but this shit is unacceptable,” Ty says, flinging open our door and heading down the hall to their room. I catch up with him, my smile growing bigger with every step.

The door is shut, and Ty has his hand up ready to pound, but I grab it to stop him. I hold up a finger and tell him to stay quiet, then I go to the room two doors down and ask the quiet girl who lives there to do us a favor. I bring her back to the door, and she knocks while Ty and I hide to one side, out of the view of the peephole.

“It’s Molly. I’m out of printer ink, and I need to get this paper done. Can I borrow yours? It will only take a few seconds,” Molly says, selling it so well that I think I may have underestimated her too.

“Thank you soooo much,” I whisper back to her. It’s scary how willing she was to help Ty and me out, but the Preeter brothers have always been good at getting girls to do things. Every girl but one, it seems.

“Hang on.” It’s Cass I hear, so I ready myself low to sneak past her into the room so I can get to Rowe. I can tell she’s looking through the hole, and Molly just stands there, smiling. The door is barely open, and I push it the rest of the way. Cass starts laughing hysterically and screaming just a little.

“Rowe, run!” she says, and I see Rowe’s long legs fly up from her bed and leap over Cass’s in an effort to lock herself in the closet. Paige is standing on her bed, too, laughing and pointing at Rowe.

“This was all her idea!” Paige screams.

“Oh, I know exactly whose idea this is,” I say, my fingers reaching just enough of her shirt to tug her to a stop and grip at her waist. She’s strong, and she’s wiggling and laughing, and still trying to get away from me. But she’s no match. I finally get my arms completely around her body, and I lift her over my shoulder, locking her squirming arms and legs in before I take off in a run.

“No! Nate, don’t you dare. What are you doing? Where are you taking me!” She’s kicking like hell, but she’s still laughing, so I keep going, all the way to the stairs.

“You tell me, Rowe. Elevator or stairs?”

“Huh?” she asks, her voice muffled from the blood rushing to her head.

“I’m not letting go of you, but I’m taking you outside. You’re lucky I’m giving you a choice—elevator or stairs? Me? I’d pick elevator. Because I’m not so sure I can balance down three flights with your long-ass legs kicking at me.”

“Elevator,” she says, her body going limp.

“Good choice,” I say, marching her over to the button and waiting for the elevator to open. There are a few people inside, and they all move out of the way when I get in with her.

“Chick painted my room pink. Payback. You know, they’re a bitch?” I say, hitting the button to close the door.

“What do you mean payback?” Rowe asks, her head behind me and still upside down.

“Oh, you’re going to find out sweetheart. Just you wait,” I say, not really sure where I’m taking her, but just out-of-my-mind excited to have her in my arms, even if it is a bit like kidnapping.

“Nate? No…you’re making me nervous,” she says, but she’s still giggling, so I push on. The elevator opens, and I walk quickly to the main door. As soon as I get it open, I take off in a sprint, and her arms and legs start kicking and slapping at me again.

“You’re going to make me drop you!” She’s lifting up the back of my shirt, and I swear I feel something wet. “Did you…did you just lick me?”

And oh my god the mischievous laugh she lets out when I ask her that. I know she thinks she’s being a badass and sneaky, but f**k me! That laugh? Her tongue on my skin? She’s being sexy as hell, and she doesn’t even have a clue. I slow to a walk, but I keep carrying her. The ball fields are only a few hundred yards away, which gives me an idea.

“Rowe, I feel I have to tell you this. We’re close enough that I think you deserve honesty. Putting your tongue on me is in no way, whatsoever torture. It’s pretty much the shit I’ve been dreaming about since the night I ran into you in the hallway. So unless you’re prepared to follow through with what your tongue suggests in my mind, I’d encourage you to keep it in your pretty little mouth.”

I feel her body stiffen a little when I finish, and she’s no longer laughing. But I also don’t think she’s mad. Her muscles finally relax when I cut through the back gate at the ball field. I can hear it, but I don’t think she can because she’s upside down. I probably only have a few more minutes to catch it, so I tell her to hang on and I jog with her over my shoulder into centerfield.