Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High 1)

I look over to find, not only Nate and Jesse, but their three followers as well with all of their eyes casting up and down the length of our bodies. Maxen, Parker, and Tyson all have sleazy grins on their faces as though it’s their lucky day while Nate just stares at me as though I’ve pissed him off. Jesse, though, he’s too busy giggling at his phone to even realize we’re here.

I find it impossible to tear the scowl off my face until Nate pulls out a familiar box of cigarettes. I want to curse at him for going through my things to find it, but then watching as he opens it up and goes to grab one only to find the mess I left for him is just too good.

Nate’s eyes narrow on me as he squeezes his fist and crumples the box in one easy go. He throws it over his shoulder and I can’t help the smug smile that sits on my lips. I mean, the one being the asshole is so much better than being on the receiving end of it.

“Well, if it isn’t Brooke and Tora,” Maxen says as they reach us. I feel the need to cover up but from the way Brooke is smiling back at me, I get the feeling she’s wanting to show off. Maxen takes a seat at the end of my sunbed and faces Brooke. “What are you ladies doing?”

I reach down beside me and grab my shorts off the ground before sitting up and sliding them up my legs. Parker falls down in the chair beside me while Tyson takes a seat at the end of Brooke’s. “Soaking up some sun,” she smiles. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Just chilling,” Maxen tells her as I watch Nate walk up around the back of my chair and lean forward onto his elbows, making my nerves reach levels they’ve never quite reached before. “I haven’t been to sleep yet.”

Brooke grins at him before shuffling over in her sunbed. “You’re more than welcome to lay here with me,” she tells him.

“You’re on, babe,” he says before getting up and laying down beside her. Brooke sits up a bit so he can slide his arm around her and before I know it, they’re snuggled and comfortable.

I can’t help but laugh at my friend as my nerves slowly settle back down. I can only imagine that she’d be in absolute heaven right now, especially with the way his fingertips are trailing over the skin of her toned waist. I reach up and accidentally graze my arm across Nate’s as I put my hair up in a bun and find myself cringing with how good it felt to touch him.

That shouldn’t be happening. I should feel disgusted, not turned on, but I can’t stop thinking about what Jesse had said this morning. He had my back with Josh.

I try to tune him out, but he’s right there. I mean, if I just look up and tilt my chin up to him, I could probably kiss him.

Damn it, Tora. No.

“I’m getting a drink,” Jesse says to the group with his attention still drawn to his phone. “Anyone want one?”

“Yeah,” Nate says. “Get some for the girls.”

Say what? Surely, I couldn’t have heard that right.

“Girls?” Jesse says as his head snaps up and he finally pays attention. “Oh shit. I didn’t even see you guys there,” he says before he takes in the bikini tops. He winks at me with a knowing grin. “Looking good, Tora.”

“Jess,” Nate scolds.

Jesse holds up both hands and backs away with a laugh, making me wonder why the hell he’d said that. This morning he’d told me that he was full of respect from now on. The only reason would be if he was wanting to stir shit with Nate.

The guys talk about the party last night and I find myself tuning out and grabbing my phone off the ground. I don’t know what I’m doing or why, but I open a new text and start typing to the guy behind me.

Tora – I know why you took me to the race last night… thanks.

Without hitting send, I silently hand my phone back to him with butterflies in my stomach and an intense dread I’ve never felt before. This is either going to be bad or really bad.

A moment later, he hands it back.

Nate – Don’t know what you’re talking about.

I could go on to explain how I know that he had tried to save me being Josh’s latest conquest, but I have a feeling he would deny it and say something about just wanting to scare the shit out of me on the track.

So, instead. I call him out.

Tora – Liar. Jesse has a big mouth.

I hand the phone back and a second later, he sighs. I wait a while for a response and fear that maybe he’s just stolen my phone when it finally comes back over my shoulder.