"Just be cool tonight, alright? Don't upset anyone. Can you do that?" Clay barked at me, still pissy over something, but I wasn't going to dig to find out what it was. He could figure that shit out on his own.
"Yep." I turned and walked back toward the fire as I rubbed my chest and watched the flames dance in front of me. I could be completely chill, or so I hoped.
The sound of another boat approaching caused my stomach to tighten as nervousness blasted through me. I glanced down the length of my body, brushing off the sand I'd gotten on me and making sure I looked as good as I could.
The girls’ laughter lifted in the air, and I could pick out the sound of Cora as if she were standing beside me. I turned to watch Derek help her out of the boat and couldn't help but groan. One week. It had been a little over one week, and I could feel myself changing. Why? And, how the fuck did I stop it?
Her eyes met mine, and a cocky smile lifted her lips. One stained my face, as well.
"Don't you look like you're up to something over here?" She walked toward me, and I was grateful that everyone else stayed near the boats for a few minutes. Her white dress looked amazing on her in the firelight, and with her hair down and playing along her shoulders, I could have sworn she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
"I'm always up to something. I'm the black sheep, remember?" I gave her a cheeky grin.
> "Where's your friend?" She glanced around as if she really had expected me to bring Veronica.
"I don't have many friends." I moved around the fire to stand beside her. "That girl just needed a ride to the island. Nothing more."
"Right." She glanced over and smiled at me, not showing a hint of jealousy or being upset. "And, the ride included a seat in the captain's lap?"
I lifted my eyebrow at her. "Don't all rides?"
"Not the ones I've been on." She chuckled, and I was surprised by her calmness. Was she upset over Veronica, or did my dealings with other women really not matter to her?
"You've been tricked." I licked at my lips as my pulse spiked. The smell of her perfume rolled over in as the breeze picked up. Vanilla. Clean. Delicious.
"Clearly." She smirked.
"You look good… really good." I let my eyes run around her face, taking in the intensity in her warm brown eyes.
"Thanks." Her eyes moved down to my arm, and she turned, pressing her hands to my shoulder. "What's this tattoo mean? I meant to ask the last time we were together."
I pulled up the sleeve of my white shirt and glanced down at it. "It's a symbol of brotherhood. It's the sign my fraternity back at Arizona State uses."
"I like it." She brushed her fingers by it and smiled before stepping back and breathing in deeply. "It feels great out here tonight."
"Cora. About the other night." I turned as she lifted her hand.
"No. It's good. I came onto you and overstepped our friendship boundaries. It's okay. Really. It's better that we're just friends. Sleeping together and me breaking your heart after a good night of fucking would leave the rest of the summer a shitty mess." She smiled as if she were good—right as rain.
"You, breaking my heart?" I reached out and took her hand before lifting it to my face and kissing her palm. "Actually...that's probably exactly what would have happened."
She pulled her hand back slowly. "Then we'll just have a good time acting like fools while the rest of our friends pretend to have found everlasting love."
I glanced over at the rest of the group who had split off into couples. Couples that looked happy. Thrilled, even.
"I didn't take you to bed because I wanted to be the good guy for once. That shit blew up in my face. It won't happen again." I licked at my lips and bent down, picking up the sticks for the weenie roast.
"You won't be the good guy with another woman?" She moved closer and pulled out the hot dogs.
"No, I won't be the good guy with you again if I get another chance." I pulled a few more things out of the bags before turning to glance up at her. "I just didn't want you to think I was another Brandon, or whatever dude's name was."
"But you are." She smirked and took a few sticks from me before walking toward our friends. "Get over here, you weenies, and claim your...weenie?"
I stood up, ignoring her comment and trying to figure out how the fuck I was going to get fully back into her good graces. My emotions were all over the place and I felt like I might need meds to keep myself on an even-kilter. The warring desire to grab her and force her to acknowledge that the tension between us was still very much there was almost overwhelming. I wanted to be the good guy, and yet... I wasn't sure I could.
"Claim your weenie? Sounds like a fun game we could play in the water later tonight." Dedra laughed as she walked up and took a stick from Cora. Her eyes moved toward me, and I gave her a smile.
"You look very pretty tonight, Dee." I walked around the fire and took a stick from Cora before offering everyone a hot dog and helping thread them onto the sticks for Cindy and Dee.