“Dude, what the fuck is on your jeans?” Maddox sputtered, eyeing all the dirt and gravel still stuck to Ezra’s jeans.
Ezra looked down and shrugged again. “Huh? That’s curious.”
“Curious,” Emma shook her head, “y’all think we’re so dumb.” She muttered something to herself and then glared at us both. “Why don’t you both do us all a favor and admit you’re madly in love and fucking like rabbits behind our backs? Okay?”
Before either of us could protest she was out of the booth and hurrying towards the exit.
Maddox smiled apologetically and hurried after her.
Ezra let out a hefty sigh and mused his hair. “Well, I guess that’s our cue to leave.”
Hayes and Arden slid from the booth and we all headed towards the exit.
The ride home was completely silent and I knew Emma was beyond irritated. I hated having my best friend mad at me, especially when I knew it was my fault because I wasn’t being honest with her. But I couldn’t tell her, not yet at least. She’d get her hopes up that things would work out with Ezra and I, and we’d ride off into the sunset on the back of a white horse.
Or worse…
She’d tell me I was crazy and that I’d ruined everything. That by doing this I was not only going to break my own heart, but lose Ezra in the process.
Not just as a lover.
But as my best friend too.
“I DIDN’T EVEN drink that much and I’ve already thrown up three times this morning.” Emma groaned beside me, a book propped on her knees. For now at least, she seemed to have forgotten her irritation with me. “I think this is my first official hangover, though. Does that make me an adult now?” She laughed.
I rolled over onto my stomach so that the sun could tan my back. “You barely had enough to drink to have a real hangover, so no you have not been inducted into adulthood. Secondly, if you’re so hung over how are you reading?”
She sighed, turning the page. “It doesn’t make me as nauseous as looking at the ocean does.” She lowered her book and eyed the ocean, as if testing herself. She gagged and mumbled, “No,” before returning to her book.
I pillowed my head on my arms and closed my eyes. It was our last day at the beach. Tomorrow morning we were flying home, and I knew everything was going to change once we got there. So to say I felt a little melancholy at the thought of leaving was the understatement of the century. I was downright sick and it had nothing to do with the two drinks I had last night.
“Hey, I brought you some water,” Maddox said, sinking down into the sand beside Emma.
“I love you.” She took the bottle of water from him and gulped it greedily.
“Here’s one for you too.”
I lifted my head to see that he was leaning around Emma and offering me a bottle.
“Oh, thanks.” I took it. The cool water soothed my dry throat.
Instead of lying back down I stayed sitting, watching Hayes and Ezra fight over a soccer ball down on the beach.
I couldn’t help smiling at the way they bickered over the ball, pushing each other out of the way—but all the while laughing.
I stood up and slipped my flip-flops on.
“Where are you going?” Emma asked.
“To play.”
I grinned and ran towards the guys. They didn’t see me coming and I jumped on Ezra’s back. He grunted from the surprise attack, but quickly held the back of my knees so I didn’t fall.
I knew Emma would probably try to make something out of this, but I’d been doing things like this with Ezra long before we started having sex, because he was one of my best friends. I’d lost sight of that fact the last few weeks. I knew when our arrangement came to an end it might also destroy our friendship, so selfishly—even if it was only for right now—I wanted to forget all about the sex and remember why it was that we were friends to begin with.
“How do you expect me to play with you hanging off my back?” He jested, glancing over his shoulder with a half smile.
“I don’t. I wanted Hayes to beat you.”
Hayes grinned and pointed a finger at me, while kicking the ball back and forth. “That’s my girl!”
Ezra let out a growl and I poked him in the ribs so he would stop.
“Actually,” I dropped off Ezra’s back, “I wanted to join you.”
“Sure,” Hayes nodded. “As long as you’re okay with losing.”
I grinned widely. “I never lose.”
Before he could blink I stole the ball from him and started running up the beach, kicking the ball as I went.
“Get her!” I heard Hayes bellow, which only made me laugh harder.
I made it a few more feet when an arm collided with my middle and I was jerked against a chest.
I kicked my legs wildly as Hayes dragged me into the ocean.
“Let me go!” I laughed, fighting against his hold.
On the beach Ezra laughed hysterically.
“Nope. Cheaters have to get punished.”
I had a three second warning before he plunged me into the water. Luckily none got up my nose, but he was going to pay for that.
Hayes was a hell of a lot taller than me, but I grabbed onto his arm and pulled, dragging him deeper into the water.
“Westbrook, you’re like a fucking piranha.” He laughed, letting me drag him. I say letting, because we all knew he was strong enough to escape my hold.
“I do have sharp teeth.” I flashed him a menacing smile. Well, as menacing as I could muster.
“I’m terrified.” He pretended to shake.
I let him go and started to swim back to shore. “By the way,” I called to him, “I’m not a piranha, I’m a siren, and you’ve just been led to your death.” I began to cackle as evilly as I could, but I knew it sounded pathetic. I didn’t care though, because this was the most fun I’d had in a long time.
Hayes swam towards me, sweeping the longer strands of his sandy hair away from his eyes.
“Apparently your siren buddies didn’t like me too much. I was too handsome to kill.” He joked as we stepped onto the beach once more.
Ezra stood with his arms crossed over his bare chest. His skin had grown tan while we were here and with his dark curly hair and eyes he reminded me of a Greek god of some sort.
“Does this mean I won?” He smiled crookedly, one foot resting on top of the soccer ball.
“Only losers have to ask if they’ve won.” I winked at him as I adjusted my bikini top. When I looked up his eyes were zeroed in on my boobs. If Hayes noticed he said nothing.
Clearing his throat, Ezra said, “I think I’m going to go make a sandwich. Are you guys hungry?”
I nodded.
“Starving.” Hayes rubbed his stomach.
“Cool, I’ll go…uh…yeah…sandwiches.” He was still staring at my chest and apparently my boobs had magical mind jumbling powers.
“I’ll help.” I clapped my hand on his shoulder and the gesture seemed to snap him out of his thoughts.
Hayes headed on down the beach to where Arden and Mia were building a sandcastle with Mathias and Remy’s help. Maddox and Emma were where I left them. Emma was laughing at something he said, and with as crazy as Maddox could be there was no telling what came out of his mouth.
I walked up to them, and Ezra paused behind me.
“Hey, we’re going to make sandwiches for everybody. Do you guys want some?”
“Yeah,” Maddox nodded, “and bring some diet Pepsi.” He waved an empty bottle around.
“You got it,” I nodded. I looked at Emma and arched a brow. “Do you want something to eat?”
She turned a bit green at the mention of food. “No. I’m good. Just more water, please.”
I nodded. I hoped she wasn’t getting sick. I honestly didn’t think she’d drunk enough last night to feel so ill, but then again she rarely drank so maybe it just hit her hard.
Ezra and I walked up the deck steps and into the back of the house.
The air-conditioned space felt like heaven. I hadn’t realized I’d gotten so warm outside.