“Damn right we are!” Zoey faces the lake as she shouts her words. As they tumble into the night, she lets out a happy sigh.

“Why are you lurking, Roderick?” Juliet calls to the shadows behind me. “You’re being creepy!”

She doesn’t get an answer, but Zoey whirls around, clearly searching for Roderick in the darkness. Roots creep over the beach, and she loses her footing. My arms are out to catch her a second before she regains her balance on her own.

“Nailed it!” she crows before glancing back at me and noticing my reach, still there if she becomes unsteady again.

A delighted smile cracks across Zoey’s face.

“Trust fall!” And then she’s toppling over once more, this time on purpose, and I lunge forward to make sure she ends up in my arms rather than sprawled on the ground. She lands with a gasp, then chuckles. “Guess I have to trust you now, Biker Boy.”

She’s soft against me and smells like every delicious dessert I’ve ever consumed. I want to curl my arms around her. Hold her to my chest.

Instead, I make a joke.

“Can’t I at least be Biker Man?”

“Aww.” She reaches up to pat my cheek. “Not when you’re so cute.”

“Careful, Zoey.” Juliet takes another swig from her can before continuing in a mock whisper. “All that cutesy talk might scare these big, tough Dark Moon Riders. Roderick won’t even come out of the woods!” She snorts out a giggle.

Zoey trains her curious gaze on me. “Who’s Roderick?”

I affect a rueful grimace. “My older brother. He’s a little antisocial.”

“That’s okay. I am too.” Zoey gives me a sweet smile. Then, she boops me on my nose with her forefinger.

“Not tonight!” Juliet climbs up on top of a large rock, holding her beer up to the sky, as if toasting the world. “Tonight, we christen our friendship! Two outsiders, taking over Pine Falls. To hell with the bikers! This town will be run by women!”

“You’re right!” In the way that drunk people do, Zoey’s response to me flips on a switch. She springs from my arms, shoving at my chest. “This is a friend date! No boys allowed! No boys allowed!”

Juliet joins in the chant, and soon, the trees are ringing with the sound, each exclamation point emphasized with another push.

Another guy might be annoyed by the manhandling, but I’m having trouble stifling my laughter. She’s so fucking adorable with her cheeks ruddy from the alcohol. The heat spills down to her neck and supercharges her scent.

I wish I could bury my nose there, breathe in the sweet earthiness. Then lick her.

Instead, I stumble backward as if I don’t have the strength to battle her assault.

“All right! No boys allowed. I’ll leave you to your camping. And your conquering.”