“Ah, there he is,” Maverick says, taking a seat next to me. “Payne, where the hell have you been?”

“Been around.” His dark blue eyes land on me. He’s got a twelve-pack of hard seltzer under one arm and my stomach flips. He pulls a bottle of Mad Dog out of his pocket and hands it to Maverick.

“Trade you.” He motions with his head and Maverick stands, giving up his seat and taking the bottle.

He smells like soap and sun and wild dreams. Dreams you shouldn’t allow because they’re so out of reach, but you can’t help but want. Dreams you don’t speak of, but that live in the darkest corner of your mind.

“Swim anyone?” Maverick asks.

I shake my head as does Reagan.

“Oh, why not.” Dakota stands, looks to me and shrugs with a smirk.

“I’m going to find the bathroom. Do you want to come?” Reagan asks me, then glances between me and Heath.

“I’m good.”

Heath opens the case and holds out a can. “Drink?”

As I wrap my hands around the cold can, he holds tight and leans in. “You look good. Do you want to skip this party and go make out?”

I laugh, but heat rushes to my core at the thought. “Pass.”

“You wanna not skip this party and just make out right here?”

“Definitely pass.” I pull the drink from his hand and pop the top. After I’ve taken a long drink, I ask, “Does that usually work for you?”

“Honestly?”

I nod.

“Every time.”

I roll my eyes. “What is wrong with women?”

“I’m really good at making out.” His stare darts to my mouth. I have no doubt.

“You and I are going to be just friends.”

“Friends?” His brows raise. “I don’t have girl friends.”

“You do now.”

8

HEATH

Looks like the Scotts are on the same page, anyway. Friends? With Ginny?

I can’t stop staring at her lips. That’s not a thing friends do, I don’t think.

When Reagan comes back from the bathroom, I’m disappointed at the prospect of sharing Ginny, but Reagan takes off her coverup and tosses it on the lounge chair. “I’m going in the pool. Anyone want to join me?”

“Really?” Ginny asks and she and Reagan share some sort of look I can’t decipher.

“Only live once. Coming?”

Ginny shakes her head and Reagan heads to the pool

“You know it’s a pool party, right?” I ask when it’s just the two of us again.

She gives me an annoyed look and motions to her chest, covered by the swimsuit, but uh, I might get lost a little too long staring at her chest. Also, not something a friend does.

“Something against swimming?”

“No, I love to swim. But…” She pauses. “Dakota said the pool was where people go to find hookups.”