“Luke!” she yelped, as he grabbed her hand and stepped backward, tugging her toward the lake. Her skin tingled where he touched her, setting off a string of little sparks zinging up her arm. She let him pull her forward, glancing ahead to make sure he wasn’t about to crash into anyone—or anything. “Is that an ice cream cart?” she asked, squinting.

“You’re just trying to make me look,” Luke accused.

Julia shook her head. “I’m serious. I think they’re serving ice cream down there.”

Luke turned, gray eyes lighting up with interest. “Okay,” he said, dropping her hand. “Now I’ll race you.”

Neither of them would be winning any medals, but a few seconds later they’d reached the spot on the beach where her friends were settled on chairs under the shade of a jolly red-and-white-striped umbrella.

“Nice of you to join us,” Andie said. “Want some ice cream?” She elbowed Curt. “He’s buying.”

“I am?” Curt asked, wiping a pink mustache of strawberry ice cream off his upper lip.

“Losers treat the winners,” Andie insisted, sparing Curt a gloating glance before turning her full attention back to her double-scoop cone.

“Fair enough,” Curt agreed, another strawberry mustache already forming. He dug into his pocket and forked over some cash with an easy shrug.

“Keep it.” Luke shook his head. “I can’t claim any credit for that win.” He winked at Julia and strode over to where two teens in white paper hats were selling ice cream cones from a pushcart.

“Like that victory was fair, anyway,” Zach pouted.

“It’s not my fault you got distracted.” Kat blinked innocently.

“Sounds like someone is a sore loser,” Julia observed, sharing a wicked grin with Kat. Their little plan had been inspired by 10 Things I Hate About You, which the actor had proclaimed was one of his favorite rom-coms.

“I’ll admit, there are worse ways to lose.” Zach sighed, lowering his sunglasses to eye Kat’s cleavage appreciatively.

“Is that so?” Kat licked her ice cream cone, provocatively sliding her tongue all the way up one side and down the other.

“I might even say it was a win,” Zach added in a husky growl.

Kat laughed and lifted her cone to his mouth. The actor proceeded to prove he could be just as suggestive, swirling his tongue around the mound of ice cream in slow erotic circles.

Luke returned, mouth twisting into a scowl as he observed their antics.

Why did he seem so bothered by Zach’s interest in Kat? Julia’s good mood faltered, but she pushed the gloomy thoughts away and mustered a faint smile. “Is one of those for me?”

“Uh, yeah.” Luke blinked and held out a cone. “I hope chocolate is okay. It’s all they had left.”

“Chocolate is always okay.”

He nodded toward the shore. “Wanna take a walk on the beach?”