“I lied.” I shrug as if it’s no big deal, turning back to the table and reaching for my beer. I feel his eyes boring into me as I take a big swig in the hope of buying myself some time. But sadly, it seems Harley isn’t nearly as drunk as me.

“Well then, should we talk about it?” he presses, whispering.

I release a sigh, looking up to the afternoon sky a moment before meeting his eyes once again. His face is full of a seriousness I wasn’t expecting to see, one I definitely don’t feel like dealing with right now, and it actually sobers me up ever so slightly.

“Murph, we should talk about what happened,” he urges, offering me a knowing look.

I shrug again, shaking my head. “What’s there to talk about? I made a move I shouldn’t have. You swiftly turned me down. The end. No harm, no foul.”

His face remains stoic as he processes my words.

“It was a stupid, drunken mistake, and I’m sorry.” I take another drink from my beer, watching as his eyes seem to bore into mine, his gaze so penetrating I’m forced to look away so he can’t see straight through my nonchalant façade to the painfully shameful truth. “Anyway. I need to go to the bathroom.” I stand from his lap, feeling his hand fall from its place on my lower back, and immediately I feel an obvious void at the loss of contact.

Harley just continues watching me, his face expressionless.

“Do you want anything from the bar?” I ask.

He pushes his hair back from his face, and his hands come together behind his head, resting at his nape, which only makes his T-shirt ride up ever so slightly, flashing a hint of the taut skin just above the waistband of his shorts. I quickly avert my eyes, zeroing in on his gaze once again, raising one of my eyebrows expectantly.

“No, Murph. I’m good for now …” He shakes his head, the slightest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips, a smile I can’t quite decipher, one that makes me suddenly nervous, but in a good way. I don’t miss the hidden innuendo behind his words, but I turn away as quickly as I can, hurrying off in the direction of the stairs that lead down into the main bar.

I don’t even need to go to the bathroom. I just need some kind of reprieve from Harley’s intensity before the alcohol coursing through me causes me to do something embarrassing like, I don’t know, trying to kiss him again.

Chapter 23

I successfully managed to avoid both Nash and Harley for the rest of the afternoon by playing a few games of pool with Seth in the main bar downstairs. My excuse was that it was too hot up on the rooftop, and my pale skin just doesn’t fare well in such a heat, but that was only a half-truth. Now that we’re back at the beach house getting ready for our night, I’ve been sitting on the floor of the shower beneath the cool running water for so long I’m shivering while I try to get myself to sober up.