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“And?”
“And it was a huge fucking mistake,” Hugh spat out, tossing the stick in the fire. “There’s a reason we steer clear of each other, and I was reminded of that today.”
“Hugh,” I began to say, but he shook his head.
“I’m done, Claire.” Rolling his shoulders, he pushed the sleeves of his hoodie up to his elbows and stalked off in the direction of the boys, kicking at the sand as he went. “Ask Feely to talk to her because I’m so fucking done.”
“See?” Katie exclaimed when I returned to her and Shan. “He’s clearly in a mood about something, right?”
“Maybe,” I mumbled, feeling terrible for pushing my brother into doing something that I knew full well would affect him.
“Liz!” Shannon squealed, scrambling to her feet and making a beeline for the sand dune our willowy friend was standing on. Standing beside her with his arms full of camping equipment was Pierce. “You came!”
“I came.” She laughed, reciprocating Shannon’s hug with a rare show of affection.
Shifting in discomfort, Pierce stepped around the girls and headed straight for the boys who were on their way to investigate our new guests.
“I thought you said you weren’t coming?” Patrick called out good-naturedly, shielding his eyes from the late evening sun, as he looked up at her.
“Yeah, well, I figured you’d be bored without me,” Lizzie called back, covering her mouth with her hands to send her voice further.
“Peace,” Katie mumbled under her breath. “We would have had peace without her.”
Choosing not to call her out on her mutterings, because in all honesty the girl wasn’t wrong, I stood up to make room for my brother, who had joined his girlfriend.
Dusting the sand off my thighs, I offered Lizzie a big wave. She began to reciprocate with a wave of her own but quickly stopped and veered her attention back to Shannon when I was joined by the boys.
“No fighting,” Johnny was instructing Gerard. He had his hands on Gerard’s shoulders like he was priming him for a boxing match. “No matter what she says, no matter how low she hits you below the belt, no bleeding fighting, Gibs.”
“I’ve got it,” Gerard grumbled, shaking out of Johnny’s hold. “I won’t even look in her direction.”
“Good man yourself,” Johnny encouraged. “Because we want a peaceful night.”
“Yes, we do,” Katie agreed, hooking arms with Hugh. “Peaceful.”
“You’ll have no drama from me, boss,” Gerard offered in a teasing tone, attention locked on me as he prowled toward me with mischief dancing in his eyes. “I only have eyes for one blond.”
He had a twinkle of mischief in his eyes that was addictive. Seriously, being with Gerard felt like when you were five and waiting for Santa to come on Christmas Eve. He drew every element of emotion from my heart, and he did it without breaking a sweat.
“Don’t you dare,” I squealed, as I scampered to the side and narrowly avoided his playful onslaught. “Gerard Gibson, I’m warning you—ahhh!”
“What’s that, lover? You fancy a moonlight stroll on the beach?” Throwing me over his shoulder, Gerard proceeded to run down the beach. “Anything for you, my sweetheart.”
“Oh my god,” I half laughed, half screamed, as my face bounced helplessly against his back. “Let me down or I’ll pinch your ass.”
“Is that a promise?”
“I’ll do it,” I warned through fits of laughter. “I will, Gerard.” Sliding my hand into the waistband of his short, I pushed my hand inside. “Ooh, what’s this? A round, hairy ass cheek!”
“Okay, okay.” He laughed, surprising me as he quickly forfeited and set me down on my feet. “You win.”
“I do?” I replied, breathless. “Since when?”
“Since I can’t take it.” He chuckled, still smiling down at me.
“Can’t take what?”
“Being touched there.”
