“Easy as that?”
“Anything important to you is important to me, June. I might be new at this friend thing, but I’m a quick learner.” She licks her lips then, hips canting to rub along where I’m hard for her.
“I’m kind of turned on by how nice you’re being right now,” she murmurs.
“Mmm, I can do it more,” I say, my hand moving to her hips and rubbing her along my length.
“No, I like when you’re an asshole, too.” I let out a laugh, then move to slide the shirt she’s wearing off.
“How long do we have before we have to get out of here to make it to this thing on time?” Her words are breathy when she responds.
“We should be out of here before ten,” she murmurs, the words ending in a moan as her hips continue to rock against me. I note that it’s already 9:15 when I look at the clock.
“Then we’d better make this fast,” I say, moving her to her back and starting to kiss down her belly.
We do.
And it’s glorious.
TWENTY-SEVEN
We park at the Seabreeze before walking over to the bay behind it, my hand in Graham’s. While I’d planned to change and pack a beach bag before heading over, we ended up taking a bit too long to get out on the road and only had time to get Graham a change of clothes at his place and grab my bag. Thankfully, I’d brought about three different changes of clothes because I’m an over-packer, so it worked out just fine. I had enough time to run inside, grab a bag, some towels, and waters before making our way to the beach behind the Seabreeze. Said bag is now looped over Graham’s shoulder, something he insisted on holding for me, and something I know Grant will appreciate even if he’s inevitably going to hate that I’m dating my boss.
And I am.
I am dating Graham Hawthorne. Every time I think about that fact, it makes me a little bit giddy, and I have to swallow the happiness down.
“This is a terrible idea,” he murmurs when we round the corner and see the large group on the beach of the bay behind the Seabreeze.
It’s my second-favorite beach down the shore, second only to the state park ten minutes from Seaside Point. It’s where, mostoften, if we’re craving a day in the sand, we meet up to avoid tourists.
“It’s a great idea. A Band-Aid, rip it off,” I tell him, squeezing his hand.
“Why does meeting your friends have to be painful?”
“You already met them. Stop being dramatic.”
His steps falter, and I glace over my shoulder to find he’s staring at me with a thick eyebrow raised.
“Did you just call me dramatic?”
I grin.
“Yes, now smile and stop looking like I brought you here at gunpoint. Hey, Claire,” I say, waving at my best friend, who is watching us approach with rapt attention. She’s sitting in Miles’ lap in one of the mismatched Adirondack chairs Benny keeps back here, a smile playing on her lips.
“How was the festival?”
“Amazing,” I say.
“I can see that,” Lainey says, barely hiding a smile of her own.
“Which part was better, the concert, or when Graham—” Claire starts.
“Okay, none of that. Let’s get this over with. Yes, Graham and I are dating. No, I will not give anyone any details here,” I direct that specifically to Claire, who pouts while Miles lets out a laugh. My brother is standing with his arms crossed on his chest, dark sunglasses perched on his nose, a scowl on his face. “And you, I don’t want to hear anything from you. You might act like my dad, but you’re not. Don’t make this weird. None of you make this weird, okay?”
I expect an argument or at least some kind of snide remark, but I don’t. Instead, Benny, Lainey’s dad, takes out the pipe he pretends to smoke but really just blows bubbles with, and waves it around.
“Well, you heard the girl,” he says. “Everyone skedaddle. Let the boy breathebeforewe give him the third degree.” He directs his look to me, “But June, girl, you know just as well as I do, the kid’s gonna get the third degree at some point.”
