“You brought her up.”
“I said it might affect her. That’s not the same as inviting questions.”
He glances at me, just a quick flick of his eyes before they’re back on the winding road. “Fair enough.”
We’re quiet again until Caleb’s house comes into view, but Luke turns before we get to it. “We’ll come in from the lake side. His family doesn’t own the lake; they just have a dock on it.” Luke answers my unspoken question.
Luke pulls in beside it and kills the engine. “Remember. Couple.”
“I remember.” I unbuckle my seat belt, my heart already beating faster. Not from the prospect of touching him, I tell myself. From the danger. The dead body we found. The killer who might still be nearby.
Grant and Georgia are supposed to lag behind, waiting for word from us. We didn’t want to all show up at the same time.
We walk toward the boathouse side by side, close enough that our shoulders brush. I’m only so close because I’m playing a part. Luke’s hand finds the small of my back, casual and proprietary, and I force myself not to flinch. He’s selling it.
The door to the boathouse is slightly ajar.
Luke stills, his hand pressing more firmly against my spine. His head cocks to the side, his face growing serious. Then I hear it too. Footsteps inside, the creak of wood. Someone is in there. Without a word, Luke pulls me against him. His other hand cups my face, tilting my chin up, and then his mouth is on mine.
It’s not gentle. It’s not the exploratory first kiss of two people feeling each other out. It screams of an intimate couple with passion. It’s hard and demanding, the kind of kiss that sayswe’re busy, keep walkingto anyone who might see. It’s perfect. I mean for the situation we’re in. Not because I like it or anything. I’m also just playing a part here.
I should push him away. I should remember why we’re here, what we’re hiding from.
Instead, I kiss him back, loving the warm heat of his body, the solid wall of his chest against mine. His hand slides into my hair, tangling, angling my head where he wants it so he can deepen the kiss more, taking full control. I shouldn’t enjoy that, but it’s oddly freeing.
I grip his shirt, pulling him closer, and I can feel him smile against my mouth, pleased and predatory. The footsteps inside the boathouse pause. Whoever is in there has definitely noticed us at this point. The door creaks open wider.
Luke doesn’t stop kissing me, his tongue tracing my lower lip, and I make a sound I don’t mean to make. This is acting. This is a cover. This is?—
“Damn, I guess Luke wins the bet for banging the new girl.” Lana’s voice cuts through like ice water.
Luke breaks the kiss slowly, like he resents the interruption, his hand still in my hair as he turns to face her.
“Didn’t realize the boathouse had a bouncer.”
Lana stands in the doorway, arms crossed, her expression caught between disgust and something sharper. Suspicion.
Wait, what did she say? Win for banging the new girl? I’ll cut his fucking dick off. Then he’ll be dead in the boathouse too.
“What are you two doing here?” Lana lets out an annoyed huff. I want to know why she’s here.
“Same thing you are, apparently,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “Except there is no bet on who will fuck you because they all already did.”
Lana’s eyes narrow. She doesn’t believe us. Or she doesn’t want to. “That’s romantic. Enjoying everyone’s sloppy seconds of Luke.” I hate that her words are getting to me. I want to throat-punch her and Luke.
Luke’s hand tightens in my hair, a warning.Don’t engage. Don’t give her anything.
But Lana’s already stepping forward, her gaze sweeping the area behind us, looking for something. Looking for Grant and Georgia, maybe. Or looking for whatever she came here to find.
“You should go,” she says, and it’s not a suggestion. “This isn’t a place for sloppy hookups.”
“And it’s a place for whatever you’re doing?” I shoot back.
“This is my town, new girl. My school. I know every corner of it. Every secret.” Her eyes linger on Luke. “You two should be more careful about where you choose to...couple up.Some secrets bite back.”
Lana pushes past us, her shoulder knocking mine hard enough to sting, and disappears into the darkness, going back up toward Caleb’s house.
Luke doesn’t let go of me immediately. His hand stays in my hair, his body still pressed close, and I can feel his heart beating fast against my chest. Or maybe that’s mine.
