Page 66 of Coastal Runaway

The boys outdid themselves with the party decorations. The Malibu house looked like something out of a nightmare. Nolan set up LED spot lights out front and turned down the regular outdoor lights, making the house glow a creepy red. Inside, fake spider webs covered the walls and entryways while fuzzy spiders hung from the ceilings. Strobe lights were placed in every corner and smoke machines made it so you could barely see in some of the rooms. He even had specialty drinks in blood bags just to add to the experience.

A DJ was set up playing a combination of Halloween themed music and top hits. Once Luke and I grabbed our blood bag drinks and labeled them, he dragged me onto the dance floor. He turned me around and placed his hands on my hips from behind me.

With our identities mostly hidden due to the smoke machines, I boldly leaned my head back and urged Luke to kiss me. I just wanted to feel what it was like to be claimed while dancing with my boyfriend at a normal party.

Boyfriend.

Was Luke my boyfriend?

Luke smiled into my lips and whispered, “I like this.”

I laughed and whispered back, “me too.”

We danced for a little while longer, sneaking kisses on the dance floor before we went in search of our friends. Maeve was standing in the corner with Nick looking annoyed. Her frown did not match the cheeriness of her bright pink costume. Sad Cowgirl Barbie was definitely a sight.

She really threw us through a loop earlier when she brought this guy in and introduced him as her boyfriend. No one knew she had a boyfriend. Even Maggie said she had no idea that’s why her date asked if they could give his friend a ride.

I looked over at where Nolan and Aiden were talking on the pool deck. I thought that he would be hyper focused on making Maeve’s life hard with her new boo here, but he was lasered in on Maggie and Ryan playing tonsil-hockey against the wall in the kitchen. He looked like he was going to blow a gasket at the sight.

Interesting.

Nolan had never really been the jealous type with a girl. Sure, he and Maggie teased each other, but neither of them ever indicated deeper feelings. Actually, both of them might be allergic to feelings.

Nolan brushed past Luke and stormed inside walking right up to Maggie and Ryan. He hooked a hand under her arm and pried her away from the wall, forcing her to break her make out session. She looked annoyed but didn’t really fight him as he dragged her into the house.

Luke was standing next to me as the scene played out, “do you know what that’s about?” He asked.

“Nope.” I smirked up at him.

He was looking at me with a dangerous expression and dark eyes, “what?” I asked innocently.

“I was just thinking I’m not really in the party mood anymore.”

He chuckled before bending down and scooping me up and over his shoulder. I burst out in laughter pretending to fight him as he brought me upstairs. I couldn’t remember a time where I had ever felt this good, this comfortable, with a single person. Luke made me feel like the only girl in the world. He made me feel like I was worthy of his love; even when I was difficult to love, he made it seem easy.

He plopped me down on my bed and stared down at me, “what’s that goofy look for?”

”I love you.”

“I love you too, Tig.”

twenty-nine

Luke

I woke up with heavy thoughts in my brain. I had this beautiful woman wrapped around me, but I couldn’t hold her hand in public without her looking around to see who was watching us.

Keegan snuck back into her room when we peeled out of bed this morning to get changed for family dinner at her dad’s house. Always sneaking around was starting to make me feel dirty. Nothing about what Keegan and I were doing was wrong. I thought that she was overthinking telling Nolan and her family. Maeve already knew and loved to tease us about it. I didn’t think Aiden would really care, and I suspected that he knew. Nolan would be hurt from the secrets and lies but he would get over it if we just told him.

Aiden knocked on my door, “hey, we’re leaving in ten minutes. Just wanted to let you know.”

I tipped my chin in his direction, “Thanks.”

He lingered, “I know this isn’t my place, but my dad said that your dad is going to be there today. Just thought you shouldn’t go in blind.”

A pit grew in my stomach, but I was also not surprised that he tried to ambush me. I’d sent all of my law school applications, but my dad had been mostly silent since my outburst at the golf course, aside from a few calls that I ignored.

I had a sinking feeling that his silence meant that he was scheming to blow up my life. He really hated being told ‘no’ when he demanded a course of action; my refusal to take over his half of the company would be seen as a betrayal.