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ill manageable. I
grinned, just enjoying the rapids that were leading in and out of the cave, right next to me.
A moment later, I saw the light suddenly explode into brightness. I’d reached Crystal Bay, where an opening in the cliffs above allowed the sun to shine in. I was blinded for a second as my eyes was drawn to the water.
“Taryn!” Mandy called out, shrieking excitedly. “Hey! You made it.”
“Yeah.” I grinned at her, she was drenched in a white bikini, but she was smiling. She looked happy. “I’m here.”
“Great!” She latched onto my arm and I smelled alcohol.
They’d started the play-off festivities early.
“Want a drink? Carter brought a pony-keg.”
“Where is it?” I glanced around, seeing a bunch of their friends, but I didn’t see Tray or Carter.
“At the top.” She pointed up, to the top of the cliff. “You gotta climb up to get some. Carter and Grant were telling us we had to jump to get a cup.”
“Seriously?” I couldn’t figure the logic. You had to climb up, jump, and climb up again for a cup? It wasn’t even worth it. Which was probably the point.
“Yeah, but Erin grabbed a cooler for the girls,” Mandy pointed to a corner, “so if you want some, help yourself.”
Enough talk. I couldn’t hold back anymore.
“I’m going to go look for Tray,” I murmured, already moving to climb the trail. It was nice, because the trail wasn’t as steep as the one outside. It wrapped around a little, moving inside the cave’s walls, but it was slippery. When I got to the top, I remembered why everyone congregated at the bottom. The top was just scary. Scary and rough. It was mostly a hole at the top, surrounded by dense forest. Walking barefoot was not smart.
I hopped around, trying to find the smoothest walkway, with the least amount of pebbles. Finally, I just sucked it up and ran to where the guys were located.
Tray, Grant, Carter, and four other guys were lounging around the pony-keg, each holding a plastic cup.
“Heya, Taryn!” Carter grinned a drunk, lopsided grin at me. He raised a cup. “Want a cup? Gotta jump first.”
I rolled my eyes, moving to Tray’s side. He slid an arm around my waist and brought me against his chest, his hand resting on my stomach. I grinned at Carter. “It’s just a ploy. You just don’t like sharing the pony-keg, so you make everyone work for it.”
“Ah,” he scratched the side of his head, “kinda. Yeah. But you want a cup?”
“No thanks. But I am going to jump.” I glanced to the cliff’s edge, where the water rushed over it. I couldn’t suppress the shiver.
Tray must’ve felt it, because he asked, “Is that from excitement or—”
“It’s all for you, baby,” I teased.
“Right,” he murmured, chuckling, but I shivered a second later, as he moved again, bringing me in full contact with him.
I slid a hand to his arm and rubbed it absent-mindedly with my thumb. I felt myself melting all over again, but I didn’t know if it was from the dive or him. Probably both and if I stayed there any longer, I’d be tempted to push the dive off until later and take Tray into the woods.
I straightened away and murmured, “I’m gonna jump.”
Tray stepped back as I walked to the cliff’s edge. I’ve no doubt all the guys were watching, but I didn’t care.
My knees were melting as I looked down. I’d remember the sweet ache I felt the last time I’d been to Crystal Bay. I hadn’t chanced it then. I’d been more afraid, not from the dive, but from the attention I would’ve received from Mandy’s friends. But that was then. This was now.
I’d taken my gloves off and now they all knew who I was.
“Taryn,” Tray called after me.
“What?” I looked over and saw he was walking towards me.
