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“We were taking on water, and everyone started freaking out.” I remember that day so clearly.
The smile on Lena’s face drifts away. “Ezra started to panic.”
I nod, my hand running up and down her back, almost absently.
“You calmed him down. Held his hand and talked to him until he was calm enough to get off the boat and into the water. You held his hand until we were back on the beach and even then, you didn’t let go.”
“Why did that make you want to kiss me?” A small line forms between her brows as she frowns.
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
Lena snorts and pinches my side. “This is a great story.”
I catch her hand and lay it against my heart. “I just meant there wasn’t anything specific. I’ve always known how much you care for all of us. The little things you do to make sure everyone is happy and safe. That day it became clearer, like your heart lit up and I truly saw it for the first time. We were sitting on the beach, letting the sun dry us out. You were next to me, and I remember how warm your skin was. I wanted to kiss you.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Well, Rhys was sitting on the other side of me. I’m pretty sure he would have punched me if I’d moved in for a kiss. No, not pretty sure, I’m certain.” I rub my jaw, still feeling a sore spot from Rhys’s fist.
“And after that?” Lena’s fingers clutch my sweater.
“I put it out of my mind. Rhys was my best friend, and I didn’t want to cross that line. I was tempted, especially the night before you left for college.”
Lena groans, her forehead falling to my chest, her arms twining around my neck. “I would have made out with you so hard that night.”
I laugh, not expecting that response.
“I would have,” Lena murmurs into my chest before her lips press to the front of my neck. They travel a path up until I lower my head and meet her mouth with a kiss. A kiss that has me ready to carry Lena back to my house and finally get all her clothes off.
Raised voices interrupt my attempt to make up for lost time, and I reluctantly end the kiss. Recognition spurns me into action. I pull Lena into the space between Fairy Cakes and The Glittering Page, hiding us in the shadows of the building. I instinctually call the darkness around our bodies to cloak us. We haven’t had time to talk to Lena about the text she sent me the other day, but a conversation will be happening in the near future.
Lena goes rigid against me as the voices come closer.
“Why the hell is she looking into this shit?” Scott Marsten stalks down the street with Colton at his side. Scott’s uniform is untucked, and his hair is in disarray. Colton has a smirk on his face, his hands in his pants pockets, looking like he’s out for a stroll.
“Not really my problem.”
Scott spins toward Colton, his finger jabbing at Colton’s chest as they stop a few feet away from us.
“Listen here, you little shit. Just because you’re one of Anthony’s fucking chosen doesn’t mean you can disrespect me.”
Colton lazily pushes Scott’s finger away. “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, since you’re an idiotic human, but here’s a little reminder. I’m not a child, nor am I someone you want to mess with.”
Scott whimpers and squirms. Colton still has hold of his finger. I grimace, realizing he just broke the damn thing. As far as I’m concerned, Scott can eat a bag of rancid dicks, but it still looks like it hurts.
“You need to get my daughter to drop it. She can’t go sticking her nose into Holly’s disappearance,” Scott pleads with panting breaths.
Lena’s breath hitches and her fingers dig into my sides. I smooth my hand down her back as we keep listening.
“I don’t need to do anything. You made your mess and now you have to clean up after yourself.”
Colton resumes his walk down the street and Scott stumbles after him, begging him until his words turn into background noise.
As unexpected as everything has been tonight, that conversation might have been the biggest surprise of all.
