Page 19 of Almost Him

“Nobody is spying on your drunk ass!” Alden calls back. He and the guy beside him laugh and pass the joint between them.

“I’m not drunk!” Kira insists, sounding offended.

“No?” Alden replies.

“Nope!”

After about a minute of silence, Alden speaks up again. “Hey Kira, look how many stars there are tonight.”

Kira leans back on her hands and looks up. Instant regret fills her face and she cries out. “Whoa.”

The guys with us can’t help cracking up along with Alden and his friend.

“Never look up at the sky when you’re drunk. It’ll make you dizzy,” Leo tells her.

“Ugh, I’m hot. Let’s go swimming,” she says, standing up and pulling Kyle to his feet.

Breanna leaps up to join them. “Ooh! Yes! Let’s skinny dip!”

Alden walks up and sits down on my other side. His friend must’ve left.

“Seriously?” Bobby asks. “Are we all getting naked?”

“I’m not getting naked,” Kira insists. “Underwear and bra.”

“Fuck that,” Breanna says, whipping off her top. “I didn’t wear a bra.” She walks out to the edge of the water, and steps out of her underwear, keeping her back to everyone. Once she’s up to her chest in the creek, she turns and calls to us. “Well, are you all scared? The water feels great.”

Kira strips to underwear and bra, then follows her in. Kyle and Bobby give no fucks. They both strip nude and charge into the water. Leo laughs and goes in after them but keeps his underwear on.

“Are you ready to go home?” Alden asks once everyone is out of earshot.

His expression is infuriating. He doesn’t think I’ll do it. Maybe he thinks he can stop me. Well, I’m not his girl. I’m free to do whatever I want.

“Nope, but you don’t need to wait on me. I know my way back.”

His gaze meets mine and it feels like a whole conversation takes place in the silence. It’s hisdon’t you dareversus myjust watch me.

“Come on, Ella!” Breanna shouts.

She cheers when I whip off my shirt and toss it aside. Without looking at Alden, I pull off my shorts and step into the water. “I can’t believe you took your underwear off!” I call to Breanna. “What if a fish tries to swim up there?”

They all crack up. The water is cool and feels so good. I stop when the water reaches my breasts and dip underwater to wet my hair. My bra becomes completely pointless once it’s wet. It’s hilarious to watch the guys pretend they aren’t all looking at our breasts while we splash around and swim.

When I look back toward the shore, Alden reclines on the bank, watching us. Whatever. He promised Garrett to keep an eye on me. That’s the only reason he even gives a shit.

I’ll admit, the urge to grab Leo and kiss him just to test that theory is tempting, but even buzzed and high, I know it’d be wrong. Leo has been nothing but nice and respectful to me. Pretending to be into him only to piss off Alden would be cruel.

A rumble of thunder makes me look up and realize clouds have overtaken the stars. Alden is waving at us. “Lightning, you dumbasses!” he calls. “Get out!”

“You ain’t the boss of us!” Kira yells.

Laughing, I let my self float on my back in the chest deep water and watch the dark clouds roll and shift overhead.

“Ella, damn it!” Alden shouts when it thunders again.

I let my ears go under the water, muting his voice and the other’s laughter. It feels like I’ve stepped outside of everything. The cool water, the mesmerizing sky, the world at a muffled distance.

A blinding streak cuts through my quietude. That was a little too close. My feet have scarcely touched the bottom of the creek when arms lock around my thighs. Laughter rings out around me as I’m thrown over Alden’s shoulder.

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