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Jake is clearly frustrated by our repeated attempts. There’s a vein in his neck threatening to burst, and his knuckles are turning white from the death grip he has on his bottle. “Sorry, can’t.”
I open my mouth to say something when Holden nudges my knee with his own, causing my drink to slosh and spill onto my lap.
“Shit! Sorry, man,” he says quickly.
“Dumbass,” I joke, looking down at my pants.
“You fuck-heads better not be spilling your drinks on my couch,” Jake growls.
“Don’t worry, it’s not on your couch. It’s all over me,” I say, setting my Solo cup on the coffee table. Before I can push up off the couch to go grab a towel, Sierra is leaning towards me handing me a napkin.
Our eyes catch as I reach for it, and just like that, the sounds of our friends’ conversations fade away. “You might need this,” she says as I take the napkin from her. There’s a pretty blush tinting her cheeks. She sinks back into the couch, never taking her eyes off me.
I watch her as she brings her cup to her lips, sipping from her drink, like she knows that I can’t stop staring at her. And she’s right. All I want is to wrap her in my arms, to get her alone and run my hands over every inch of her skin, like I did that night in Miami.
Holden nudges my knee with his own, snapping me back to reality. “I told you about the cabin, right?” he asks. “It’s all ours for the weekend again. Last one of the summer. You better be coming.”
He stands up suddenly and announces it to the room. “Everyone better be coming to The Cape at the end of the month. I’ve got my uncle’s cabin on the water. You’re all motherfucking invited.”
“—you know I’m there.”
“—wouldn’t fucking miss it.”
“—the bedroom in the basement is mine.”
His uncle owns a massive house on the ocean in Cape May, two hours from here. He’s offered his place to Holden the past three Labor Day long weekends, and we’ve all gone up to celebrate the end of summer. It’s a weekend I look forward to every year—we grill, drink beers on the dock. It’s paradise. The only way it could be better is if Sierra joins us this year.
I glance back in her direction, curious what her response will be. But she’s left the couch and is in the dining room, where I can see her already wrapped up in conversation with Tucker. I hear her pretty laugh from across the room. I watch his hand move to her arm, and now I’m clenching my jaw at the sight of Sierra and Tucker together—especially seeing as he’s told me he thinks she’s hot, which she obviously is.
The way he’s looking at her is making me crazy. Tuck is one of my closest friends. I’ve seen him flirt like this with dozens, if not hundreds, of girls. I grind my molars together, trying to stay calm as I watch my best friend put the moves on Sierra.MySierra. I know him too well. He fucking likes her.
I tear my eyes away, try to focus instead on the conversations going on around me. But I can’t stop myself from glancing back in their direction every few seconds. When Tucker’s hand lingers a little too long on her shoulder, I practically jump out of my seat and run into the dining room.
Sierra’s eyes connect with mine for a moment as Tuck claps my shoulder in a bro-hug. “Ford, I was just telling Sierra about Labor Day weekend, trying to convince her to come.”
I relax a little. Maybe I misread things. Hopefully I have nothing to worry about, but I still don’t like seeing her with someone else.What is wrong with me? I’ve never felt this possessive over a girl in my life.
“I’ll be there,” I chime in. “That’s all the convincing she should need.” The comment earns me a laugh from Sierra, and I like being the one responsible for her pretty smile. “But seriously, you should come. It will be fun.”
“It sounds like it.”
“So, you’ll come?” Fuck, I sound eager.
“It’s a definite maybe.”
“Aw, she’s coming,” Tuck says putting his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side.” My spine stiffens. There he goes fucking touching her again. Sierra smiles, then unravels herself from his big arm. My spine loosens.
“Tuck, did you forget the nachos in the oven?” Jake hollers from the couch.
“Shit, sorry. I’ll grab ‘em,” Tuck says before taking a long swig of his beer.
“I’ll get them,” Sierra says, waving him off. “I need to get another drink anyways.”
I follow her across the kitchen, not bothering to hide it from Jake or anyone else here. I’m done with playing it cool. I’m not waiting another second. I need to get Sierra alone.
She grabs the oven mitt from the counter and removes the pan of nachos from the oven unaware that I’ve followed her. I watch her open the cupboard where Jake keeps his drinking glasses. She startles when I tug on the end of her ponytail, turning around to find me only inches away from her. Her breath hitches. Sierra blushes, then drops her eyes to the floor.
Her coconut scent fills the air around us. Man, she smells incredible.
