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When we’d done all the prep we needed to, he leaned his phone against the citronella candle in the middle of the table and got up from his chair. I stiffened as he moved to the seat next to mine. I could smell the sandalwood on his skin, slightly stronger than before, and it was so consuming.
My thoughts flashed back to the way he’d looked at me, the way his brown eyes had flicked to my lips. The way his hand had felt covering mine, his fingertips grazing my thigh.
“Ready?” Diego asked.
I swallowed, hard, and nodded, reminding myself that he had a girlfriend. That whatever happened between us didn’t matter because we disliked each other so much. Because my family required so much of me a relationship would never work. Especially since one or both of us would surely move for college.
We had to restart the recording twice because I kept fumbling over my words. When we finally got something good enough to turn in, I immediately began packing up my things.
“You don’t want to stay and finish the snacks?” Diego asked.
Stunned he’d want me here longer, I said, “I’m not hungry.” Mostly because I was so on edge around him. So jumpy. It was like my body remembered his touch and wanted to be prepared when it happened again.
Not when.
If.
Ifit happened again.
I lifted my hand in a wave and walked off the patio onto the sand, but I heard Diego say, “Wait up.”
My heart jackhammered as I slowly turned to see him following me. He stopped a couple feet away—a respectable distance.
I waited, but he didn’t speak. Finally, I lost the game of silent chicken. “Yeah?”
He scratched his neck. “I—uh. I was wondering, do you want to go rafting with me and some of my friends next Saturday?”
“Rafting?”
He nodded. “There’s a river a little farther inland. It’s more like floating than rafting. Should be a fun time. You can bring Sadie if you want.”
My lips opened and closed as my mind struggled to come up with a response. “You want to spend time with me?”
He nodded again.
“What would your girlfriend think of that?” I asked, pained at the memory of her. She was so perfect for him. And not just in her looks—she probably didn’t have the kind of baggage I always carried with me.
Diego seemed confused. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Your little brother said she was.”
“My little brother’s an idiot.”
I couldn’t help the small smile on my lips. “Is that so?”
“Kenz and I are just friends. In fact—she’s getting ready for a date with another guy right now.”
I hated how happy that fact made me. Didn’t my heart know not to get too attached?
“So will you come?” he asked, his brown eyes on me.
I folded my arms across my chest, looking at the water for a moment and then studying him. “This isn’t some kind of prank, is it?”
His face screwed up. “What do you mean?”
I glared at him. “Like jocks getting the fat girls out to the country and running off with their clothes or something like that.”
His jaw clenched—I’d upset him. “Why would you say something like that?”
