A Desire So Deadly

“Good,” I say, lowering my voice. “How’s home?”

“Boring. Are you almost done?”

“Uh . . . yeah. My mom’s at the store, but I can leave when she gets back. I’ll come see you after my shift?” Harlin’s presence on the other side of the counter is a magnetic pull, something I can’t seem to ignore. I pivot slightly and see him scrolling through his phone. As if sensing me, he lifts his eyes to mine. We both smile.

“Sounds good. I’ll see you then,” Ezra says, drawing me back. I murmur a good-bye and hang up, but for an instant I stand there, wondering what’s wrong with me. I haven’t actually done anything wrong . . . but it sure feels like I’m about to.

“I’ll just have a black coffee,” Harlin says to my back. Does he know I was talking to my boyfriend? Is he jealous? Does he have a right to be?

“Sure.” I pour Harlin’s drink in a to-go cup even though he didn’t ask for one. The longer I’m around him, the more comfortable I feel. The more I like him. I should probably squash this flirtation right now.

“I really didn’t know you worked here,” Harlin says, taking the cup from my hand. “I wanted a coffee, and when I rode by . . . I had to stop.” He takes a tentative sip.

I wait to hear if the coffee’s okay and use the moment to look Harlin over. He should probably shave. I bet he’d be stunning all cleaned up, although this rough-around-the-edges thing works too.

“Do you want a cupcake?” I ask, my urge to rush him out fading.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a bacon maple bar, would you?”

I scrunch my nose. “What? No. That sounds disgusting.”

“It’s good. I’ll have to take you for one sometime.”

Butterflies. “Where?”

Harlin grins. “Portland.”

“Pretty long day trip.”

“We could stay the night.”

I laugh, taking a step back because it feels like my face is about to catch fire. I quickly tap the keys of the cash register as Harlin relaxes against the counter, studying my reaction. I didn’t say no.

“Dollar fifty,” I say, trying to steer us to polite-strangers conversation. It doesn’t work, though, not when he’s watching me like that. And since we’re both back to grinning like idiots, I decide I have to be clearer. “I can’t run away with you.”

Harlin pauses to pull out his wallet, handing me a few bills. When he looks at me again, he seems amused by my directness. “Sure you can.”

The bakery door flies open as my brother strolls in for his shift, Soleil talking animatedly beside him. I’m suddenly nervous they’ll be able to see the attraction between me and Harlin, which in itself isn’t a huge deal. But it will mean torture later when my brother has a new way to embarrass me. Harlin glances over his shoulder, and River stops short, quickly looking between us.

“Where’s Mom?”

“Store.”

“Interesting. And who’s this?”

“That’s Harlin,” Soleil answers for me. She takes a seat at the nearest table and makes a kissy face to Harlin’s back. I laugh and shake my head for her to stop.

“Right,” River says. “I saw you at the bonfire last night.” He looks at me. “And I believe the two of you were together then, too. Hm . . .” He presses his lips in mock suspicion. Kill me now, please.

I turn to Harlin, nonchalant as possible. “I’ll see you at school on Monday,” I say, swiping a white rag over the counter even though it’s not dirty. I try not to stare, I honestly do, but when Harlin’s eyes meet mine, I’m once again swept up in the feeling I have when I’m around him.

“I can’t wait,” he murmurs, and lifts his coffee in thanks before turning and heading toward the door. My heart sinks. I really don’t want him to leave. Which is exactly why he has to.

River tsks, shaking his head slowly. “What would Ken think about you flirting with one of the Outsiders?”

“I wasn’t flirting,” I say. “But even if I was, Ezra would understand that talking with an attractive guy isn’t the same as running away with him on his motorcycle.”

“He has a motorcycle?” Soleil asks.

I pause, furrowing my brow. Does he? “I don’t know,” I murmur. “I’m not sure why I said that.”

“Uh, maybe you’re fantasizing a little much here, Claire,” River responds. He exchanges a playful look with Soleil.

“I’ll say.” Soleil laughs, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m surprised the windows weren’t steamed up when we walked in.”

“Stop,” I warn. Oh, fun. It’s gang-up-on-Claire time. “I hate both of you.”

“Dang, girl,” Soleil responds, slowly shaking her head. “Did you get a sunburn today? You sure are red.”

“Like a tomato,” River adds.

“Okay, great,” I say, untying my apron and ready to die of embarrassment. “I’m going in the back while you two comedians finish your routine.”

“Don’t be a baby,” River says, taking the apron from my hands. “We’re just messing with you.”

“Besides”—Soleil leans against the table—“it’s not like you like him like him. You have Ezra.”

I’m reminded of Lucy’s comment at the bonfire. That if the Frisbee had missed me, had hit Soleil instead, maybe she and Ezra would be the couple. It hadn’t occurred to me before. But now I suddenly wonder.

“Yep,” I say.

Soleil smiles slightly, her brow furrowed. She tosses another glance at River just as the bell over the door jingles. We all turn, and I’m pleasantly surprised when I see Lucy. She’s wearing a short pink halter dress and has sunglasses on her head. She looks like she belongs at the beach—like maybe she’s trying to blend in.

“Hey!” I call. I hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk to her at the bonfire, and to be honest, I’m kind of curious about the deal between her and Harlin. The way they were glaring at each other, there has to be a story here.

“I’m taking you up on that latte offer.” She smiles broadly. “Oh.” She pauses, looking at the apron in River’s hand and then back at me. “Are you done for the day?”

“Yeah,” I respond. “I can still get you a drink, though.”

She shakes her head. “No worries. I was just trying to get out of my apartment. Actually, do you want to grab some lunch? I heard there’s a great Mexican restaurant on the beach.”

Soleil turns to me, waiting for my reply. “Yeah,” I tell Lucy. “I’m starving, and El Fuego has the best guacamole. Let me just clock out.”

Lucy nods, and I ignore the curious stares of River and Soleil. I’m supposed to go over to Ezra’s, but I’m sure he won’t mind if I stop for lunch first. It’s not like I’m going with another guy. With Harlin.

I punch my time card, and River appears next to me. “Stranger danger, Claire. First the motorcycle guy and now the new girl in town. You’re like some kind of rebel. It was rude not to invite Soleil at least.”

“I . . .” I’m about to argue, but then I see that River is right. It was rude not to ask Soleil to come along. She is my best friend. “I’ve been off lately,” I tell River. “I’ll invite her now.”

My brother continues to eye me like he’s trying to discern what’s wrong with me, and I go back to the front. But it’s just Lucy standing near the glass door.

“Where’s Soleil?” I ask, glancing around the room.

“She left,” Lucy says. “Said she had to go check on someone.” Lucy shrugs, and I grab my purse from behind the counter. Guess I did piss her off. I’ll call her when I get back, make sure she knows I wasn’t trying to be rude. “You ready?” Lucy asks.

El Fuego is a small restaurant just off the sand, with loud wallpaper, a half dozen tables, and killer guacamole. Most people sit at the outside bar to enjoy the ocean view, but Lucy and I opt for indoor seating because it’s air-conditioned. The temperature is really climbing.

“Have you always lived in Deseo?” Lucy asks after the server sets down a basket of chips. She dips one in guacamole and takes a bite. “This is good.”