“Friends.” I walk back towards the house as we talk.
He falls in step beside me. “I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new here?”
I chuckle. “Not at all. I grew up in Bridgeton.”
“Ah. Now it makes sense. You don’t go to Central. You go to Brighton.”
I tense. “Yep. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. I was trying to figure out why I never noticed someone so beautiful before. It makes sense now. You don’t go to my school.”
Relaxing, I pause at the top of the stairs at the edge of the deck. “I actually recently moved back. I had been going to school in Chicago.”
“Oh, a big-city girl then? Better watch my heart. My mom always said those city girls would break it.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah right. Besides, I’m from Bridgeton, remember?”
“You’re right. My mom never warned me off the city girls. Only the pretty ones with a great personality. She said either catch them or stay clear, because if you don’t catch them, someone else will. Then your heart will break.”
I chuckle at his silliness. “I’m not breaking any hearts.”
He glances over my shoulder. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
Suddenly, an arm curls around me, pulling my back against a hard chest. A head plants itself firmly on top of mine.
“Whatcha up to, babe.”
My body shivers as his voice flows over my body. I barely keep myself from closing my eyes to relish in the way it makes me feel. “Talking to my new friend, Ethan.”
Keaton leans over me and sticks out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ethan.”
Ethan gives me an amused look. “You too…?” He trails off.
“Keaton,” I supply when it’s obvious that Keaton isn’t going to tell him. “My friend,” I add.
“Best friend.” Keaton moves his head to my shoulder, pressing a kiss to my exposed skin.
The feeling of his lips on my body cause goose bumps to cover my arms and my nipples to pebble. I try to pull away, but he pulls me closer.
“Right.” Ethan picks up my hand, kissing it again. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Morgan. Come find me later.”
In that moment, I know that I won’t. It’s not that Ethan isn’t a good-looking or likeable guy. It’s just that my heart wants the stubborn asshole currently pressing his front to my back—staking his claim, I would think, if I didn’t know any better.
“Why did you do that?” I whisper as soon as Ethan is out of earshot. I know I should move away, but I can’t. Instead, my hands come up to rest on his arms, taking in the feel of him while I can.
“That guy is a douche nozzle. You deserve better.”
“Seriously, Keat? You can’t interfere with my dating life.” I try to put some venom in my words, but my voice is breathless to my own ears.
“Of course I can.” He kisses my cheek once.
“Why’s that?” I turn my head slightly to look at him. He pauses, taking a moment before speaking. I see a flicker of emotion in his eye. For one moment, I think he might tell me he wants me. That he dreams about me as much as I dream about him. That he can’t get that kiss from the dare out of his head. That the feel of me being pressed up against him haunts him as much as it does me.
When he finally speaks, his words cause a pang to my heart. “We’re friends.”
I swallow down the emotion clogging my throat. “So?”
“So that means I get to keep the unworthy away. Matter of fact, I should have final say on anyone you date. It's settled. Good talk.” He kisses my nose before turning and walking away.
I take a moment to calm down. When I do, he’s several steps away.
“I didn’t agree to that,” I call out.
He glances back at me with a shit-eating grin on his face and a wink before disappearing into the crowd.
✽✽✽
Keaton
“What was that about?” Finley asks as I join him.
Most of the night we have spent leaning against the wall by the beer pong table, each holding a beer we haven’t sipped. I know my reasoning. His is a mystery.
“Nothing,” I mumble.
“Bullshit. You would have been less obvious if you had pissed on her.”
I shove him with my shoulder. “Shut up, man.”
He holds his hands up. “I’m just saying. If you want that, you better lock that shit down. She’s fucking gorgeous. She’s the kind of girl you marry. Trust me when I say I’m not the only guy here or at school who has noticed that. If you don’t take your shot, you might lose her.”
“Who said I even want a shot?”
“Cool, so I can go take mine then.” He pushes off the wall. I grab him and pull him back with a growl. He laughs. “Sure. You don’t want a shot.” Shaking his head, he looks back to where the girl in question is chugging a drink before looking back at me.
“What? Say what you got to say,” I demand reluctantly.
“I know what I’m talking about. You need to take your shot while you still have it. You never know when life might fuck you in your ass and ruin your dreams. You need to grab your happy while you can.”
I drag my eyes from Morgan to find Finley’s gaze briefly on Tinsley. “That’s deep, man.”
He shrugs. “I need to take a walk. Watch the girls?”
I nod as he walks away, making a mental note to get him alone one day soon and find out what’s wrong with him. I knew something had to be wrong when he fucked that teacher last year, but he assured me it was a minor poor decision on his part. Now, I’m not so sure.
Thirty minutes later, he joins me again and seems happy to stay silent. A couple of girls try to talk to me, but I shoo
