“Any questions?” Hayes asks, scanning the room.
“Yes!” Holly chirps, raising her hand. “Who wants to go to the beach with me?”
Caleb, Connor, Penelope, and Scarlett raise their hands in response, a murmur of approval floating throughout the room. I begrudgingly raise my own hand. The smirk plastered on my face is as believable as it’s gonna get.
Twenty minutes later, we’re all suited up and walking down the path toward the water. Hayes took off first with Holly close on his tail, so I hang back with Wolfie.
“Are you okay?” I ask him, worried that this trip is already ruined for him because of the snafu with Holly.
“Yeah, I’m good,” he says. “Sometimes I wish Hayes would just commit to one person. Then shit like this wouldn’t happen.”
I avert my gaze, glancing down at the sand peeking through the gravel. “Me too.”
A bit of a distance ahead of us, Penelope’s laughter carries on the breeze while Scarlett gesticulates wildly, probably telling another dating-app story. Most of us are wearing some sort of wrap or cover-up, but Penelope walks confidently in her cute blue bikini. She looks absolutely adorable, her high ponytail bouncing with each step.
“I’m so glad Penelope is finally twenty-one, you know? I feel like we can really let loose together and—”
I lose track of what I’m saying, my train of thought completely cut off by the bewildering expression on my brother’s face. He’s flushed, and his eyes are glued to . . . oh my God, is he staring at Penelope’s ass?
I elbow him hard in the side.
“What?” he grumbles, rubbing his ribs.
“Subtlety, man. You need some.”
Just as Wolfie is about to argue his defense, Caleb barrels past us in a sprint, carrying two flip-flops that most definitely do not belong to him. Calling over his shoulder, he yells, “Last one to the beach loses his flippy-floppers!”
Seconds later, Connor bolts by us, barefoot, chasing after Caleb like his life depends on it. “I only brought one pair! Fuck you, man! Fuck you!”
I chuckle, watching their bromance unfold.
By the time Wolfie and I have caught up, Connor is tackling Caleb in the water, a battle that I can only assume will end with someone—at worst—getting a black eye, or—at best—getting water up his nose.
Scarlett and Penelope lay out their towels, completely ignoring the splash fest ahead of them. Holly, on the other hand, is putting on a whole show of removing her wrap, tie by tie, revealing a white-bikini-clad body that belongs on a magazine and not at this lake house. She’s making eyes in Hayes’s general direction, but as I follow her gaze, I’m pleased to see that he’s otherwise occupied.
A few trees stand nearby, one carrying more memories than the others. A thick rope swing hangs far across the water, where the sand drops off and the water gets deep and dark. As a kid, I was barely brave enough to swing over the water, refusing to jump off despite Wolfie and Hayes’s jeering. Now, the guys are taking turns, flying over the water, hitting the surface with a splash, and finally coming up for air.
The sight of them reminds me of when we were all teenagers. Only now, Hayes is taller, more muscular, and even more beautiful than I ever could have imagined he’d become. Despite my best efforts, he’s the man I always compared my past relationships to. And somehow they never measured up. Hayes always made me feel safe. And when I lost my parents . . . he was there for me. I’ve always depended on him. Always wanted more of him.
A low twinge hits my belly and a shiver runs up my spine. How long have I felt this way about him? How long have I wanted to lick water droplets off his skin?
Watching him walk ashore again, it’s impossible to tear my gaze away. That wide, sculpted chest. Those bulky forearms that I long to feel around me. The tight ass that presses enticingly against his swim trunks with each deliberate stride. Arousal—hot and insistent—courses through my veins.
“Hey, girl, why are you just standing there?”
Scarlett’s voice snaps me back to reality, and I turn to see her looking at me, sunglasses pushed low on her nose.
“Want to hang with us?” she asks, waving me over.
My cheeks are still burning, and the throbbing in my core hasn’t subsided one bit. I need to cool off first.
“After a swim. I’ll be right back.”
I whip off the oversized T-shirt I’ve used for years as a cover-up, finally allowing the sun to kiss my exposed shoulders and belly. My bathing suit was a clearance find at the local department store. The halter top is black with crocheted teal overlay, complementing my naturally pale skin and cradling my breasts comfortably. The high-waisted bottoms I wear are black, with a teal braided belt around my hips.
I don’t stop to check if Hayes notices my new suit. Instead, I take off toward the dock and dive in. The water is absolutely freezing, but I don’t care. It’s exactly what I need to cool down.
Once I’m submerged, my thoughts finally quiet. With each stroke, I distance myself from my worries and insecurities. I’d forgotten how much I love swimming. I wonder if there’s a gym near my apartment that I could—
Something grasps my foot, startling me, and I pull myself above water, kicking wildly. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!”
To my complete shock, it’s Hayes, treading water near me. His hair is soaked, tiny droplets falling onto his cheekbones. My heart hammers, and I wish I could say it was just from the shock.
“What are you doing?” I demand, splashing him.
“I just wanted to catch up to you before you got too far.” He laughs, splashing me back. “Don’t be mad, dove.”
One side of his mouth lifts in a crooked smile, and the anger in me melts into something
