“Me neither.”

Marcus looked over first, and his face warmed. “You guys finally thought about checking on us, huh?” He walked over, opening his arms, and hugged Avery to his chest. “My girl. Being all concerned.” He looked down, flicking her ear. He wasn’t smiling, but it was obvious how much he adored her.

“You told me to stay. What was I supposed to do?”

“Nothing.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You did exactly what you were supposed to do.”

“Ignore you?”

“Get backup.” He turned to me. “I thought you narced on me. You didn’t. Thank you.”

I kinda had, but I looked at Caden. He gave me a tight smile back. His eyes weren’t smiling, not like his brother’s. “Who do you think I am? Some kind of crappy promise-keeper.”

Caden’s smile eased, but just a bit.

Marcus snorted. “Never that. Ever.” He winked at me, rocking Avery back and forth. “Right?”

I stepped closer to Caden, but he didn’t touch me, and I didn’t touch him. I leaned toward him, though. I couldn’t help myself.

Avery noticed and clapped Marcus on the chest with both hands. “You and me, let’s go back to the party.”

“Why? I’m liking it here.”

“Because…” She couldn’t think of anything. “Just because. Come on.” She tugged him with her, raising her eyebrows at me. “I’ll keep an eye out for your friend.”

“Thank you.”

Caden watched them go, then looked down to me. “Why do I feel like I’m the one in trouble now?”

“Because you kind of are.” I touched his chest. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m good. Marcus and I were just catching up.”

I dug a finger into his chest. “You said no lies. You lied to me.”

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

“Fuck,” he finally managed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“So make it up to me by telling me what’s wrong.”

That was when the tension left him. The lines around his eyes eased, the rigid corners of his mouth softened. He reached for me, and his hands fell to my hips, pulling me to him. He anchored me there, right where it felt perfect.

He sighed and lowered his forehead to rest on mine. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For making me let it go.”

I didn’t know how I’d done that, but okay. I’d take it. I pressed both my hands against his chest, and I could feel his heart there. I knew I was part of the reason it sped up a little bit.

My own heart skipped a beat. I murmured, “You need to tell me what’s wrong.”

“I know.” His hand tightened on my waist. “I’ll tell you later, but it was about Colton.”

I glanced at one of his hands. They had moved back to my sides. “Those don’t look bruised or, well, more bruised.” One was a little red. I touched it, knowing that had come from the chanting guy in the hallway.

“You inspire me,” I told him.

“I do? What?” He leaned back to see my face.

I turned up to him. “You do the right thing.”

“I try to do the right thing.” He winced. “I had a whole lot of years where I didn’t. If you’d met me two years ago, even a year ago, we wouldn’t have been friends. I was a dick.”

“Maybe.” Maybe not. I had a feeling he still would’ve been hot. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For organizing this whole trip.”

He laughed. “Now I know you’re just making shit up. I didn’t organize this. The guys did.”

“They did?”

“They did.”

“I’m thanking you.”

He traced some of my hair and tucked the strands behind my ear. His hand lingered there, resting on my neck. He rubbed my cheek. “You should hang out with your friend while you’re here.”

“I will. I wanted to make sure you were good.”

“I’m good.” His eyes darkened, and we were no longer in this feel-good moment. The air spiked, and my body instantly heated. “I’ll be better tonight, later tonight.”

I laughed. “And on that note, I suppose we should head back?”

“No.” He hugged me against him. “Not quite yet.”

So we didn’t.

The weekend was beyond words.

There were no other words for it. Clarissa couldn’t get over the me+Caden thing. That’s what she kept calling it. The thing.

I knew part of that was because I refused to give her a label, mainly because Caden and I never got back to that conversation. I didn’t want to stick a title on us he wouldn’t agree with, so Clarissa made it “the thing.”

She kept it up right until the moment we got back in the Land Rover and drove away, and I was okay with it, I’d decided. It was loose, elusive, mysterious. It couldn’t be pinned down. Free.

Did I mention loose? Like, it could run away? That’s what being free meant too. Free to go away. Free not to stick around. Free to be not committed—and I was working myself up again.

Caden wasn’t that type of guy. He hadn’t been all weekend. He’d been tentative, kind, considerate, tender, amazing, wonderful, and the kind of guy a girl like me didn’t end up with. Cue my paranoia. I felt a ride coming soon.