WHEN WE GOT to Grady’s, Rue left me with Theo and disappeared to the makeshift bar set up in the kitchen. I started to go after her, but Theo caught my arm and steered me in the other direction. “C’mon,” he urged. “I’ll introduce you to Grady.”
I tried not to gawk as he led me through the foyer and into the living room. Grady lived in a show-off house. An impressive show-off house. As we entered the main living space, I couldn’t help but look up. The ceiling had to be at least three stories high in this room. It was ridiculous. Huge windows showcased the Intracoastal Waterway, where a few boats still zipped around. Sunrises and sunsets would look amazing from here.
This house was more Rue’s lifestyle than mine. Her parents’ house was a lot like this—echoing rooms, custom drapes, polished floors, clutter-free, dust-free, personality-free. The Hawthorne’s rental properties had more character and charm than their actual house, thank God. My upbringing was decidedly more middle class. My parents were sound engineers in Nashville and made a decent living. They didn’t work with the big names on a regular basis, but they’d worked with some of them when they were just starting out. My brother was part of the family business, too. I’d broken the Mullins music legacy, and I think they were all disappointed, but not mad per se.
I’d been raised to be independent, since my parents’ work hours were so varied, and they weren’t entirely surprised I wanted to strike out on my own. Home for me had been an average-sized ranch in a sidewalk neighborhood, where each lot had a matching oak tree in the front yard, the mailboxes were all painted the same shade of off-white, and custom was something you did to your truck, not your house.
Theo stopped moving, and I walked right into him, letting out a grunt and snapping my head down. We were standing in front of the guy with the buzz cut from the bar, and perched on sky high heels behind him was a girl who really did resemble an anime pixie. Her short black hair was so glossy it was almost reflective, and her boobs looked like they had special antigravity properties. I tried not to stare and instead focused on Grady.
Well, shit. No wonder Rue acted weird around him. The man was gorgeous. And his eyes, my God. He had the prettiest eyes I’d ever seen on a man, with lashes long enough to make any woman jealous and a clear green gaze that seemed to burn through you. He was mesmerizing. Even just wearing a button-down shirt with the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, he oozed raw masculinity. He was probably deadly in a suit.
“Theo, my man, you finally hooked one?” he teased, holding out a hand to me. “I’m Grady Tomlin. And you’re the Sadie he’s been telling me about?”
I flushed, not sure what Theo had told him. Surely he hadn’t mentioned the incident with West in the ocean? “Nice to meet you,” I said, taking his hand. He had a firm grip and looked me right in the eye. I got the feeling he was a man who was always in control.
“Theo tells me you’re quite the photographer and that we might be able to utilize your skills at the Edge. I’d love to set up a time to talk to you about it next week. I’d say let’s talk now, but I’d rather not mix business and pleasure, and tonight is definitely not about work.” He winked, and it was charming, not creepy.
“Of course. Whenever it’s convenient for you. Just let me know.” I withdrew my hand. Damn, the man was smooth. I was going to have to corner Rue later. “You have a stunning home.”
He shrugged. “It’s nice. I bought it for the view mostly. Wait ’til we’re outside later. Then you’ll understand.” He tugged on the pixie, and she moved forward. “This is Marissa. Marissa, you’ve met Theo, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of Sadie this summer. You’re staying with Rue now, correct?”
Marissa smiled at me, all perfect gleaming teeth and big lips. I nodded at him, distracted, and smiled back at Marissa. I wondered if she could talk or if she was just for show.
Grady started to move away, dragging Marissa with him. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to get a drink and then head out to the dock. You guys should join us out there soon. It’s a beautiful night.”
I watched him go. He had a magnetic quality that made it hard to look away. Theo squinted at me out of one eye and then groaned. “Oh, no! Not you too! Please tell me you’re not going to turn into a weird girly little puddle every time he comes near. And he wonders why we don’t like to invite him to go places with us.”
I shook my head to clear it. “I’m good. I’m good. I just wasn’t expecting all that. He should come with a warning or something.”
“We need more alcohol. Let’s find Rue,” Theo said, grumbling.
Suddenly, the full impact of Grady’s words registered. I squealed and latched onto Theo’s arm. “He wants to talk to me about my photography! That would be amazing!”
Theo just smiled and shook his head. “That’s what friends are for, doofus.”
Trailing behind Grady into the kitchen, we found Rue flirting outrageously with a Latin-looking guy, giggling and rubbing his arm. “Sadie!” she yelped. “Come meet Hendrix.”
I said hi, and Hendrix took my hand, raising it to his lips for a kiss before turning back to Rue and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, dragging her to his side.
Rue giggled again and melted against him while Theo and I stood there in awkward silence and fixed ourselves a drink. Hendrix had pulled Rue against him and was whispering in her ear. She put a hand against his chest, her eyes closed and biting her lip, and nodded to whatever it was he was suggesting.
I squinted at Theo, silently begging him to save us. I did not want to stand here and watch this. Theo tipped his head toward the deck, and I turned, letting him lead the way. We leaned against the steel cables encircling the deck and looked out at the night sky. Now I saw what Grady meant. The view was breathtaking. The stars covered the sky like sprinkles on a cupcake, and below us the waves crashed into the seawall, the sound a soothing soundtrack to the evening. A small pathway to the left led to a dock that stretched out over the water, ending with a tin roof canopy. A few tiki torches lined the path and the end of the dock, and to the right, a bonfire was burning, circled by stone benches where a few couples were snuggled up roasting marshmallows.
An ear-splitting shriek from behind me jolted me upright, and I turned in the direction of the sound. Rue approached, pulling Hendrix out onto the deck with us. “I know!” she cried. “Let’s go play dirty truth or dare on the dock. Like old times.” She started dragging Hendrix down the steps and turned to pin me and Theo with a wide-eyed look. “You two better be getting your asses down there.”
Theo gave a helpless shrug, and we fell in line behind her. She collected people as she went, herding Grady, Marissa, Boone, Wyatt, Trevor, Dylan, and a small group of girls I didn’t recognize along the path. We ended up sitting in a loose circle on the dock, and Wyatt and Trevor set down a couple of bottles of liquor in the center. I was sandwiched between Boone and Theo, my knees pressed against theirs. A salty breeze blowing inland whipped my hair in every direction, so I tipped my head back and gathered it into my signature messy bun with the royal blue hair tie from my wrist. When I sat back up, I saw West had slipped into the circle and was sitting directly across from me.
My heart thudded an extra beat, its steady rhythm faltering.
Where had he come from? Not that I had been looking for him earlier.
West looked like he’d taken the time to go home for a quick shower. His hair was damp around the edges, and he was wearing an old faded concert t-shirt that was snug around his shoulders. His shirt looked soft, and I had the urge to run my hand over his chest just to feel the contradiction of worn cotton over solid muscle. He caught my eye and flashed a grin. I quickly looked away, flustered to be caught staring. His ego did not need encouragement.
“All right!” Rue clapped her hands and commanded everyone’s attention. “For those of you who haven’t played dirty truth or dare with us before, here are the rules. One person asks the group a question. If you refuse to answer it, you get to pick your dare. You take a shot, lose a piece of clothing, or kiss somebody. The person who asked the question gets to decide which piece of clothing you lose or who you kiss, if you pick that dare. And most importantly, you cannot, under any circumstances, pick the same dare twice in a row. Although . . .” She paused to look around the circle and let out a drunken giggle. “I’m not sure kissing someone from this group counts as a hardship.” She leaned against Hendrix. “Questions will move around the circle to the right.” She pointed left but didn’t seem to notice the contradiction. “You don’t have to answer your own question. Who wants to start?”
One of the girls I didn’t recognize piped up. “I will!” She tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and blinked at us from under thick bangs. “Um, have you slept with anyone sitting here?”
Surprisingly, everyone before me answered yes. When my turn came and I said a quiet no, every male head turned in my direction. It was like they could smell the fresh meat. This is how a mouse must feel, when the cat is half interested in the chase and half with the meal at the end. To my relief, Hendrix and one other girl answered no as well.
Even though, looking around the circle, I wouldn’t mind being hunted by one of these guys, I had a sinking feeling this game might not end well for me.
The other girl who said no was up next. She looked up in the air, as if inspiration would fall down from the stars and land in her open mouth. “So, like, everyone has tattoos these days. So, like, tell us what one of your tattoos means.”
Grady had a memorial tattoo for his mom. Marissa had a heart on the inside of her wrist because she “just loved love.” Rue caught my eye from across the circle and rolled her eyes at that. Hendrix had a four-leaf clover for luck. Theo didn’t have any tattoos, so he ended up losing his shirt. I showed my paper airplane tattoo and mumbled something about a love for travel—another lie. I didn’t talk about the real meaning behind it, ever. It wasn’t my secret to share.
Rue smirked at me. She turned her back and showed the top of a peacock feather that curved along her back. “It reminds me that beauty is only skin deep, and that, sometimes, the prettiest things aren’t what they seem,” she said, with a bite in her voice.
Grady jerked his head around to her and stared, but she refused to meet his gaze. Instead, she wrapped one of her arms around Hendrix’s bicep and laid her head on his shoulder. The girl with the ponytail was also tattoo-less and had to give up her shirt, much to the enjoyment of the guys.
More questions followed. When did you lose your virginity? Theo refused to answer and dropped a quick peck on my lips. How old was the oldest person you’ve slept with? Grady and West shared a look, and both opted for a shot. Weird. Have you ever really been in love? I wasn’t sure how to classify Asshole anymore, so I took a shot. So did most of the guys, although Grady and West ended up shirtless since they’d taken shots last time. Rue skipped answering too, pounding a shot of Patron and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
When I refused to answer Boone’s question about how many people I’d slept with, I chose to lose a piece of clothing. Boone looked me over slowly. He was already down to his boxers. I assumed I’d lose my shirt first, which didn’t really bother me, but Boone surprised me. “Take off the tank,” he said, leaning close to me. I swallowed and managed to wiggle out of it while keeping on my sheer pink top. My black bra was clearly visible underneath. I’d thought I’d stay covered a little better since I had worn double layers, and I crossed my arms. I couldn’t help but glance at Boone next to me, whose gaze was glued to my chest. Peeking down at myself, I realized my position pushed my girls up more than hid them, so I dropped my arms and hunched my shoulders some. Good Lord. Without waiting for the next round, I downed another shot.
I wasn’t exactly a prude. A bra wasn’t that different from a swimsuit top, and I regularly pranced around in a bikini, albeit a family-friendly one, at work. But this atmosphere felt different. The flickering light. The hormones saturating the salt air. It was intimate somehow. And I’d only ever been intimate with Asshole before. While that night with Jared technically counted, it hadn’t felt intimate. We’d been detached, rushed, and impersonal—like I had hoped. Well, okay, I had hoped for decent sex, but the mood had been what I had been looking for. Not this shadowy sharing of secrets and skin and lips.
Maybe I was just getting drunk. I always overthought things when I was drunk.
I hadn’t even heard the following question, but suddenly Marissa was telling Boone he had to kiss me. Twisting toward me, he wrapped his big hand around the back of my neck and tilted my face up to his. He clearly was going for more than the quick peck I’d shared with Theo. I sucked in a breath. Lowering his head to me, he grazed his lips over mine, which gave me time to learn the shape of his mouth. My hands grabbed his shoulders for support as we leaned into each other. Boone took it as encouragement because he wrapped his other arm around my back and pulled our chests in tight before slipping his tongue in my mouth. He tasted like tequila. Engrossed in the kiss, the damp slide of our lips, and the pressure of his fingers on my skin, I barely heard the catcalls from behind us, and I was slow to pull back. Boone had a shit-eating grin on his face as the other guys whooped at him. I stared at the bottles of booze in the center of the circle in a daze, surprised I had lost myself in the kiss so thoroughly.
How much had I had to drink again?
The weight of a pair of eyes bored into me, and I peered across the circle at West from under my lashes. His jaw was tight, and he was glaring at me. Raising my head, I glared back. What was his problem, anyway? It was just a damn game.
When the girl with the ponytail chose a dare, she leaned over to Trevor, and whispered in his ear. Rolling his eyes, Trevor laughed. “Whatever. You can kiss West.” Hopping up, she skipped over to him in just her underwear and kneeled down. Shooting me one last angry look, West grabbed her in his arms, tipped her back, and shoved his tongue down her throat, kissing her deeply. I watched in stupefaction as her arms clutched at his back and she moaned.
It was just a game. Just a fucking game.
West’s hand stole up from her hip to cover her breast. I felt my stomach churn and forced myself to look away. It’s just the alcohol, I told myself. But even so, I chugged another shot, anything to distract me from the blatant display. Unable to help myself, I stole another glance toward West and found that Ponytail had just plopped herself down in his lap. His hand was covering most of her naked thigh.
My stomach felt queasy. I wasn’t sure if it was from the show West was putting on or an overabundance of alcohol, but either way, I’d had enough. I got to my feet and slipped quietly down the dock, trying to find my way back to solid ground. When I put one hand out to steady myself, I noticed there were rope lights tucked under the dock railings, lighting the way. I focused on staying between the lines and not looking back. Anger rose inside me, hot and painful, and I stumbled on a loose board.
“I’m fine,” I bit out, trying to convince myself. The warm sea air pulled at loose strands of my hair and blew them around my face. I swatted at them and tripped again. God, I was so drunk I couldn’t walk straight and was talking to myself. Fucking classy.
When I finally made it to the end of the dock, I veered right, farther from the house and into the welcoming darkness. I made my way to the seawall and bent over it, emptying my churning stomach into the crashing swells below.
I looked down into the pulsing water, watching the patterns the torch light reflections made. It was almost hypnotic, the way it twisted and rippled over the waves. Mesmerizing. Seductive, even. Begging me to come play. But I knew better. Knew not to accept the invitation and get in over my head, where I couldn’t see the bottom, couldn’t predict what was coming next. That’s when you got hurt. From now on, I was playing it safe.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and tucked chunks of hair behind my ears. My feet felt a little steadier as I retraced my steps. It was time to find Rue and go home.
People were making their way down the dock as I reached it. While this wasn’t the kind of game ended by crowning a winner, I still felt like I had lost—I just wasn’t sure what.
Boone spotted me first and came over. “Hey, I think this is yours,” he said, handing me my tank. I hadn’t even realized I’d forgotten it.
Embarrassed, I nodded my thanks and ducked behind the trunk of a nearby palmetto tree to fix my clothes. As I came back around, West went by with Ponytail clinging to him like a barnacle. His hands were holding her ass, her legs were wrapped around his waist, and it looked like she had watched one too many vampire movies, the way she was attacking his neck. I stood frozen, unable to tear my eyes away.
Boone moved to my side and slipped an arm around my waist. “Want to check out the bonfire?” he whispered, his lips brushing my ear. I looked up at him, with his shaggy hair tangling in the breeze, and his lanky skateboarder’s body. I shivered and let him pull me closer.
“Absolutely.”
TWO HOURS AND four rum drinks later, I’d lost Boone. We’d been sharing a blanket and snuggling by the fire, giggling at each other and getting more drunk. He’d gone to get us refills, but then he never came back. I wrapped the blanket around myself and staggered up the steps to the porch. Boone was sprawled out on a chaise.
Annoyed, I walked over to him and nudged him with my knee. He didn’t stir. I furrowed my brow and nudged him again, harder this time. A loud snore rose from him, and he flopped his arm across his face.
Really? Frowning, I put my hands on my hips and looked around. Grady was studying Boone too. “I think he’s out for the count,” he said with an apologetic shrug. I stared at Grady, trying through my alcohol-induced haze to figure out what to do now. I eyed the rum on the counter next to him and moved toward it, but Grady grabbed my wrist with gentle fingers before I could snatch the bottle. “I think you might want to hold off on that.”
I glared at him. He might be right, but who did he think he was? My boss?
My sluggish brain processed the horrific truth of that thought. I was wasted, beyond wasted, in front of my boss. What was wrong with me? I needed to go home. Now.
I peered around the room, squinting into the bright light of the house. “Where’s Theo?”
“Theo?” Grady asked. “He had to leave about an hour ago. Family emergency. Something about his dad.”
Damn. I twisted my face in confusion, trying to think.
“It’s okay,” Grady said, “You can stay here. I have some extra guest rooms.”
“Um . . . thanks, no, that’s okay. I really just want to go home.” I concentrated on not slurring my words.
Wyatt turned around. I hadn’t even realized he was there. “I can take you home. I’m DD tonight. You ready?”
Wyatt was my new hero.
“Sure, I just gotta grab Rue.” I swiveled my head in both directions but didn’t see her right away.
“Oh shit, I forgot about her. I’ve only got room for one more in my car. Hold on. West! West!” Wyatt hollered across the room, and I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. “You got room for Sadie and Rue in your truck? Or just one and I can take the other?”
West walked over to stand next to us. Ponytail was nowhere to be seen. “I can take ’em both. You might have to help me load Rue though.”
My eyes shot to his and tried to focus. “What do you mean help load her?”
West sighed and waved his fingers for me to follow him into the living room. Rue was comatose on the couch, a dribble of drool on her cheek. Grady had followed us too and shook her shoulder gently. She didn’t react. Grady and West looked at each other and had some kind of weird unspoken conversation.
Grady glared at West. “Fine, but you owe me.” Grady turned to me. “Look, Sadie, she’s already passed out here on the couch. I’ll get her a blanket and just let her sleep it off here. I can give her a ride home in the morning.”
I protested, knowing that Rue would be furious if I left her here. I wasn’t sure what was going on with her and Grady, but I didn’t think having her wake up to breakfast with him and Marissa was a good idea. I tried to grab her arms and drag her to a sitting position, but couldn’t manage it on my own. Giving in, I pulled out my phone and sent an apologetic text to Rue, knowing she’d find it in the morning.
When I looked back at West, I realized we’d be alone in his truck. Or maybe not. Maybe Ponytail was going back to his place with him. God, just the thought of riding with them while they molested each other made my stomach turn. “Where’s Wyatt?” I asked him, looking past him to the kitchen where Wyatt had been last. “I can just ride with him then. He said he had room for one.”
West shook his head. “He’s going the other direction first to take Dylan and Trevor home. It makes more sense for me to just drop you off real quick on the way back to my place.”
I stuck my tongue in my cheek and tipped my head to the side, trying to stall. “What about Ponytail? Won’t that cramp your plans?”
“Ponytail?” He looked confused. “Oh, Bethany? Nah, she took off with Alexis a few minutes ago.”
“So it’s just you and me then?”
His eyelids dropped to half-mast, and one side of his mouth curved up. “Just you and me,” he confirmed, drawing out the words. “Guess I’m rescuing you again, after all.”