“And what about you, Emery?” My name is like honey as it drips from his lips. “Who did you spend the summer fucking?”
I all but choke on my words as Ashlyn saves me from having to answer him.
“Don’t be such a pervert,” she snaps. “Just because Lindsey dumped your ass doesn’t mean you can live vicariously through everyone else’s sex life.”
Wait, what?
Harland and Lindsey have been together since his freshman year of high school. It goes without saying that I was devastated when they started dating. In my eleven-year-old brain, we were going to grow up, fall in love, and get married. No one could tell me otherwise. So how dare he go out and find a girlfriend that wasn’t me? But I was a kid, and the big, bad high schooler wanted nothing to do with little old me.
To hear they broke up is a shock to my system, but it doesn’t look like I’m the only one. Even Harland winces at Ash’s words. His eyes meet mine, and for a second, I think I see a hint of a smile forming, but as soon as his phone rings, he’s snapped out of it.
“What’s up?” he answers. “Are you fucking serious? Shit. I’ll be right there!”
He hangs up the phone and yanks open the fridge to grab a drink before heading for the door. Ashlyn looks over at the full sink and rolls her eyes.
“Didn’t mom tell you to do the dishes, lowlife?” she asks exasperatedly.
“I’ll do them later!” he calls back. “This lowlife has a record label that wants to meet with Sound the Sirens.”
Our jaws drop. They’ve been trying to get a record deal for years, and have had rotten luck. It’s a shame, because their band is incredible. I’ve fallen asleep to the sound of the EP they recorded last summer more often than I’m willing to admit.
Just when we think he’s gone, he pokes his head back in the room. “By the way, tell Mike that if I see him, I’m going to put his dick through a meat grinder for touching my baby sister.” He looks over at me, and the smile on his face threatens to knock my world off its axis. “Bye, Em.”
I’m not okay.
I repeat, I’m not okay.
I toss and turn in Ash’s bed, feeling like I just can’t get comfortable. You would think after packing three-quarters of her room I’d be exhausted, but I’m not. My brain just won’t shut off, and my mouth is the tacky kind of dry that makes it hard to focus on anything else.
Ash is sound asleep next to me. Her mouth is open, and I can’t help but laugh at the tiny spot of drool that’s pooling on her pillow.
I stay as quiet as possible as I slip out of bed and tiptoe from the room. I just need something to drink, and then maybe I’ll finally be able to get some sleep. However, as I get into the kitchen, a dark shadow sitting out by the pool catches my eye.
Harland.
As if I have absolutely no control over my body, I bypass the fridge and head straight for the door. The warm summer air encases me as I make my way toward him, and it seems to settle my nerves a little. He stares out at the night sky, not even looking my way as I sit down on the lounge chair next to his.
“I’m surprised you’re up,” he says. “Don’t babies normally go to sleep at eight?”
I roll my eyes but can sense the playfulness in his tone. “You just love treating us like toddlers. I’m not a little girl anymore, Harland.”
For the first time since I came out here, his head turns toward me and his gaze skims over my body. “Trust me, I know.”
What the hell does that mean? The fact that I’m out here at all is almost more than I can handle, so instead of attempting to unwrap that statement, I move into safer territory.
“How’d the meeting go?” Judging by the way he’s acting right now, I’m guessing not well.
He smiles and lets out a puff of air as he looks down at his lap. “We sign papers next week.”
“Holy shit, H! That’s amazing!”
“Thanks.”
It’s huge news. News that will most likely change his life. But still, he doesn’t look as happy as I thought he would be. I dip my head down to look up at his face.
“So why the frown?” I ask carefully.
He looks at me like he can see straight through to my soul. I’d kill for the ability to read his mind… hear the thoughts going through that head of his. Find out if his body tingles like mine just from knowing that he and I are alone together.
Who am I kidding? Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen.
“H?” My voice seems to snap him out of whatever trance he was in.
He looks away from me and shakes his head. “I guess I just thought things would be different.”
It hits me like a ton of bricks, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting a little. “Shit, right. The breakup.”
“No, that’s not—”
“Of course, you’re upset about Lindsey. You two were together for so long. I’m such an idiot.”
“I’m—” He tries to talk but I cut him off again, on a nervous prattle roll.
“Shit. Now I said her name and probably made it worse. I’m really insensitive.” I run my fingers through my hair. “Maybe I should just go to bed before I make things worse for you.”
Reaching down, he grabs his beer off the ground and hands it to me. “Drink this.”
My brows furrow. “What? Why?”
“Because you need to chill the fuck out,” he says with a chuckle.
I sigh heavily and take a sip, trying not to relish in the fact that my lips are now exactly where his were only moments ago. The cold liquid covers my tongue and slides down my throat, cooling every inch of me. After drinking a little more, I hand it back to him.
“Thanks.”
The corner of his mouth raises as he takes his own sip, and my eyes are glued to the way his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. Everything about this guy screams manly: The way he speaks. The way he carries himself. The way confidence radiates from him. It’s intoxicating.
He starts picking at the calluses on his fingers from years of playing guitar—a nervous habit he’s had for years. “I’m not upset about Lindsey.”
My breath hitches at his confession. “Y-you’re not?”
“No,” he answers, shaking his head. “I mean, it sucked when it happened, but I’m not upset now.” His gaze turns to me, and his pupils are blown. I can barely see the light green that always seems to suck me in. His tongue darts out to moisten his lips, and I'm fascinated, like a moth around a lightbulb. “How could I be when I'm sitting here with you?”
At first, I think I heard him wrong. He couldn't have possibly said what I just thought I heard. But then he keeps his sights locked on my lips, and his hand comes up to gently hold my chin in place, and I'm a fucking goner. He slowly starts to lean in.
“Harland,” I whisper.
His lips ghost across mine. “Shh. I just...”
Whatever he was about to say is gone the moment our mouths meet in a heated kiss. His hand wraps around the back of my neck and pulls me closer as our tongues dance together. It's feverish, and rushed, and everything I’ve imagined over the years.
“Fuck, Em,” he groans.