“Ha ha.”
“No joke. Stick to the dry stuff, and you’ll be fine.”
Eyeing the frothy, crashing waves next to them, Zoey stepped closer to Graham’s side. “It’s a dangerous day to be us, huh?”
“Don’t worry,” he said, eyes sparkling in the soft July sunlight. “When a guy finds a woman he likes, he tends to not let her die of exposure in a mud flat.”
Not letting her die seemed to be Graham’s mission of the day.
His friends were having a late-night bonfire along the coastline, and Graham had invited Zoey to come along. They dropped off their armfuls of firewood, and Zoey helped pull pieces of driftwood over to the slowly growing fire for seating, careful to keep a safe distance from the mudflats Graham warned her about.
Zoey was grateful he was such a large, talkative personality. Even though she had come with him, there were certainly some curious looks and a few less than enthusiastic ones. But everyone loved Graham, and the more he pulled her around introducing her, the more Zoey started to enjoy herself.
She knew more people than expected, and it was clear Graham knew them all. Easton and Ash, Rick from the pool hall, and Frankie from the bakery were familiar faces in the group. Diego, the resort pamphlet pusher, sat silent at the edge of the fire, carving a piece of cedar and ignoring the rest of them. Leah gave her a nice hug in greeting, although Zoey would have preferred not to have Officer Jonah there, even if he was distracted with his kids and a newly pregnant wife. Despite the late hour, several families had brought their children to make s’mores. Flirting teenagers played a game of touch football just past the firewood, and one infant was sound asleep in his mother’s arms.
Watching Graham play with his godsons was so much fun, and it was clear as the three played a game of soccer that Thomas and James were far more skilled. After Graham’s pride had been crushed and no one could eat another bite of graham cracker, melting chocolate, or fire-toasted marshmallow, they all settled in around the bonfire. It was a teeny tiny little thing, not nearly large enough to fit this many people around comfortably. Zoey perched on her allotted section of driftwood, hoping there weren’t too many creepy-crawlies making their way toward her, Graham on the ground at her side.
Ash pulled out a guitar, skilled fingers strumming the chords quietly, drawing the attention of the entire group.
“I didn’t know she played,” Zoey leaned over and murmured to Graham.
“The Locketts are a talented family,” he agreed. “But don’t tell them. Their heads are big enough as it is.”
Ash snorted without missing a chord. “Shut up, Graham.”
Ignoring Ash, Graham stretched his legs out in front of him, relaxed and at peace.
The wind was crisp, blowing strands of her hair across her forehead and into her eyes. Zoey pushed them away, then glanced over and saw Graham watching her. Was he shivering?
“Are you cold?”
“Are you offering to keep me warm?” Graham asked hopefully.
Rolling her eyes, Zoey couldn’t help but laugh when he rubbed his arms with dramatic excess.
“Brrrr.” Leaning his shoulder against hers, Graham adopted an expression of shivery misery.
He was a lot taller than her, but seated on the ground as he was, it wasn’t hard to drape her arm across his shoulders.
“You just want to cop a feel.” Graham sighed. “Women are all the same.”
Which wasn’t true at all, because Ash was amazing. As her fingers strummed the strings, Zoey found herself entranced, drawn into the music that somehow fit perfectly with the low crash of the waves against the shoreline. The flickering firelight left the forest behind their circle in darkness. She might have been nervous if she had been alone, but these strangers were as relaxed and comfortable as Graham. The wilderness was their home.
A deep longing hit her hard, a desire to be here, not as a person who’d carried a watermelon but as an actual person who belonged.
Even though the fire grew in warmth, the wind still left her chilled enough that Zoey leaned into Graham’s shoulder, unconsciously seeking the heat of his body next to her. His hand rested loosely on the driftwood between them, and when she shivered just a little, Graham slipped his arm around her. He tugged her those few critical inches from the driftwood seat onto his leg.
“Is this okay?” he murmured.
When Zoey nodded, he curled his muscled arm around her waist and snugged her against his chest.
“That was almost smooth,” she said, smiling.
Graham returned her grin with a quick one of his own. “I do my best.”
His best wasn’t too bad. To his credit, Graham was very good at holding a woman. His strong torso was the perfect place to cuddle into, her head resting on his collarbone as he traced lazy patterns with his thumb on her knee.
Warm breath on her neck, just beneath her earlobe, made her shiver. “Do you want to take a walk?” His low masculine rumble left her knees weak.
Murmuring a yes, Zoey rose to her feet. Eyes followed their movements, causing her cheeks to heat at the raised eyebrows and speculative looks.
As soon as they slipped out of range of the firelight—and curious ears—Zoey gave Graham a rueful look. “They think we’re hooking up.”
“Hey, whoa there, killer. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
As he teased her, Graham wrapped his arm around her shoulders, keeping Zoey tucked to his side as they skirted the beach. He was much better at it than she was, and the warmth of his body cut the chill significantly.
Even in the land of midnight sun, a cloudy sky could cover the landscape in a softer version of the darkness Zoey was used to at night. The waves crashing against the shore were so soothing, Zoey paused, drinking in the moment. But even the waves weren’t as good as having Graham’s arms slip down around her waist, turning her to face him. He touched his thumb to her jaw, a silent request for permission.
In answer, Zoey nodded into his palm, turning her face and pressing her lips to the base of his thumb.
“You just kissed my thumb.”
“Was that weird?” Zoey asked. “That was super weird, wasn’t it?”
In answer, Graham took her hand, his eyes locked on hers as he kissed each of her knuckles, slow, soft kisses that made her legs shaky.
“It was the weirdest.” His eyes sparkled in the soft light, reflecting off the waves like dancing, broken glass. They started walking again, rounding a bend just as a cloud rolled away from the sun, leaving them once more in that strange, soft midnight sunlight.
A quiet squeaking noise pulled her attention, followed by a series of clicking. More joined the first, then several loud huffs.