"What else?" he asks when I don't keep going.
"You're an asshole," I state.
The corner of his mouth twitches. "That's not a secret." No, it's not, but the reason for it is. I just haven't figured that reason out yet. He moves closer until I can smell more than just the beach breeze and saltwater. My lips part. He's so close and so fucking annoying. "Avalon..." My name is a whisper on his breath right before he leans forward and his bottom lip brushes mine.
But we never kiss. We don't get the chance. "Hey, yo, Dean!" a deep baritone calls out.
Pulling back, Dean glances over his shoulder at the sound and his eyes widen. "Marcus." And like a little kid on Christmas morning, his face brightens and he gets off the sand, forgetting me as he greets the new man coming up with Abel and Braxton. He's tall, not as tall as Braxton—but I'm beginning to believe that there never will be any that can match him in size—with sandy blond hair shaved completely at the sides, leaving only the waves of longer strands on the top as they flop sideways in deference to the wind.
"Where the hell have you been?" My eyes track their movements, watching as they embrace in a manly hug with a few back claps and then Dean leans back, smiling at the man. A familiar form appears behind them.
I get up. "Corina?"
"Hey." She waves and skirts around the guys, eyeing them as if they might bite her. I frown but don't comment as she approaches. "I heard you were here."
"Yeah..." I cut a look to Dean out of the corner of my eye. "I kinda didn't have a choice."
She smirks. "Sounds like it."
"Heard you came with a guy," I say.
Her smile freezes but then comes back full force as she giggles. Corina taps her perfectly painted nails against her lips and winks. "I don't kiss and tell." Bullshit. I roll my eyes, but let her have it. She glances back at the guys again. "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to sneak off."
"You were?" A loud bark of laughter has me looking back at the guys. Dean's got the new guy’s head in a lock and they're fucking around, light wrestling like they're nothing more than normal college students. It's kind of cute, but I still can't help but feel that maybe ... they're pulling me into that image of them that's not real. Normal college students ... I don't know what they are, but I know they're not that. Dean and I may have fucked, but it's not like we're dating.
I gave in. I gave it up. But I'm still not his. No lies between us, my ass. I scowl. "Yeah," I say, turning back to Corina. "Sure. Let's go."
"Do you want to let them know?" She nods towards them.
"No." I start walking. "No need."
She doesn't say anything to that, just shrugs and turns and starts walking. Instead of heading towards the fires and music down the beach, however, Corina moves back to the stairs. We leave the beach and the sea breeze behind and return to the house, which as I glance around, I realize has been deserted in favor of the party down below.
"Where are we going?" I ask as she heads through the main floor to the front steps.
Pulling out a key ring, she swings it around on one finger and winks back at me. "Only the hottest house on the block,” she says. “My place.”
49
Avalon
Of course, Corina's place would be like a mini replica of the Eastpoint Estate. The only difference is, instead of gray brick, hers has bright blue siding. But it, too, is built like a mini hotel.
"Why were you staying at the Sick Boys' place if you have a house on the beach?" I ask as we head up the front steps.
Corina pauses at the door and looks back, the blonde and brown locks of her hair falling over her shoulder. "Well," she says, biting her lip nervously, "my cousin's actually staying here this week."
"Okay?" I arch a brow and look pointedly up. "I'm sure this place has enough rooms for you and your cousin."
She shakes her head. "He's … private," she replies. "It's difficult to explain, but what he wants—he gets and he wanted the house to himself. He said we could come over tonight and I thought you might wanna get away for a bit.”
Ugh, rich pricks. "Sounds like an asshole if you ask me."
"Heh, yeah, I guess..." She turns back and opens the door, leading me through the main hall and into a massive media space.
The room is filled with a sickly sweet smoke. The only lights on are dim glowing ones that pulse to the beat of the slow, rocking music coming out of the television speakers. Apparently, we’re not the only people her cousin invited. Everywhere I look, I see couples. Couples making out on the couches. Girls and guys sitting around, drinking and smoking and … I pause when I see pills exchange hands as a guy I don’t recognize hands over a little white baggy to a couple of girls in exchange for a wad of cash.
Corina giggles, distracting me from the sight, when a guy steps towards her and wraps his arms around her waist. He plants a kiss on her mouth so consuming that it looks like he wants to devour her. So much for not kissing and telling, I think. More like kissing and publicly declaring herself ready to go.
Whatever. It's not like I didn't just fuck my own bad-for-me asshole. I've got no room to judge.
"This is Avalon," Corina introduces after a moment, pulling back and wiping the corner of her mouth, but surprisingly enough, despite how hot and heavy the kiss was, her lipstick remains unsmudged. That's gotta be some good shit.
The guy lifts his head and I blink, noting the different colors—blue and brown eyes stare at me. "Seth,” he says, introducing himself by holding out a hand. I take it, but instead of shaking mine, he pulls me towards him and presses a kiss to my knuckles. "And if you ever need a little love, don't hesitate to ask for it."
My eyes jerk to Corina, but she doesn't appear offended at all. Instead, she slaps his arm with a laugh. "Knock it off," she urges. "She's taken."
"Oh?" He releases me. "My bad, lady."
"Taken?" I repeat, cutting a glare her way.
She eyes me. "Everyone's heard," she tells me.
"Heard what?"
She looks down. “About what Dean did on the beach. It’s official now right?”
I’m not even going to bother with a response, just thinking about one pisses me off. So what if Dean lost his cool on the beach and carried me off like some dumbass caveman. That doesn’t prove shit. Corina sighs as Seth nuzzles her neck and whispers something in her ear.
“Okay, okay,” she laughs, replying to whatever he said before turning to me. “I’m gonna go … um, show Seth something real quick. Can you—Seth, stop it!” Another girly giggle escapes her lips.
I wanna fucking groan. This was not what I signed up for. I should’ve never come. “Yeah fine, whatever,” I say. “Just leave me your keys in case I wanna go.” She doesn’t even hesitate. I stuff her keys into the pocket of my shorts as Seth whisks her out of the room and there’s no doubt in my mind what exactly she wants to show him.