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We start to wander down toward the water and I take a few steps toward it. I let the ocean lap over my toes and laugh. “Holy crap, it’s cold.”
“That’s the Atlantic for you,” Aiden says. He kicks off his sandals and steps up next to me. James isn’t wearing shoes, so he walks right out up to his knees, looking back at the two of us.
“You should come visit me in LA sometime,” James says. “Beautiful water, always warm.”
Aiden laughs. “That’s the line he uses on all the girls he wants to sleep with.”
I blush a little bit. “Are you trying to get in my pants, James?”
He grins and shrugs. “If Aiden’s willing to share you.”
Aiden arches an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware that I had the right to share her.”
“Oh, please,” James says, “like you haven’t noticed the way she looks at us.”
“Good point,” Aiden muses.
“Guys, I’m right here,” I say, staring at the two of them like they’re insane.
“See, she’s not even denying it,” James points out. “I bet we could strip her down right here and do whatever we wanted to her.”
“No way,” Aiden says.
“Thank you, Aiden.” I smile at him.
“I think we’d have to bring her inside at least,” Aiden continues. “I mean, she has some modicum of decency.”
“Oh, you ass,” I say, kicking water at him.
He laughs and dances away. “Careful, I wouldn’t start a war you can’t win.”
James comes over and lifts me up out of the water. I yell, laughing, and he threatens to toss me in if I don’t stop splashing.
“Okay, okay!” I say.
He puts me down and I push him back. He grins at me. “You’re a dangerous one, aren’t you?” he asks.
“Maybe,” I say. “Come on, let’s go inside. My feet are freezing.”
I dance up out of the water and the guys follow me. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten attention like this from guys as handsome as they are, let alone from two at once. It’s a little overwhelming, and I feel like I’m drunk even though I’ve barely had anything to drink. It’s intoxicating, flirting with these two guys.
What’s stranger is how intelligent and interesting they are. At first, I thought I was living in a house full of pretty, boring boys. But so far, they’ve proven me wrong at every turn.
We head up toward the house. I wipe my feet off on a towel and the boys follow suit.
“Hey, check it out,” James says, nodding into the house.
I follow his gaze and I see Henry talking to this pretty girl with red hair. She’s shorter than him and gorgeous, with the most striking green eyes I’ve ever seen
They’re clearly flirting. He touches her elbow and she laughs, leaning into him. He says something to her and she gets this look on her face for a second before smiling and nodding.
He takes her hand and they walk back toward the stairs.
“Holy shit,” Aiden says.
“Well, looks like he’s out to a good lead,” James answers serenely.
“What?” I ask them. “Lead?”
“Nothing,” Aiden says. “I just think Henry’s about to score.”
“Oh,” I say dumbly. “Gross.”
The guys both laugh and we head inside. The rest of the party drifts like that, although I lose James and Aiden at a certain point. I’m still content just watching, learning about my brother and his friends, existing in this space that’s so clearly beyond me. I don’t belong, but it feels good to pretend that I do.
Maybe getting stuck here wasn’t such a bad thing. I was dreading it the whole trip out, but now that I’m here, it’s surprisingly amazing. I just hope of the rest of Henry’s friends are as cool as Aiden and James.
