I could reach up and untie my top, and without direction he’d know what to do.

My nipples harden and his focus moves directly to the proof.

His grip tightens, his fingertips biting into me like I want his teeth to.

“D...” He licks his lips, reluctantly dragging his gaze back to mine.

Suddenly I’m tugged back, splashing into the water again.

I come up laughing and shove Carley away.

Krista is next to jump, popping up and swimming to the left of us to climb out the one shallow spot at the Cape.

We love this place and come here at least once a week during the summer.

Parking is down at the bottom with built-in barbecues and picnic tables, small games and things all around. It’s not very large, only around ten carloads can fit in the area, so when we come, we leave before the sun even rises.

It’s beautiful and quiet, green and clean, nothing but the sounds of people having a good time or the mini waterfalls that filter through the rocks and the small stream it all leads to.

“Yo!” Trent comes around the corner, tongs in one hand, towel for his girl in the other. He tosses it at her and she drapes it over her shoulder. “Foods ready.”

“Yes!” Krista smiles with a shout, wringing her hair. “And now that Demi can pretend her vagina is wet from the water, let’s be quick about eating so we can go kick these people’s ass playing volleyball!”

“Oh my god!” I slap the water, but she only grins wider.

“Did they even invite us to play?” Macy climbs out.

“No, but they have six and we have six. They’ll let us.” Krista starts to walk away, but jerks to a stop and adds, “Carley, don’t climb out until Demi does or Nico will never let her go.”

I laugh, looking to Nico who finally drags himself to his feet, as if he planned to do just that.

“That’s it, I’m gonna fuck with Trent’s ass now,” Nico mumbles as he passes Krista.

“Good, do it. He’s all tense today, loosen him up for me, please.” She looks to us, fighting a laugh, and then follows after him.

We spend the rest of the afternoon playing volleyball with the random people who set up beside us, and dip in the water to cool off here and there.

It takes longer to clean up than it did to set up and by the time we manage to head home, it’s starting to get dark out, and everyone is hungry again, so we stop at a small taqueria for dinner.

They sit us around a large table, and my phone rings the second I get seated, my mom’s name flashing across the screen.

I hesitate a moment, then Nico taps my shoulder, nodding to the screen.

With a sigh, I answer and walk a few steps away for some privacy.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, sweetie.”

Sweetie? I frown. “What’s up?”

“I was calling to see if you were home, I’m about twenty minutes out. I thought I could bring home dinner.”

It’s already after eight-thirty, later than I would normally eat, so I don’t tell her I’ve just sat down to. “I’m not home right now, I’m with the girls and we already ate, but thanks.”

“Oh, well, in that case maybe I’ll stop for a salad at the club.” The ding of her car door being opened lets me know she was betting on my answer and is already stepping out. “So... your dad called today.”

Ah! That’s what the ‘sweetie’ was for.

“Why’d he call you? I just texted him this morning.”

“You did?” she asks, seemingly surprised.

It’s as if she convinces herself he and I speak as little as her and I do.

“So what did he say?” I get us back on track.

“Oh, he mentioned coming into town next week, he wants to have dinner.” She pauses and I wait, knowing more is coming. “You’ll let me know if he mentions the specifics to you, I know he had to cancel his last trip last minute?”

So you can make sure to plan and be home to save face, sure, Mom.

“Yeah, Mom. I will.”

“Great. I’ll see you later, Demi.” The line goes dead.

I take a minute to breathe, get out of the funk every conversation with her seems to put me in, before I turn back to my friends.

They’re all laughing and cheering as Trent flicks a paper through Nico’s fingers that he holds up as if they’re goal posts.

Macy preparing to block Trent’s next shot, switches seats, taking the open spot beside my man.

A smile takes over my lips as I look at Nico, who happens to glance my way at the same exact time.

Holy shit.

My man.

That’s my man.

I stuff my phone back in my pocket and head right for him.

His eyes cling to me, and his body seems to relax into his chair. He licks his lips, his legs spreading wider.

I drop onto his lap, slide my hand into his hair, and kiss him.

Because he’s mine and I can.

“I’ve got the Kahlua!” Krista lifts the bottle in the air as she pushes open the door to Trent’s truck.

“I got the Kahlua.” Macy frowns, pulling open her backpack to show us the A&W Root Beer bottles inside. “I already disguised them and everything.”

“Krista, you were supposed to get the coffee.”

“I thought you were getting the coffee.” She puts her hand on her hip.

Trent rolls his eyes and walks over to Nico who is sitting on my patio chair.

“I’m snacks, Carley’s blankets, Macy’s alcohol, and you were supposed to be coffee.”

“Ohhh... that’s why my alert went off at lunch! I thought I forgot to turn it off from this morning,” Krista says.

“You remind yourself to get coffee in the morning?” Carley teases.

“No, biatch, but if I’m not out the door when it goes off, that means I don’t have time to stop.” She laughs, then looks to Trent. “It’s fine, we’ll go get the coffee?”

“I can’t,” he tells her. “I have to grab my brother on the way and drop him at my dad’s office.”

“I’ll get it.” Nico pushes to his feet, moving toward me.

I love how his shoulders sway the slightest bit with each step, and how he’s always got a little lift or tip of his chin, giving him an I’m coming for you look, making me want him to do exactly that.

He plants his feet directly in front of me, grabs the snacks from my hands and lifts them over my head to set the bag into the little container in the back of my car. “What are you thinkin’ about, D?” he smirks as he asks. “A night under the stars with your man?” he jokes.

I pretend to gag and he laughs, bumping my body into the car with his.

“Please, never be the cheesy poet.”

“I thought it was cute!” Macy shouts as she walks off.

I hold in my grin while Nico’s deepens.

“You like me better when I’m bein’ a dick.”

“I like you better when you sit there and look pretty,” I joke.

He pushes closer. “You think I’m pretty, Pixie?”

A laugh bubbles out of me, and I wrap my hands around his neck, leaning into him, and satisfaction burns deep in his eyes.

“I think you’re a fine specimen, Nico Sykes, but if you don’t get your ass to the coffeehouse and to the school in time to have our bags checked, I might change my mind and—”