Page 36 of Hot Summer

From anyone else in any other context, it might have sounded suggestive, but Cas knew exactly what Femi meant. Those moments at night, lights out, neither of them tired enough to actually sleep. They always stayed up a little longer to recap everything that happened that day, making little jokes or observations about whatever ridiculous thing occurred. Plus, the chats helped to drown out the soft moans and sound of smacking lips from Lexi and Charlie’s bed at the other end of the room.

“Me, too,” she agreed.

“It’s important to me that I’m partnered up with someone I trust. I feel like I trust you. And, thinking about tonight...” Femi said. “Would you be willing to stay in a friendship couple?”

Cas was nodding before Femi even finished asking. This was everything she wanted. Right here on a silver platter.

“I’d stay in a friendship couple with you until the very end if you’d let me. But...” She took a deep breath. This could fuck everything up. “What about Sienna?”

Femi half shrugged, half shook his head. “Jayden’s going to choose her tonight. He was talking about it downstairs.” He was quiet for a moment before he rallied, smiled. “Besides, I’m going to worry about saving you first, always. I can’t imagine being in this villa without you.”

“Me, either.”

The sense of relief was immense, overwhelming. After the stress of the day, the feeling of having the weight lifted off her shoulders nearly brought tears to her eyes.

They were quiet for a beat before Cas glanced at him. “I’m so glad that Lexi cast you off onto me.”

Femi laughed, and Cas loved the sound of it, how big and round and loose it was. Like he was full of so much joy, it was positively spilling out of him.

“Me, too.” He stood and extended his hand. “Now, let’s go partner up.”

“I hope you have a big, soppy speech about me,” Cas said.

“Oh, you know I do. If you don’t cry, this partnership is over.”

“I’ll have to make sure I grab my eye drops on the way out, then.”

Femi laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, jostling her as he tugged her into his side. “I hate you.”

Cas rolled her eyes and turned the door handle. “Liar.”

12

Cas had just opened the door when she heard someone scream from the back garden. Lexi, if she had to put money on it. Cas had to admit... Lexi’s volume was helpful sometimes.

“Text!”

“Here we go.” Femi put his hand on Cas’s shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

The girls lined up, a foot between each of them, and after taking her mark, Cas stared across at the boys sitting anxiously on the bench. Reece’s leg was bouncing and his hands kept moving restlessly from his mic belt to his knee and back again. Even Brad was sizing them up, gaze flicking around like he couldn’t decide where to look. Cas felt like she was vibrating out of her own skin, but Femi was calm, easy, and he winked when their eyes met.

And then Jayden’s phone beeped.

“ ‘Welcome, lovers. Tonight, you’re going to have your first partnership ceremony. One at a time, the boys will choose who they would like to partner up with. The girl not chosen will be sent home from Hot Summer.’ ”

Even though Cas knew she was safe, that Femi would choose her, the words still sent a chill down Cas’s spine. Someone grabbed her hand, and Cas looked down to see Ada’s fingers wrapped around her own.

When Cas looked at Ada, her eyes, big and warm and brown, were glowing in the golden light. Ada squeezed Cas’s hand, and without thinking, Cas stepped closer. They weren’t close enough that their bodies were touching, but it was enough that, even in the humid night air, Cas could feel the echo of Ada’s body in the space between.

Jayden’s phone beeped again. “ ‘Jayden, it’s time for your selection.’ ”

Jayden pressed his palm into the bench as he stood, and before he tucked his hands behind his back, Cas noticed they were shaking. In her peripheral vision, Cas saw Ada turn toward Sienna slightly and give her arm a little nudge.

“He’s so nervous. It’s nice,” Ada whispered.

It would have been a sweet moment if Sienna had responded in kind. Instead, there was an almost vacant look to Sienna’s expression, like she was too far gone in her own thoughts to really hear anything happening around her.

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