Page 34 of Make Me Want it Too

I’m not sure how to respond. Luckily, I’m saved by the sound of footsteps hitting the wooden dock. It rocks gently as Wood, Noah, and Livvy join us.

The sun glows off Wood’s golden skin. He’s dressed in pale blue shorts and a loose white button-down shirt, the top few buttons left open, sleeves rolled up past his elbows in an effortless kind of way. I’m reminded again that he fits in perfectly here. Looks like he belongs. He’s one of the rich and beautiful. Like Margot.

And I am not.

Noah is behind him in his usual black jeans and a black T-shirt, Livvy hanging on his arm in a cute pink romper.

But then Wood grins at me, his white teeth bright in the sunlight. Instantly, my shoulders relax and it’s like I can breathe again. I step around Margot, beaming at Wood. “I’m so glad you’re back.” And I really am.

Wood tilts his head, grinning, his eyes searching mine. He glances over my shoulder toward Margot and takes my hand, giving it two quick squeezes. I squeeze it back just once.

“Sorry to leave you alone so long, love.” He comes around me and whispers in my ear, “Say the word, or give me the signal, and we can go right back to the room. I’ll take the blame.”

I shake my head. “I’m okay.”

His gaze lingers on my face. “Okay. Oh—” He takes out my travel bottle of sunscreen. “Here you go. It was just where you said it was.” Wood looks at my pink shoulders. “Do you need some help putting it on?”

“No.” I squeeze some out into my hands and start rubbing it over my shoulders and arms.

“Could you help me with mine?” Margot asks, smiling at Wood.

“On second thought,” I say, turning, “I could use your help getting my back.”

“Sorry, girl, my hands are taken.” Wood squirts some sunscreen out into his palm then tosses the bottle to Margot. “But here you go.”

She catches it, a pretty little scowl on her face.

Wood’s fingertips brush along the back of my neck as he sweeps my hair out of the way. The sunscreen is cold against my skin but then he’s rubbing it in and all I can focus on is his hands—warm and big and smooth. His strong fingers work the lotion in over my shoulder blades and down my back to the top of my dress.

Too soon, he’s done. Hands gone.

“Hey,” Livvy says, walking up to me. A breeze plays with strands of her light brown hair, sweeping them across her face, over the spattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks. She has the cute kind of freckles.

I give her a hug, but she barely hugs me back and when I pull away, she’s twisting her hands together into a knot.

“Are you okay?”

She looks past me to the water. “Um, yeah. It’s just…”

She doesn’t have to say anything. I know she’s thinking about the accident at Wood’s lake house this summer.

“Woo!” Bex yells over the water, and we all turn to see her in her red bikini on the stern of a huge sailboat headed toward us.

Spencer is at the wheel, and Jake is sitting on the edge, getting ready to toss the boat fenders over the side as they approach the dock.

“Let’s go, bitches!” Bex holds up a bottle of champagne in each hand, her sunglasses sliding down her nose.

“Oh, we’re just in time!”

I glance back at the unfamiliar male voice. Jake’s two other groomsmen are coming up the dock in matching short shorts and collared shirts, except one is pale pink and one is lavender.

“Sorry!” the one in pink says. “This one locked us out of our room.”

“You were distracting me by being so cute.”

“Can’t help it,” the one in pink beams, batting his lashes. He pauses, looking at me. “Oh my goodness, I’m so rude. We haven’t had a chance to meet yet. I’m Zayne.”

“And I’m Dane,” says the one in purple.

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