Page 8 of Lost in the Current of You

We called his name over the noise, which was hard when our screaming blended into the noise of the loud bass and everyone else’s screams. We shoved forward more until we were right next to him. He heard us that time and ripped his lips off the boy. His eyes latched onto us, and the haze drifted from them when he realised it was us, and the smile that grew on his lips stretched wide across his face. He gave us a thumbs up before he held his thumb and pinky to his ear to signal that he would call us later. Without waiting for a response, his lips were right back on the boy I didn’t even get a chance to get a good look at.

It was just Avery and me again as we continued to enjoy ourselves, jumping, singing and swinging our heads from side to side. We even jumped in the ocean to cool off when we saw a few people do the same before the event supervisors told us to get out.

It was well into the night before I saw Reece and Jake again. The music was still pumping loud, and we were taking one of our many breaks at the bar for a drink. Sweat clung to me, mixed with the salt water of the beach.

I had just collected my water off the bar top when someone slid in beside me, and a deep, familiar voice washed over me with warmth. “Having fun?”

“Loads,” I responded before turning to Reece, his frame casually leaning against the bar top as he ordered his beverage.

He flicked his gaze to me over his shoulder, wandering over my face and then down to the soaked clothes I wore. He tilted his chin towards me, mouth curving up as he dragged his eyes back to mine. “You must be mad to go swimming in the dark.”

A slight shiver racked my body, no matter how much I tried to hide it. It had gotten windy as the sun set and night fell upon us.

His smile fell, and a frown appeared when he noticed both Avery and I’s chattering teeth. I’m sure our lips had turned a shade of purple from the cold. The hint of worry in his eyes almost made me smile. The jokes to downplay how freezing I was were on the tip of my tongue. I would have teased him and poked fun at him, but I didn’t get a chance to do any of that. Not with how my frozen bones had slowed my movements as well as my thought process. Especially not when the warmth of Reece’s hand engulfed mine before he beckoned us to follow him through the crowd with a tilt of his head. “Come with me. Think it’s time to call it a night before you both freeze to death.”

Pulling away from the bar, my bottle of water forgotten, I quickly clamped onto Avery’s hand before I lost her too. We were pulled through throngs of people until we approached a group, and I noticed Jake as one of them.

“Calling it a night. You coming? Also, I need your jacket,” Reece announced without any other introduction.

“Why? I told you you would regret not bringing one,” Jake replied. His eyes coasted over to Avery and I. “Hey! Long time no see. Reece was going to call you but he didn’t charge his phone, the idiot.”

Reece shot a sheepish grin at me.

“It’s okay. Avery and I still had a good time.”

Jake handed his jacket over to Reece, and he passed it straight to Avery. “For you. To keep you warm until we get to your hotel.”

Avery smiled and thanked Reece. Jake shrugged, “I would have done it if I had known.”

Avery rolled her eyes.

“Come on, We’ll take you guys back to your room.” He turned to me. “Sorry, I don’t have another jacket for you.” He pinched his shirt and shook it. “Unless a shirt is okay. Better than nothing, right?”

A sly grin made its way onto his face then. “I mean, I do have other ways that could keep you warm.”

I gave him a deadpan look, but I couldn’t hide the blush from rising to my cheeks. I just hoped he wouldn’t notice. “I think I’ll take the shirt.”

From his amused look though, I would say he didn’t miss the colour change in my cheeks. “Oh, I get it. You just want to see me strip and stare at my chest. I don’t blame you,” he drawled and winked.

I scoffed. “You are such an idiot.”

He started unbuttoning his shirt as he watched me grin not wavering. “But you love it.”

I rolled my eyes and snatched the shirt from his hold, wrapping it around my shoulders.

“Let’s go, Jake. I’ve got pizza and ice cream waiting for us in our room. Sage is already there,” Reece said as he started weaving through the crowd, Avery and I following close behind.

Not a moment later, Jake wrapped his arm around Reece’s shoulder. “You just know the way to my heart,” he gushed. Reece shoved him off, shaking his head with a smirk.

We walked the short distance to our hotel room, parting ways with Jake as he headed to their hotel. In farewell, he winked at Avery. “Keep the jacket, sweetheart.”

He cut any retort she could muster as he dipped down another street. I watched in amusement as she frowned and folded her arms across her chest with a huff.

Reece walked us the rest of the distance to make sure we got there safely, stopping at the entrance to the hotel. Avery immediately waved the card in front of the sensor before barrelling through the sliding doors, proclaiming she needed a hot shower. Making her way past, she threw Jake’s jacket to Reece like she couldn’t get rid of it fast enough with a hurried “Thank you so much for this” over her shoulder.

I lingered, wanting just a few moments in the heat surrounding me with his shirt and the woodsy and fresh grass smell that invaded my senses.

Facing Reece, I smiled. “Thank you for tonight. For walking us back to our rooms.” I started to slowly peel the shirt down my arm. “And for the shirt. I’m guessing you want it back now.”

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