I’ve been so busy staring at Daisy that I didn’t even notice the tall dude beside her. The one who is now putting his hand on her shoulder and leaning down to whisper something in her ear. I see red.
Who the fuck is that, and why the hell is he touching her?
I squint to get a better look at the asshole next to her. This must be the guy Grayson and Holden told me about, the one they saw with Daisy at the restaurant the other night.
Dammit to hell.
The guy looks like a douche. If he puts his hands on her one more time, he and I are going to have a talk.
“I see you found your stepsister,” Holden says quietly as he appears with a drink in each hand. He passes one to me and I immediately take a long swig.
“She isn’t my stepsister,” I grumble, watching Daisy tilt her head back and laugh at something the prick says to her. “Is that the guy?”
“That’s the one she was with at Cocina the other night,” Holden says. “Honestly, they look good together.”
His words are like a kick to my groin. “Shut the fuck up, Holden.”
Becca laces her hand through mine, a reminder that she’s still here. “Tuck, what do you say we go chill on my uncle’s boat over there? I’ve decided I’m ready to get out of here.”
She tugs gently on my hand, but my feet don’t budge.
“Tuck?” she coos. “I want you so bad.”
I tear my gaze away from Daisy to deal with Becca, who is staring up at me with heavy-lidded eyes. If I were to follow her right now, it would mean a wild night of sex. But I can’t leave here until I find out who this guy is, and what’s going on between him and Daisy.
“I’m sorry, Bec. Something’s come up. I’ll have to catch you later.”
“You’re joking, right?” she asks as I untangle my hand from hers.
“I’m not, unfortunately.”
She rolls her eyes at me and stomps away, clearly pissed. With Becca gone, I return my focus to Daisy and to the guy’s hand that has just moved from her shoulder down to her waist.
That is all I need to see. I chug the rest of my beer, then shove the empty cup into Holden’s chest and stalk directly over to Daisy and the dickhead.
SIX
WHAT IS HE SO MAD ABOUT?
Daisy
“I’m really glad we did this,” Will says, squeezing my hand.
“Me too. The dock party is one of my favorite nights of the year.”
A warm breeze whips over the waves, bringing a taste of the ocean with it as Will’s olive eyes meet mine. A half-moon in the sky softly illuminates the pier with the help of a few dozen string lights.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve been having a good time with Will so far tonight. He texted me the day after we met at Cocina Caliente, asking if he could take me out. When I mentioned the dock party, he said he was in. We decided to meet at the restaurant at the marina for dinner and then walk over to the dock party together.
We picked up our conversation where we left off the other night, getting to know each other a little more over dinner. He talked about his family, most of whom still live in San Francisco, where Will grew up. It turns out he has an adventurous side as well—he told me all about a rock-climbing trip to Yosemite he’s planning for the spring, which sounds amazing. You’d have tobe blind not to notice how handsome Will is, with his infectious smile and deep green eyes, but it turns out he’s easy to talk to as well.
Will and I are just coming out of the beer garden when I notice a familiar figure barrelling through the crowd of partiers toward us. Tucker’s hands are squeezed into tight fists at his sides as he practically pushes people out of his path.
What is he so mad about?
Will. Of course. This is textbook Tucker. He must have seen me with Will, and now he’s here to insert himself into my personal life yet again. My suspicions are confirmed when he reaches us and immediately wraps a hand around my waist, dragging me toward him. My hip presses against his thigh, and I can smell the intoxicating, woodsy scent of his cologne.
“Tuck, what the hell are you doing?” I demand, trying to ignore how good it feels being this close to him.