Page 17 of Sweetest Hate

I glanced down at her again. "And exactly what are you implying?"

Piper looked up, exasperated with me. "One, you're not exactly shy about picking up whoever grabs your attention. And two, you think I didn't notice you and that skater-looking dude eye fucking each other? Please. Pretty sure everyone noticed."

"Bullshit." Only a few seconds had passed between us when I'd spotted him by the fire. To be fair, it was the first time I'd come face to face with him. Not only had an immediate attraction sparked, but I was also curious about the guy that had unknowingly caused the rift between Quinn and me in the first place. Regardless, there was no way it had been that obvious before I'd forced myself to look away. Piper didn't need to know what happened afterward because it had been amistake. She'd read more into it than necessary and stick her nose into my business as usual.

She narrowed her jade green eyes. "Right...and where have you been for the last thirty minutes? You two sneak off in the same direction and reappear minutes apart?"

My gaze darted around, searching for Kellan because I hadn't seen him follow me outside.

"Over by the fire." Piper pointed, and I swatted her hand down.

"Didn't your mother teach you it was rude to point?" I narrowed my eyes, receiving a very unladylike snort in response.

Piper took a deep pull of her beer before shaking her head. "Ha, that would mean my mom gave a shit about me, and you know she doesn't. Besides, you're one to talk about being rude, you moody dick. I'm thinking maybe you don't want him to know we're talking about him."

"Youare talking about him—whoeverheis. I don't know what, or who, you're even talking about." The lie rolled easily off my tongue.

"Bullshit." She fake coughed before flashing a knowing smile. "You are such a bad liar, Arsen. Maybe you can fool everyone else, but I've known you your whole life in case you forgot. My Arsen-is-Full-of-Shit Meter just went bananas."

"Whatever you say, but you are dead ass wrong about this one." I shook my head and turned back to the party, sneaking a look in the direction she had pointed. Piper was right. Kellan stood by the fire, one hand stuffed into the pocket of a pair of shorts while he held a beer in the other. His mouth was set in a firm line as he stared into the flames. Next to him, Quinn was gesturing wildly, clearly wasted, but Kellan didn't even seem to register my stepbrother's presence.

I was sure Quinn had filled Kellan in on what I'd said as he'd watched from the second floor, and the barb seemed to have hit home the way I'd intended. Something about the way he'd called me a mistake just chafed at an invisible wound, stemming from mommy issues I guessed. I shouldn't feel bad about it, so I shoved away the irritating guilt nipping at my gut.

Piper pushed off the tree and yawned. "I'm tired. It's been a long day, so I'm going to turn in early."

I laughed. "It's not even ten yet."

She shrugged. "Blake and I went apartment hunting this morning, and I have a week to join the party. Right now, I just need to catch some sleep."

It was still weird that my two best friends had started dating, officially screwing up our trio. "Did you guys find a room?"

"Yeah, we're set. Don't worry you pretty little head about us."

"Where is Blake, anyway?"

Piper scrunched her nose. "Around here somewhere. I think I saw him by the water." Turning, she rose up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around my neck. Leaning toward my ear, she snickered. "When you and that guy are banging, make sure to wrap it up."

"You're hilarious." I laughed, searching over her shoulder for the source of her stupid comment. Whether he'd heard my laugh or had been paying attention the whole time, Kellan whipped his head in our direction. Knowing exactly how it would look, I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist and tilted my head down toward her ear with my stare locked on his. "And I'm not going to fuck him."

As if I hadn't done enough already, I wanted to piss him off, though I wasn't sure he'd give a shit anyway. Kellan glared. He was affected by what he thought he was witnessing. What did he have to be pissed about if it had only been a mistake?

Jaw set, he turned back to Quinn, effectively brushing me off again. I still wasn't convinced there wasn't more going on between Kellan and my stepbrother, especially knowing Quinn harbored a secret hard-on for my little mouse.

Piper squirmed, making me realize I was still holding her, so I loosened my arms. She chuckled as she lowered back onto her feet. "Him? I thought you didn't know who I was talking about."

It took me a few long seconds to remember what she was referring to, and then it dawned I'd all but admitted there had been something between Kellan and me. Not knowing how to reply to my reckless comment, I stuck with, "Shut up."

Piper stepped back, rolling her eyes again, a habit she'd had since we were toddlers. "All right. I need to go find Blake and let him know I'm headed to bed."

"Night, loser," I called as she strolled toward a group gathered by the water's edge, flipping me off over her shoulder.

I slouched against the tree as I sipped my beer, watching Kellan talk to Quinn. I wasn't going to spend the rest of the night worried about what was going on in Kellan's head. I'd avoid him, and he'd likely avoid me. That's it. The end.

Kicking off the tree, I headed toward the fire and plopped down in a chair across from Kellan. His eyes flashed to mine over the flames as if he'd known exactly where I'd be before glancing away.

Blake, my other best friend who was also Piper's boyfriend, took the chair next to mine, and I tore my attention away from Kellan. Blake and I went way back to freshman year of high school when he'd been transplanted from California. He still looked every bit of the surfer he'd been on the coast. With natural highlights in his golden hair and baby blue eyes, the guy was good-looking and had no trouble pulling girls, or at least he hadn't before Piper had laid claim to the poor guy. It was the tanned skin over solid lean muscle and surfer vibe that seemed to drive them crazy.

My type ran the course of guys smaller than me that wanted me to throw them around in bed, something I was all too happy to accommodate. My gaze scanned Kellan once more before flicking over to my friend, who slouched carelessly in his seat.

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