Page 29 of Inseverable (Carolina Beach)

I’m ready to tear on out of here when I see her skipping up a set of stairs that lead down to another level. “Curtis, check on the burgers, will you?” she tells the guy hanging out near the top. “Lianna, could you and the others take down the salads in the fridge?”

“You got it, Trin,” they say.

She bounces toward me, her dark hair sweeping behind her as she walks. She’s in tiny white shorts fringed at the bottom and a red bikini top that looks way too good on her. She smiles brightly when she sees the bottle and takes it from Sean’s hands.

“You brought wine? Oh, that’s so sweet,” she says.

She snags my elbow, her hold soft yet firm enough to keep me from hauling ass back down the driveway. “I didn’t know this was a party,” I mutter.

“Oh, it’s not?not really. Every Sunday the gang usually heads up here after work. It’s close enough that most people just walk.”

Which explains why I didn’t see any cars. She leads me down the marble, that’s right,marblesteps of the curved staircase.

“Hey, Callahan,” one of her other friends says as he makes his way up the steps.

He stops in front of us. “Trin, can I borrow your car?” he asks. “Looks like we need more beer. Oh, look at that,wine.” He pats my arm. “Nice move. Classy.”

“So I hear,” I tell him.

He cocks his head and frowns. I’m not trying to be an asshole. But I’m also not volunteering to be anyone’s friend.

“Hale,” Trin says, luring his attention. “My keys are on the hook in the kitchen?the one by the door. Take Tony and Jonathon with you, they offered to pay, and it is their turn.”

“Sure thing, Trin,” he says. He jogs up the steps, but not before shooting me one last look over his shoulder.

She sighs and even though voices trail from upstairs and downstairs, for the moment we’re alone on the steps. “I was hoping you’d be okay with everyone being here.”

She knows I keep to myself so yeah, I’m wondering why she wants me here. Am I someone she wants to get to know more? Or am I just another pal to hang out with?

Her dark hair slides along the wall as she leans against it and plays with the bottle in her hands. A few people carrying bowls of food pass us before she speaks again. “I know you’re not what some refer to as a people person,” she says. “But you might have noticed I am.”

“I might have noticed.”

She laughs and turns her head to the side, her grin fading as she continues. “My friends mean a lot to me, and this is our last summer together before we move on with our lives. I can’t ditch them for a guy.” She faces me, smiling slightly. “No matter how much I like him.”

I’m surprised in a way she put it all out there. My first thought is to set her straight and tell her there’s nothing between us. But seeing how I can’t stop thinking about her, and how bad I wanted to kiss her in my kitchenandwhen I drove her back to her post, I don’t say anything.

I wasn’t supposed to fall for a girl. Especially one who can’t keep her mouth shut for two whole minutes?who talks about one night stands like I’m one of her girlfriends?who pushes her way into my life and takes on men ten times her size to protectme?a man who’s shot and killed, and . . .

“What are you thinking about?”

I can’t tell her, so I switch it up so I don’t have to. “Just wondering why I’m here. Is it to get your friends’ approval?”

“No, not at all. More like their blessing.”

She smiles, causing that sprinkle of freckles on her nose and cheeks to arch. Damn, she’s pretty. Who am I kidding? Trin’s beautiful.

I swallow back the need to kiss her again. “I don’t know if you’ll get what you want.”

She makes a show of trailing her gaze from my face down my body. “Oh, I don’t know. . . You’re here, aren’t you?”

Can’t say she’s wrong about that.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

She wraps her arm around mine. Like a tamed lion, she leads me downstairs. I don’t fight free of her hold which is odd, and even stranger yet, I don’t want to.

The lower level has a pool, patio, and barbecue area with walls that open up into a large backyard where a volleyball net’s been set up. The foundation of the house is all dense slate which is probably why I couldn’t hear the group when I first pulled in.

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