Page 115 of One Touch

The shirt was a deep, rich navy blue, adorned with a subtle pattern of creamy white hibiscus flowers and sage-green palm fronds. The print was tasteful and understated, not the gaudy explosion of color I’d come to expect from shirts like this. The fabric looked soft and expensive, draped perfectly over Ethan’s broad shoulders and pulled taut across his muscular chest. Theshort sleeves clung to his biceps, emphasizing their definition in a way that made my pulse quicken. As he turned to survey the crowd, I couldn’t help but notice how the shirt tapered to his narrow waist, accentuating his athletic build. It was as if the shirt had been tailored specifically to showcase every one of Ethan’s best features.

“Drink . . . I need to get a drink,” I muttered, hoping the flush I felt creeping up my neck wasn’t visible. For some reason, though, I didn’t follow Jenna to the bar. I just stood there, staring.

“Evening, Cole,” Ethan said in that deep, gruff voice of his. “Sorry I’m late, bro. Took me hours to get my hair just right.”

“So, why did you mess it up after?” Cole joked.

“Funny. Hey, have you seen. . . .” He started to look around, but the moment he saw me, he stopped. We stared at each other.

One, two, three, four, five. . . .

“Well, looky here! It’s my firefighter brother!” Jack appeared, slapping Ethan on the back.

“Great to have you here, Jack.” Ethan replied warmly. He was talking to Jack. But he was looking at me. Not just looking. He was eating me up.

“Let’s not just stand here,” Cole said, clapping his hands together. “It’s drinks o’clock.”

The boys started making their way toward the bar, so I scurried over to Jenna, and she handed me a cocktail. It was red at the bottom of the glass and orange at the top and it tasted extremely boozy.

“Thought you’d done another runner,” she joked.

“Funny,” I replied. “But it’s way too soon for jokes like that.”

Jenna’s eyes widened. “Oh my god. I’m so—”

“It’s okay!” I replied. “I’m joking!”

Maybe Iwasone of the cool kids after all.

We headed back out to the deck and my cheeks were still burning from the sight of Ethan, so I welcomed the cooling sea breeze on my face. Plush, white leather couches adorned with colorful cushions lined the perimeter, and we sank into one with a sigh.

It wasn’t long before we set off from the dock. The plan was to have a leisurely trip to Goldharbor Bay, where the two parties would split for a couple of hours and spend time in two different bars. Then, we’d meet back on the boat for a trip back to Bluehaven Beach, and—as Elara seemed very excited to share—a floating disco.

Being on the ocean felt magic.

I hadn’t been on a boat for ages. The last time was a corny pirate-themed mini-cruise my mom had taken me on when I was a kid. It was a shame to live so near to the water but not get out on it much. At least Ethan had shown me that I could head into the water at any time of year. Well, maybe not winter. That would be too much bliss, even for me.

The party was soon in full swing, laughter and chatter mingling with the soft slosh of waves against the hull. I sipped champagne, bubbles fizzing pleasantly on my tongue as I chatted to Jenna, Elara, and Connie.

To my surprise, Connie wanted to talk exclusively about romance novels.

“Jaxon is actually such a cinnamon roll hero,” she said, drinking from her own glass. “Even though a billionaire, he’s still really humble.” She sighed. “That bit in the novel where he nurses Kapena—”

“Kapena?” Elara asked, eyebrows arched.

“She’s Polynesian,” Connie said. “And very cool. A champion paddle boarder.”

“What is paddle boarding?” I asked.

Connie grimaced. “I don’t actually know. It’s like, surfing? Maybe? Scout got excited when I told him about it.” Scout was Connie’s teenage son and a local hockey prodigy. “Thankfully not so excited that he wanted to read the book. It’s a little too steamy for a sixteen-year-old.”

I snorted a laugh. “I doubt that. Sixteen-year-olds know everything.”

“Scout is innocent as they come!”

“I’m sure,” I replied with a grin.

I got up to head to the bathroom and made my way across the gently rocking deck.

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