Page 7 of Play It Sinful

Kenzie wrinkles her nose. “I don’t know. He never likes to do anything with us.”

“Because you guys are annoying,” I retort.

Dad frowns. “Too bad. You’re going together, or no one is going.”

“That’s not fair,” Kenzie complains. “What if Sean doesn’t want to go?”

I glance at Ashley. Her gaze is downcast. It’s like she’s certain already that they aren’t going because of me. The annoying guilty feeling makes its presence known in my chest. Hell. Before I can stop myself, I say, “Stop whining, Kenzie. I’ll go to the stupid party.”

Ashley whips her face up, and stares at me. “What’s the catch?”

“There is no catch. I want to go.”

She narrows her eyes and flattens her lips. She thinks I’m bullshitting everyone, but the joke’s on her. For the first time, I’m not.

Dad drops us off at the beach’s parking lot and says he’ll pick us up in three hours. If we want to go home earlier, we need to call him, but we can’t stay longer.

I start toward the path that leads to the beach, but Kenzie says, “Wait for us.”

I turn and see them both removing their high-heeled sandals.

“You guys are so smart,” I say. “Why didn’t you wear flips-flops like me?”

Kenzie wrinkles her nose. “Because they didn’t go with our outfits.”

I roll my eyes. “Now you have to walk barefoot and hold your shoes. The logic of your thought process is shocking.”

“I knew there was a catch,” Ashley pipes up. “You only came to annoy us.”

“Whatever. Go on now. We’re wasting time here.”

I let Kenzie and Ashley walk ahead of me, trying my best to not look at Ashley’s ass, but hell, that’s a battle I can’t win. The weather is nice tonight. There’s a soft breeze, and the smell of burning wood from the bonfire reminds me of camping trips. Someone brought portable speakers, but the music is distorted from where we are.

The boys at the party all turn to check the girls out, and I’m annoyed that they’re looking at Ashley. That surprises me. I should be indifferent to her. I don’t like the brat.

I see a couple of guys I met last year at hockey camp and go say hello. I didn’t come here to be Kenzie’s and Ashley’s bodyguard. John Armstrong and Billy Webber attend a private school in New York City, but they aren’t snobby assholes.

John is the first to notice me. “Hey, it’s London boy. What are you doing here, dude?”

“Same thing as you, I guess. What’s up?” I greet both with a fist bump.

“Not much.” Billy shrugs. “Are you going to camp next week?”

“You bet. I’ve been looking forward to that all year.”

John looks over my shoulder. “Who are the hot chicks that came with you?”

I groan. Fuck me. They had to notice them, didn’t they?

“My sister and stepsister.”

“Is that short one your stepsister?” Billy asks, now looking in their direction too.

I narrow my eyes, not amused by his interest. “Yes, why?”

“Why?” He laughs. “Are you blind or something? She’s hot. Does she have a boyfriend?”

“I don’t know. I’m not her keeper.”

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