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Look at me all mature, pushing water so no one feels sick tomorrow. To be fair, I was quite the margarita dealer at the Mexican restaurant earlier. It’s all about balance.

Claire and Cam dance together with huge smiles on their faces, and I can’t help but feel happy. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Cam so carefree. Hell, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her this way. When we were young, she was the responsible one, while Jules and I were constantly wasted. Cam, my straight A student of a best friend, took care of me more times than I can count. She made sure I was always safe.

She never drank with us, not until after our senior year spring break trip. But she definitely wasn’t carefree. And now I know why.

When she moved up here, she stopped drinking altogether and became very serious. Closed off. To the outsider looking in—very rude. Yet it was all just her way of protecting herself. She had built walls around her heart to keep everyone out. Everyone except Claire. I can’t pretend that I haven’t been jealous as shit over Claire these past years. She seemingly swooped in and stole my best friend from me with her sweet as sugar, Little Miss Innocent act. Only, it wasn’t an act. She’s literally, like the nicest person in the world.

I can look past my hurt feelings now and be thankful that Cam had her. She needed her. I let Cam down in a big way, and she’s been hurting ever since. Claire was her constant and security all these years.

“Drink up,” I yell over the music, reminding them to drink their water.

Cam holds up her bottle of water, with a wide grin on her face, taps it against mine in a cheers. Though it’s not Cam who needs it. She sipped on one margarita all night and didn’t even finish it. It’s Miss Sweet as Sugar who could use it.

With Cam’s attention on me, I nod to Claire who’s holding her full bottle of water over her head, eyes closed, swaying to the music. “Make sure she drinks that,” I say.

“I will,” she agrees.

Tossing my empty water bottle in the trash, I return to the dance floor. I join in the hands above the head, closed eyes, swaying to the music scene while dreaming of tonight with Boss. I can’t wait to get back to him. My vision of him is so strong that I can always smell his intoxicating cologne.

His rich timbre caresses my ear as his strong hands grab my waist. “Hello, beautiful.”

I feel his warm breath on my skin as he moves behind me, causing my knees to go weak and my stomach to flutter with anticipation.

“Oh my gosh.” I turn in his grasp. “What are you doing here?”

“We were bored and missing our girls. We thought we’d surprise you all.” He pulls me close.

I look around to see Deacon dancing with Cam, Ben wrapped around Claire, and Pauly hobbling in his walking casts and crutches next to Victoria.

“Is he supposed to be dancing?” I chuckle, looking toward Pauly.

Boss shakes his head. “I wouldn’t call that dancing, and no. But he refused to stay back.”

“Do you ever think he’ll be able to join you back on the truck?” I ask.

From what I’ve heard, his breaks were quite severe, and he has a long road of physical therapy ahead of him. He must be cleared by a doctor, stating he can perform all tasks with a hundred percent accuracy before he can come back. Obviously, I’m not a doctor, but I broke my pinky finger when I was eight years old, and it’s still not the same. To this day, I can’t make a complete fist. My poor pinky finger won’t bend enough.

“I don’t know.” Boss looks toward Pauly, his eyes sad. “I sure hope so. Being a firefighter is who we are. Without it…it would be hard.”

He shakes his head as if clearing the vision of losing Pauly on the truck out of his head and pulls me in closer.

“Did you have a good day?” he whispers across my lips.

“I did.” I kiss him. “But I missed you. I’m glad you came.”

“Me too.”

“How was work?” I ask, dragging my thumb across the back of his neck as I cling to him.

“Good. But I missed you.”

I grin. “That seems to be the theme.”

His mouth takes mine, this time in a deeper kiss. He slides his tongue through my lips, and mine responds on instinct. I sigh contently as our tongues dance, and our lips move.

The rest of the world has fallen away—the loud music and other dancers fade—and it’s just Boss and me entwined in this magical kiss.

Eventually, he pulls away, ending the hypnotic spell of a kiss. He levels a gaze on me, one filled with intense desire. “Let’s get out of here.”

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