Page 28 of Paradise

“Jesus Christ,” Logan says, crossing her arms over her chest. “Fucking rich people.”

Hayden shrugs, trying to get back to not caring, but I can see on his face that he’s upset to his core. “Do you think he picked me up from jail? Nope, sent adriverwho dropped me at the airport with a first-class ticket back to North Carolina. I had to get Travis to bring all my shit to the airport. I just needed to get out of that fucking city.”

“I don’t blame you,” Logan says, sighing. “Have you heard from him since?”

Hayden chuckles. “He probably doesn’t even have my phone number, dude.”

Logan flinches, but she sighs and gives him a big smile. “Well, you’re here with us now, and we’re going to have a good time.”

I nod, agreeing with her. “But for tonight, let’s get some sleep. No more drinking.”

Hayden’s brows furrow. “I didn’t realize you were a little bitch, Carson.”

I see Levi laugh in my peripheral vision, and I shrug. “I’m tired, and Levi wakes up really fucking early and pounds on the door.”

Levi laughs harder, standing up to clap hands with Hayden. “Tell me we can surf in the morning. Like, 6am, dude, right when the waves are perfect. I can’t wait to get away from this old married couple.”

Logan faux gasps, putting her hand on her chest. “After all we’ve been through?”

I laugh, standing up and picking up all the bottles that still have alcohol in them. “Get out of my room. See you in the morning.”

When I turn around, Hayden throws an arm over Logan’s shoulder. “Yeah, Logan, let’s go.”

I shake my head. “She’s staying here. I have something I need taken care of so I can get back to sleep.”

Logan laughs. “There’s lotion in the bathroom.”

Levi and Hayden laugh then too, stepping past me to leave and shoutinggoodnightsas they go.

ten

LOGAN

Iam not the most athletic girl. I can throw a ball, and I’m a decent runner, but my coordination isn’t good enough that I’ve ever played a sport—at least not one I haven’t given up on for sucking. So when I wake up the next morning at sunrise and Carson is wearing a wetsuit, I know I’m in trouble.

I’ve tried to surf, with the help of Carson, Hayden, and Levi, but I just can’t balance for that long. I’m the weird girl jumping around in the waves like a dolphin and diving like a mermaid.

Sitting up in bed, I watch as Carson quietly messes with his hair in the bathroom mirror, his wetsuit hanging at his waist and chest bare. I watch him until he’s pleased with the way his hair is hanging, then he flips off the lights and turns to face me. When he sees I’m awake, he laughs.

“How long have you been watching me?”

I chuckle. “Why are you worried about how your hair looks before going in the ocean?”

He laughs harder, walking toward me. “I hate you.”

“I know.” I crawl to meet him at the end of the bed, and he grips my jaw to kiss me.

When he pulls back, he tucks my hair behind my ear. “I was going to let you sleep while I went surfing with the boys, since we were up so late.”

I yawn, shuffling backwards on my knees to get back under the covers. “Fine by me.”

He crawls after me. “No, no, no. Now that you’re up, you’re coming with us.”

Laying on top of me, he puts his hips between my legs as he kisses along my jaw. I groan, “I’m tired.”

He licks across my lips. “We’re leaving in five minutes. Get a bathing suit on.”

Then he’s rolling off of me to stand up, holding a hand out. I huff, making him laugh, but take his hand anyway and let him pull me from the bed. “Fine.”

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