Page 8 of My Summer Fling

“Yeah, yeah,” I say while Noah just stands there and smiles, looking smug.

I click the end call button on my phone and toss it gently to the side table. I tuck my bare feet under my butt and take another few large gulps of liquid courage. He’s juststandingthere. He hasn’t said a word, so we’re just stuck here in an awkward, tension-filled silence.

Annie’s snores are the only noise between us. That dog falls asleep faster than someone with narcolepsy.

“I’ve come to apologize. To call a truce,” he finally says, breaking the silence like a crack in the ice. “May I?” he asks, gesturing to the other side of the swing.

I nod and watch him as he makes his way over and gently sits on the warped wood, testing its strength. He sets his camera down on the small glass table next to him.

“Don’t worry,” I tell him. “The wood may be warped and the chains may be older than me, but as long as you stay on that side, it should hold us.”

He glances up at the metal chains that are complaining under our weight.

“You’re worried about welded metal?” His eyes are playful as they glance over my body. He begins to move closer to me, but I push out a foot and shove him back to his side. He grabs my foot and begins to massage it as he laughs. “Okay, Millie, okay. I’ll stay on my side.”

Should I be pulling my foot back? Yes. Did the alcohol weaken my response to said foot massage? Yes. Did I also unfold my other leg so that he could move to the other foot once he was done with that one? Also, yes.

It’s about balance.

“I think you mentioned something about apologizing,” I say, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. I am far too comfortable right now.

“Look, Millie,” he says, sighing as he moves to my other foot. “First, I need to apologize for last summer. I said something that was out of line as I was putting you in your car to head home from the party. I kicked myself in the ass for it the whole way home. And maybe for a few days after.”

I remember exactly what he’s talking about. It soured my mood and my stomach the entire ride home. And if I’m being honest, it ruined the next day as well. I let Noah control too many emotions. I don’t like that I need people to like me, but I do.

When I look over at him, he’s looking out at the ocean, and it gives me time to study him. To be fair, he does look contrite. And there’s a lot of history between us. Before what happened, we were just as close as him and my brother were. We shared secrets and family dinners. Maybe I’ve been too hard on him.

Or maybe that’s just the alcohol talking.

“And today,” he sighs. “I’m sorry, Mills. I don’t know why the things I say come out of my mouth.” He looks over at me and we hold each other’s gaze. “Something about you just brings out the worst in me. I have zero filter around you, blurting out the first thing that comes to mind just because I can.”

“Mhm,” I say, taking another long drink from my cup.

“And,” he says, scooting closer to me. The swing shifts and groans again, but I’m too tipsy to remember I’m supposed to be making him stay on the other side. “I need to apologize for what happened between us.”

My stomach drops, and so does the swing.

A lot of things happen at once. The chain breaks on my side, tossing me down onto the porch and my drink with me. I try to hold it up but I think I just make it worse. The red liquid goes splashing all over me, the deck, and the bright white house paint. And then suddenly, Noah comes crashing down on top of me, knocking every ounce of wind out of my lungs.

Annie is on us immediately, licking at the sweet red cocktail that’s all over my face.

For a cup that was maybe a third of the way full, it sure did make a fucking mess.

When I shove Annie away and look up, I meet Noah’s dark brown eyes. There’s some sort of tension there that I haven’t felt in a really long time. My insides go all gooey, and my skin breaks out in goosebumps. His head dips slightly and I can feel his breath dance across my lips.

And then, he laughs.

The swing broke.

Millie is covered in whatever cocktail she was drinking, and so are the house and the porch deck. She pushed Annie away, so the dog sits a few feet from us—just staring—while I can’t stop laughing in Millie’s face.

Her red hair is even darker, and the little white tank she was wearing is definitely ruined. It’s completely soaked through and yep … mhm … that’s my dick trying to come to life as I notice she’s only wearing a bralette, and I can see her nipples stiffening from the blast of cold drink. Her face tilts up just enough to let me know she wouldn’t slap me right in this moment if I were to kiss her.

But she’s been drinking, and by the looks of it, she’s pretty tipsy—if not drunk—at this point.

So instead, I laugh and roll off her, trying to drink down air to clear my mind as she sits up and swears. I had been really tempted—really fucking tempted to kiss her. I can still remember the way she tastes and how soft her lips are. And my dick definitely wants to revisit them.

“Shit,” she says, gently touching her forehead. Her fingers come away bloody. I instantly sober.

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