Page 6 of Strip Bare

“Oh. Yeah it’s a tradition we have.”

Something sparked in his eyes and I leaned forward slightly, curious, like I could work out what it meant if I just peered a little closer.

“So is it only Kit who can buy you a drink then? Or are you open to… other drinks?”

I blinked. What the hell was he talking about? Thankfully I was saved from having to decode whatever Harley had meant by the appearance of Kit behind his shoulder.

Kit’s eyes found the new drink on the table immediately and his eyebrows furrowed. “What’s that?”

“A drink,” Harley said, mouth quirking up into a half-smile before he nodded at me. “Try it.”

“He already has a drink.”

“It didn’t seem like he was enjoying it very much.” Harley leaned slightly closer to Kit as he spoke, a strange friction rising between them as I watched, baffled by what was happening and why they cared so much about what drink I had. I reached for the glass Harley brought me and sipped at the thick red drink. Tangy but sweet, with a crunch that was oddly satisfying, I hummed in appreciation as I opened my eyes and found both of them watching me.

“It’s good. What is it?”

Kit’s mouth turned down and I felt like I’d somehow disappointed him, but what was I supposed to do? Lie? The beer was awful and Harley’s drink was a lot nicer, even if the burn of alcohol did ruin it slightly.

“Fresh watermelon daiquiri,” Harley said, leaning one hand down against the table as he reached for my glass and took a long swallow. His throat working was strangely hypnotic and he grinned at me as he placed my drink back onto the table before throwing a glance at Kit, and I didn’t know what to say next.

“Customers,” Kit said abruptly as a group of three people walked in and I looked at them in a daze before my eyes flew wide.

I stood abruptly and Harley backed up, eyebrows high as he headed back behind the counter.

This could not be happening. Shit. I looked at Kit, my heart hammering so hard I could feel the skin of my chest vibrating. I gripped my hands tightly together, the nails digging in and yet I was still asleep. I had to be dreaming. Because otherwise, I was about to become royally screwed.

CHAPTER THREE

I was experiencing one of those cheesy record rip moments that happened in movies. Only, this was my real life, and I was freaking out. Somehow, my parents and my baby sister were walking through the door of Cocoa & Rum and looking around expectantly. Shit, shit, shit.

There weren’t very many options for me now. I either had to own up to what I’d done and probably disappoint a lot of people, as well as breaking some trust, or I had to potentially wreck the best friendship I’d ever had. How the hell had they found me here?

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I fished it out in a daze as my mom’s eyes scanned the space around us, looking for me. There was a text on the screen and I swallowed down my curse as I read it and looked up to see my sister staring directly at me.

It simply read: Surprise! With a rolling eyes emoji and a screenshot of the family-friend location sharing app.

I grabbed Kit’s arm as he spotted my family and made to wave, but it was too late. My mom’s round face lit up as she noticed Kit’s sharp movement and saw me standing next to him.

“Kit,” I said urgently and his eyes focused on mine immediately. “Fuck.”

“What’s wrong?”

My family were getting closer, just a few tables away, waving and calling my name and I felt dizzy. My face was getting hotter, burning in my cheeks, and I was breathing hard like I’d just run a marathon. Normally the spectacle alone would have had me groaning, but the panic washing through me was more pressing. I could either risk disappointing my family, or I could risk ruining my friendship with Kit. Either way, I was fucked.

My dad was close enough that I could see the wrinkles in his tee, probably from the drive down, and I didn’t know what I was going to tell them. My heart felt like it was in my throat, a vague nausea working its way through my body as a cold sweat slipped over my skin. If Kit was really my friend, he’d understand. Or at the very least, hopefully he’d forgive me.

“Just go with it,” I gasped as I stepped into Kit’s warmth and closed my mouth over his. His lips parted on a gasp and I took advantage, kissing him deeper, and then pulling away as I heard a squeal. Kit looked dizzy and I wished it was from my kiss instead of shock, but I didn’t have time to comfort him right then. Not with three bodies now crowding around us.

“Hi Mom,” I said, stepping away from Kit as she flung her arms around me and engulfed me in the comforting smell of lavender. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise,” Saylor said, mimicking her text in the most deadpan voice she could manage and I bit back my smile as my dad nudged her.

“Well we wanted to show your sister around the campus, and of course I wanted to visit my boy.” She pulled away to study my face, her brown eyes the mirror of my own, and despite everything I felt some of the tension leave my body. Then she turned to Kit.

“And you must be Kit! Leo’s boyfriend.”

Fuck.

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