"Yep." I moved away from the fridge, trying hard not to notice how good Brody's cologne smelled. I turned to Derek as Daniel moved up beside him. "Dedra ran into town. You guys keep an eye out for her to make sure she doesn't need help.”
"What's she got?" Daniel asked.
"Drinks for tonight." I glanced over at Clay as Emily moved up beside him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Longing rolled through me. It had been far too long since I'd let someone hold me. "I hear you're quite the cook. How come you never cook for us?"
Emily chuckled, and I couldn't help but feel the weight of Brody's stare on me. I ignored it, though every part of me wanted to turn and give him my attention. Gorgeous wouldn't do him justice, not in the slightest, but looks weren't everything.
"Because I cook for you." Cindy bumped me with her hip, catching me off guard. I took a few steps forward to catch my balance and had to reach up to press my hands against Brody's chest before crashing into him.
The look on his face was far different from anything I'd seen Friday night. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good." I pulled my hands down and turned toward the front door, grateful to hear the slam of a car door. "There's Dedra. Let's help her out."
I started to follow the guys out, but was stopped by someone tugging me backward. Brody.
"Hey, I'm sorry about Friday." He shrugged. "I'm not sure how to be anything other than the alpha asshole of this group."
"You are who you are." I shrugged and turned away from him, ignoring the soft sigh I heard leave him.
It would be far too easy to sink into him and let him make me feel like a princess for the night, but the sun would soon rise. He was the kind of asshole that would sneak out before the morning came and wouldn't look back. With a whole summer with him beside me thanks to Emily and Clay starting something, it wasn't happening. I'd come to Lake Havasu to have fun, nothin
g else. Brody would prove to be just that, but only for a night.
Everyone had the liquor in their arms, plus a few bags of extra goodies that Dedra picked up, too, by the time I got out there. I held the door for Brody, but didn't find him behind me.
"It's busy in town. I think everyone is getting excited for the Fourth of July coming up soon. The firework stands are packed with people and explosives." Dedra blew a hair out of her face as I reached for the bags in her hands.
"Are we doing fireworks?" Emily asked, moving up beside me as I turned and walked back into the house.
I started to respond, but realized she was talking to Clay.
"We can do anything you want to do." He smiled down at her as I passed by.
"Are you promising the girl the world?" Brody gave a crooked smile as he opened the door for all of us.
I moved in without giving him a glance and walked to the kitchen to find Derek and Cindy laughing about something. The smile on her pretty face caused one to lift on my own. I wanted her happy, but wasn't so sure this band of guys were the ones to make that happen. Derek seemed nice, but anyone willing to put up with a guy like Brody meant they, too, objectified women—or maybe I was once again overthinking it.
"What's the plan for tonight?" Daniel walked into the kitchen and sat two large bags down. "You girls want us to go grab a movie to watch?"
"Cora and I can go get something." Brody glanced over at me. "It's just a couple of blocks up the road. Come on; I've seen you looking out that window several times in the last ten minutes. You want to get outside."
Everyone was watching me, and for that reason alone, I nodded and grabbed my purse from the counter. "Yeah, sure."
The mumbles that resounded behind us were almost comical, but I would have been a fool to think the tension between me and Brody was only felt by the two of us. I waited until we got outside to turn and glance his way.
"You sure a senator's son should go anywhere without his bodyguards?" I smirked as he gave me a look.
"Are you always so full of piss and vinegar?" He reached out and grabbed my arm just before I ran into a pole.
"Fuck." I jerked back and pressed my hand to my chest. "Yes, I am, and thanks...I think."
He laughed. "You think? You're welcome, I guess."
I tried to ignore how cute the slight dimple in his left cheek was as he rolled his eyes at me. "You're not like any of the girls I've met, Miss Thing."
"Miss Thing?" I moved around the pole, trying to avoid being too close to him.
"Yep." He gave me a sideways glance as he ran his fingers through his blond hair.