“Can Isee?”
I hoist myself half out of the pool on my elbows and try not to squirm as he tugs down the side of my bikinibottoms.
“’Leave itall.’”
I feel my body flush under hisscrutiny.
Normally I write wherever I have space and my words won’t be seen—my wrist, my thigh, my waist. Of course, this time it’s on the front of my hip, below my hipbone. Dangerouslylow.
“It means don’t hold back. Leave the fear, the doubt, the uncertainty, and give everything. Be everything. I’ve been telling myself that inrehearsal.”
I drop back into the water, and he shades his eyes with a hand. “You could get a tattoo. It’d lastlonger.”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t decide on one. I’d be covered everywhere. It’d make Dad’s sleeve look like one of those girly ankletats.”
Tyler grins. When he motions me closer still with a crooked finger, I inch toward him, the water doing nothing to cool my heatingblood.
Then before I can decide what his game is, he dunksme.
* * *
“Ikeep seeingbanners around for prom. That your doing?” Brandon asks Pen as we head inside after we finish swimming to find something toeat.
“I was on the junior prom committee, but one of the directors of senior prom came down with chicken pox.” Pen shrugs. “Anyway, A’s gonna be mybackup.”
“We’ll see,” I say as we scrounge some sandwiches from cold cuts in the fridge and fresh ciabatta rolls on the counter. “I might still be grounded, and I draw the line at serving drinks to the minions while wearing a monkey suit. Are you guysgoing?”
“I’m still waiting for the right moment to ask Tyler,” Brandon drawls, and Tylersnorts.
“Bring me roses, B, or there’s no way I’m letting you blow me in thelimo.”
I shake my head because, apparently, I’m not getting a real answer. “Carly’s been bragging about how Kellan asked her. If only that’d get her off myback.”
“Guess you missed your chance.” Brandon laughs at Tyler as we take our plates of food back out to sit on thepatio.
I shiver at the thought of Tyler taking Carly. I picture him in a tux, soft lights and white smiles and flirting incorners.
“I wouldn’t touch her if my life depended on it.” Tyler shifts into the chair at the head of the table. Even out here, he naturally assumes the controlposition.
“What about at the pool party?” Iask.
“I let her use my bathroom, then kicked herout.”
“Why?” I can’t resist asking. “She’s a dick to us, but she’d probably wax your motorcycle with her tits if you asked herto.”
“Guess she’s not my type.” He reclines in his seat, pushing sunglasses up his nose. “I don’t want her tits anywhere near myshit.”
That pronouncement makes me irrationallyhappy.
My phone buzzes, and I glance at it. “Norelli just said the gym is free for rehearsal for anyone who can go! I need to bethere.”
Tyler cocks his head. “You’re grounded. You’re notleaving.”
I wink at him. “Watchme.”
I’m grateful we ended up consuming less than half a glass each of champagne earlier as I say goodbye to Pen, then head to the garage and reach for mykeys.
They’re notthere.