“I didn’t say you could kiss me.”
“You said you and Carson weren’t—”
“We’re not. But I have a boyfriend.”
He rolled off me and flopped onto the sand, running a hand down his face.
Touching a finger to my lips, I inhaled a shaky breath. “Do you always kiss random girls?”
“I’m not sure you want to know the answer to that.”
“Oh.”
A sinking feeling went through me, which was really freaking weird. Aiden had just kissed me—without permission. Anger was a more appropriate response, and maybe a little part of me was angry. But there was something else, something I didn’t want to acknowledge because I had a boyfriend.
Josh.
Oh God, Josh.
Guilt rose up inside me like a tidal wave. “You kissed me,” I blurted again.
“Are you going to keep saying that? Because it’s kind of annoying.”
“You’re annoying.”
“You’re freaking out.” He peeked up at me.
“You kissed me, and I have a boyfriend.”
“It was just a little kiss, freckles. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”
“Don’t talk about my panties, and don’t call me freckles.” I flushed with irritation.Freckles. Pfft. It made me sound like a child. “You can’t just go around kissing people without their permission.”
“Usually, they don’t mind.”
“Oh my God,” I breathed. “You need to go.”
“Go? But I just got here.”
“And now you need to leave.”
“Carson didn’t say you were this weird.”
“Me?” I shrieked. “I’m not the one who goes around kissing people without their permission.”
He groaned, covering his face with his arm.
“Aiden, I’m serious. You need to leave.”
“Sorry, I can’t hear you.”
Tears of frustration pricked the corner of my eyes. What the hell was happening? I’d gone from wallowing on the beach to kissing Aiden Dumfries, the Lakeshore U Lakers bad boy of hockey.
“Fine. If you don’t leave, I will.”
“Over dramatic, much. It was just one little kiss. Relax, freckles, I’ve already forgotten about it.”
His words socked me in the stomach—first Josh’s rejection and now Aiden’s dismissal. Coming back to Dupont Beach had so far done a real number on my self-esteem.