Page 8

“I have a fine voice?” Sexy asked, raising a pierced eyebrow in my direction.

“Oh shit. I said that aloud, didn’t I?” I questioned, not at all perturbed. You get used to it after a while. The amount of times I had said stupid stuff…well…it’s no wonder I have no friends and my parents hated me.

“I just don’t have a filter, I guess. But I mean youdohave a nice voice. It’s all husky and sultry and stuff. You’d probably be a good singer.” I was rambling, my go-to move when confronted with cute guys.

Sexy stared at me a moment before bursting into laughter.

“I would love to hear you say that in front of Ryder,” he remarked. Before I could inquire, he turned towards me. “So, am I going to get a name?”

Shrugging, I pointed towards the ditzy blond in the skimpy bikini I had seen earlier.

“I heard her name is Missy.”

“Well, my name is Ronan.” He extended a hand, and I shook it after a slight hesitation.

“Nice to meet you, Ronan with the satin bikinis.”

He smirked. “And the fine voice.”

“How could I forget?”

Shifting in my seat, I turned back towards my forgotten book, effectively ending the conversation.

“I haven’t seen you around. You don’t go to Highwood Prep?”

I guess Iwasn’teffectively ending the conversation. Looking down the bridge of my nose, this time, I smirked at him.

“How do you know?”

“Because I would’ve remembered someone like you.” He gave me an appreciatory stare that made goosebumps break out across my skin.

“Maybe I was just hiding. From you.”

Shrugging, I sprawled myself out in my seat and turned the page on my book. I felt him, almost as if he was charged with electricity, come up beside me.

“So, are you here on vacation?”

I hesitated, only briefly, before nodding.

“Yes.”

I mean, what else could I do? Tell him that my parents owned the damned place? What a good conversation starter: “My parents are members of the mafia, and you’re staying at their shady-ass, illegal business and talking to their daughter.”

Ha.

Of course, most people didn’t know that my parents were not, well,normalbusiness entrepreneurs. But I knew.

“Are you going to go into the pool?” Ronan asked.

“Oh, that just sounds dandy,” I drawled. I held up my book. “Because obviously I’m not in the middle of doing anything. Now shut up and leave me alone. I’m at a good part.”

His silence lasted for approximately fifteen seconds.

“What’cha reading?”

“Oh for the love of…” Before I could stop myself, I wacked him on the head with the book. It didn’t hurt him because I was a weakling, but his eyes widened in shock.

“Did you just hit me with your book?”