Page 21 of Best Vacation Ever

“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you continuing where you left off with that girl wrapped all around you?”

I sound jealous. Why did I say that? I didn’t even see them kiss, though that was definitely the direction it was going. But I know we’re not exclusive, and I know he has every right to hook up with whoever he wants, even though the thought makes bile rise in my throat.

His stupid smile widens, and there’s an amused gleam in his eyes. “You’re jealous.”

“Am not.”

“Are so,” he taunts.

I take a step closer to him, ignoring the tension in the air.

“Am. Not.”

He takes a step even closer to me, causing my heart rate to pick up and goose bumps to rise along my arms. “Are. So.”

I close the rest of the distance between us. We’re toe to toe now, and I tilt my head all the way back to look at him.

“I. Am. Not.”

Kellan’s smile should warn me he’s up to something mischievous, but I’m more focused on calming my heart rate.

“You’re so jealous I can feel it rolling off you in waves. Why don’t we cool off?”

“Wait—wha—”

Before I can process anything, Kellan wraps his arms around me and leaps into the pool, the two of us splashing through the foam together and swimming up to the top.

“Kellan!” I splash him, wiping the foam from my eyes.

“What the hell?!”

He just laughs, carefree as always. “What?” He swims toward me. “Doesn’t that feel better? You came to a pool party and haven’t even been in the pool yet.”

“I would’ve preferred to go in on myownterms, not get thrown in by some douchebag.”

My insult only spurs him on, and he moves closer to me the way a lion hunts its prey. “Oh, douchebag, huh? I don’t seem to recall you ever referring to me as a douchebag. The only other name you’ve called me is ‘God,’ as inoh God! Oh Go—”

I splash him again to cut him off, my face heating but con-trolled by the chill of the pool. “Something is seriously wrong with you!”

He laughs as he reaches me. “The only thing wrong with me is how much I love teasing you.”

And then he kisses me, and I melt into him, feeling like everything is how it should be. I don’t care about the other girl he was just with. I don’t care that my brother is somewhere at this party, and we’re supposed to be hiding this from him. I don’t care about the roar of people cheering for something in the background. I don’t even care that I’m covered in foam. All I care about is the way he feels pressed up against me, and the way his mouth moves perfectly in sync with mine.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and sink into him, kissing him with all I’ve got, surrounded by people and foam and the night’s fresh air.

SEVEN

Night One of Cuba

Lori

Before we leave the party, Dean grabs a hotel towel and wraps it around my shoulders. It’s a beautiful night, but I’m glad to have it. I would feel really silly talking to him all covered in foam.

Plus, even though it’s darker out here, having a towel wrapped around my half-naked body makes me feel a lot less vulnerable in front of him.

We walk along the shoreline, our shoes in our hands and our feet in the sand as the tide gently brushes over them. The night is calm, the opposite of my heart every time I look over at Dean and catch him already looking at me.

“So,” Dean starts, breaking the comfortable silence. “You graduated high school last week, right? What’s the plan for next year?”