Page 16 of (My Accidental) Killer Summer

I want to look great. Just a little reminder of what he gave up.

A swipe of eyeliner, lip gloss, a quick fluff of hair. T-shirt swapped for something that hugs my curves, cropped pants, wedge espadrilles. Not overdressed. Just “oh, hey, funny seeing you here, yes I look this good all the time” casual.

The doorbell rings. My pulse spikes. The kids never ring. Maybe Noah’s making them play polite. I smooth down my shirt and open the door

Jake.

Shit!

Crisp button-up, movie-star smile, dimples firing. “Hey, Elle! You ready? Wow, you look—” His grin falters when he clocks my expression. “—great?”

“Oh! Right. Uh… yeah,” I stammer, sounding like someone who definitely did not forget she agreed to let a man feed her and maybe end her celibacy streak.

And that’s when Noah’s car pulls into the driveway.

Perfect.

The kids tumble out, laughing, still high on movie theater popcorn. Jill spots me first. “Mom!” She waves enthusiastically—then freezes when she sees Jake standing next to me.

“Who’s this?” Noah asks, his voice all calm steel as he shuts his car door.

Kill me now.

“This is Jake,” I say too fast, gesturing between them like a deranged flight attendant. “We were just—um?—”

Jake extends a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Noah takes it, holds it just a beat too long, eyes flat and assessing. “You too.”

Jill and Jaq exchange looks, sensing drama like bloodhounds. Jill tilts her head. “You’re going on a date?”

Cue my nervous laugh. “Yes. Well. Maybe. It’s… casual.”

Noah’s mouth curves—not a smile, exactly. More like he’s filing away evidence. “Guess that explains your early grocery run this morning.”

Oh God. The condoms.

I forgot I had a date with Jake,andI forgot I’d planned to break to my sex drought. “I didn’t mean to forget!” I blurt, heat rushing up my neck. Everyone stares. Smooth, Elle. Just confess to crimes no one’s accused you of.

Jake frowns. “Forget what?”

The kids, thank God, intervene. “We went to seeGuess Your Death II. Now we want to watchGuess Your Death I!” Jill bounces. “So we can compare the two!”

And just like that, I’m herded inside.

We settle in. Three adults, two teenagers, one couch, and the ghost of my good judgment. Jake on my right, Noah on my left. Jill hits play. My brain short-circuits. I lose all sense of time and space.

Idiot, party of one?

On screen, Amber Lynn narrowly avoids being pancaked by a derailed train. Off screen, my entire love life is the real disaster movie.

“If you’re trying to see how far I’ll let this go, Elle… you don’t want the answer.” Noah whispers in my ear. His lips caressing the shell softly as they move. He runs his nose along my jaw and inhales deeply before pulling away. My body remembers every inch of him; shivers rocket through me.

“Cold?” Jake asks as he puts an arm around me, only to encounter Noah’s already along the back of the couch. Both men stiffen to epically hard proportions.

I need to intervene.

“Hey, can we talk?” I ask Jake, hauling him outside before I implode. I half expect him to object since we’re halfway through the movie. But he’s smarter than I give him credit for.