The Way to Game the Walk of Shame (21 page)

A shiver ran down my spine at his words. “Thanks. Even if you’re lying, it’s still nice to hear you say that,” I joked to cover up my nervousness.

Evan didn’t deny or admit that he was lying. He didn’t say anything. He just flashed me a small grin and pulled away from me. He found a small blue plastic shovel someone had forgotten on the beach and dug an oval hole. Soon a small crater was between us.

Using my feet, I pushed sand into the hole he was making, ruining his efforts. “So we’re good?”

“Yeah, perfect.” With a flick of his wrist, he threw a glop of wet sand on my legs. “Oops, sorry. Slip of the hand.”

Oh, we’ll see about that.
With my eyes narrowed, I dug my toes into the sand to get more ammunition before launching it at him. It landed directly on his crotch. Perfect. “Sorry, I was stretching.”

“No problem. As long as it wasn’t on purpose,” he said with a shrug before smashing a handful of wet sand on the top of my head. “’Cause that definitely was.”

I let out a shriek and jumped to my feet. My hands ran through my hair to shake the sand out as Evan rolled on the ground laughing. This was war now. Before he could react, I straddled his lap and used both hands to dig up as much sand as I could to bury him.

My plan immediately backfired. He clasped my arms together and rolled over until I was pinned beneath his body. “Now, this is much better…”

I rolled my eyes and shoved him, but I couldn’t hide the glimmer of a smile on my face. My heart hammered in my chest, and I was half scared he would feel it. “Get off. You weigh a ton.”

“Hey, there’s no reason to get nasty. I’ve been working out, you know.”

“I hadn’t noticed.”

He laughed and stood up. Granules of sand were still stuck to his arms and shoulders. Taking my hands, he pulled me to my feet and hugged me. His heartbeat thumped against my cheek. Leaning back slowly, he bent his head until our faces were inches apart. My eyes automatically fluttered closed.

Suddenly, my feet were off the ground as Evan lifted me up in his arms, carrying me like a bride over the threshold. My eyes flew open in shock. “What are you doing?”

“Getting payback.” He took a couple of steps forward. I could feel the cold water hitting the back of my thighs with each wave. It soaked through my shorts and underwear.

Crap, that was cold! My arms flew around his neck, and I tried to pull myself up, practically choking with laughter now. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Guess what? I don’t like to be challenged, either.” And with that statement, he dove us both right into the water.

I let out a shriek as the cold water surrounded us. My hands gripped his shoulders so I wouldn’t get swept away, but I didn’t need to worry. Evan had a tight grip around me. He bounced me up and down in the water. Not so low that my head would go underwater, but low enough that everything else was drenched. My loose shirt billowed out like a balloon as the water got underneath it, and I just thanked god that I wasn’t wearing white tonight.

Suddenly aware that the water was also pulling the wide neckline down, showing off my plain gray bra, I shoved against Evan. “Let me down.”

He gently set me down, and I immediately moved away from him, turning so he couldn’t see me. The water only reached my boobs, but it still made my shirt flop open, no matter how many ways I held it down. With my head bent, I tied a knot into my neckline to make it smaller.

“Taylor, are you okay?” His concerned voice was a few feet away. “Did the saltwater get in your eyes or something?”

I froze. “Yeah, I think so. It’s stinging like crazy right now.”

“Shit, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Let me see.” Once he touched my arm, I whirled around and used my hands to splash a bunch of water at him. His dripping, shocked face turned to laughter. “Now that’s the girl I know and love.”

My heart skipped a beat when he said the word
love,
but by the goofy look on his face, he didn’t even realize what he’d said.

He flopped backward and floated in the water like a piece of driftwood. Hunky driftwood. The waves didn’t bother him at all as he bobbed up and down in sync with them. So at ease that it looked like he did this every night. He must have been part merman in his past life.

The water was still kind of cold, but I was getting used to it. It was crystal clear and beautiful, but I couldn’t really see much in the moonlight. I could see my hands and arms floating, but my feet faded into blackness. Usually this would freak me out. I mean, who knew what was in the water? I could step on a jellyfish. Or there could be sharks and barracudas swimming around me right now, and I wouldn’t even know.

But now all those fears seemed to fade away. Maybe because this felt like a dream. Or maybe it was because I knew Evan would never let anything happen to me. He’d probably fight a shark if he had to, partly so he could brag to people that he’d done it. But I’d like to think saving me would be the main point.

If I thought it was weird to garden with Evan, that was a walk in the park. I had never imagined I would be swimming with Evan at night. Another
Dear Diary
moment, I guess. Funny how many of them I’d had since Evan.

After I almost drowned last summer, I made myself learn how to swim. But I never really figured out how to float. I guess I just skipped that step. So I just waded in the water a bit as Evan drifted around me.

I don’t know how long we stayed out there. Could be two minutes, could be twenty, but everything was so quiet and peaceful that I didn’t want to leave. I was genuinely disappointed when Evan suggested getting back to shore.

I wrung the water out of my stringy hair as Evan shook his head like a wet dog. His hair sprang out in a bunch of directions, and I couldn’t help laughing. He looked like a porcupine. My laughter faded when he pulled off his wet shirt. I’d barely had time to register this when his hands drifted down to his pants. “What are you doing?”

“Just getting out of my wet clothes,” he said with a shrug, like it was no big deal to strip in front of me.

“But, but…” My hands flew up to cover my blistering-red face, and I stumbled over my own feet in my rush to turn away. “Seriously, dude!”

He laughed. “What are
you
doing?”

“What am I doing? What are
you
doing? You can’t just strip down wherever you want to! There might not be anyone else around, but we’re still in public! You could get arrested! Oh god, you’re going to get us arrested for public nudity. It’s going to be on my record forever.”

“Will you just turn around?”

“No!”

“Come on, Taylor. I dare you.”

Cursing at him under my breath, I cautiously turned back, but my eyes stayed glued to the starry sky over our heads. Even when I heard him come closer. Finally, Evan took my hand and put it on his hip—on smooth fabric. My head snapped down, and I stared at the blue shorts he was wearing. Not shorts, but—

“Swim trunks,” I said blankly. “You’re wearing swim trunks.” At least I think they were swim trunks. They were dark navy and thin and very, very snug. Like tights or something, but shorts. I mean, technically he was covered up, but I could still see the lines of his thighs and stuff …

 … and I was staring. My eyes snapped back up to his laughing face.

“Of course, I’m wearing swim trunks. You don’t know the Boy Scouts motto? Always be prepared.”

“Yeah, I don’t think
this
is what they had in mind.” I felt stupid and a teensy bit disappointed. But mainly stupid. “And I have a hard time believing that you were ever a Boy Scout.”

“That makes two of us. I try to block those two years out of my life.” A ghost of a grin appeared on his face. “It’s nice that you were thinking of me naked, though. You’re kind of a perv, aren’t you?”

My cheeks burned, and I tried to pull my hand away. “Shut up.”

His grip was tight around mine, and he led me to where he laid out his T-shirt and khaki shorts like a small picnic blanket. They were still pretty wet, but at least it prevented the sand from sticking to our butts. After we sat down, he finally let go of my hand, but only to wrap his arm around my shoulders. His bare skin was both cool and warm at the same time.

I peered up at him, and he just gave me a half smile before watching the water again. I couldn’t help wondering what Evan thought of me. Sure, we got along pretty well, and I could tell he liked hanging out with me. But did he ever feel more than that?

Not knowing the confusing thoughts running through my head, Evan wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pushed my head down, and rested his chin against the top of my head.

I laid my head on his chest and listened to the rapid beating of his heart.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Hmm … it was so comfortable here. Nice and warm. His heart was like a drum, mingling with the crash of the waves to play a song just for me. My fingers fiddled with the chain around my neck. His hand touched the coin at the same time I did. His hand was nice and warm, too. Hot, even.

Maybe it didn’t matter how he felt. This was enough.

For now.

18

-Evan-

I should have been asleep. Hell, I should have been at home instead of lurking in front of Taylor’s house. And throwing sticks at her window like a creepy lunatic.

I dropped Taylor off and went home for a while. But as I was lying in bed, I realized I didn’t want to be
there
. I wanted to see Taylor. I wanted to talk to her. Be
with
her.

Luckily, her head popped out just as I ran out of sticks and was searching for a rock that wouldn’t smash her window.

“Evan? What the heck—what are you doing here?”

The rock fell to my feet with a clatter, and I grinned, not sure if I was happy because of the sight of her or because her hair was smashed to one side like a horn. “Come out here for a minute.”

“What? No.”

“Come on!”

She threw out her hand to shut me up and nervously looked behind her. I didn’t realize till then that I had been yelling. I winced and mouthed “Sorry.” Taylor gripped the windowsill with her other hand and looked down. I could practically see the wheels in her head working overdrive before she gave me a tiny nod and disappeared.

I met her at the back door. She wore a baggy white hooded jacket that looked like she had just thrown it on over her T-shirt. The hem ended halfway down her thighs and barely covered the plaid shorts she had on. No, wait, were those …

“Boxers?”

Taylor followed my gaze and quickly tugged the hem down. “I wear them to sleep, okay?”

“Hey, I’m not judging. I’m actually wearing the same kind now.” I grinned when her eyes jerked down to my sweatpants. “Want to see?”

“Uh, no thanks.” Even though it was dark, I could see her flaming cheeks. She ducked her head even lower and cleared her throat. “What do you want, Evan?”

“To talk.”

“Talk? Now?”

“Yeah, why else would I come to your house in the middle of the night?” I laughed and shook my head. “Never mind, don’t answer that. That was too easy.”

Even her ears were red, but at least she laughed with me. Taylor wrapped her arms around herself and nodded toward the hammock in the corner. “Fine. Come on.”

As I followed, I couldn’t help admiring her from the back. Over the past couple of weeks, Taylor got prettier every time I saw her. Those boxers were damn sexy. Thank god it was warm tonight. I wasn’t lying when I said I had a pair just like them. I couldn’t help imagining that the pair of boxers she had on
were
mine and
why
she would be wearing them in the first place.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and subtly adjusted the fabric around my crotch.

Taylor sat on the hammock, and my eyes drifted from the alluring plaid fabric to her white legs that obviously didn’t see the sun very much down to her small feet. I could feel heat climbing up my face.

I sat down beside her and awkwardly shifted back and forth, torn between wanting to get closer and not wanting to get too close, because I didn’t know if I could hold myself back. She leaned away from me and gave me a funny look.

“What?”

A half smile appeared on her face. “I didn’t know you wear glasses. It makes you look cute. Smart.”

My brows rose in surprise. Did Taylor Simmons just call me cute
and
smart? I made a big show of adjusting the wire-rimmed glasses on my nose. “Yeah, well, blame it on computers and video games at a young age.”

“Ah, now that I can believe. So what do you want to talk about?”

“I wanted to see if you were okay?” I asked lamely. Damn, why couldn’t I think of a better excuse?

“Um, yeah, I’m fine.” She folded one leg beneath her. The other foot pushed at the ground, and she swung us back and forth. “Are you? Honestly?”

My arms crossed beneath my head. “Honestly, no, not really.”

I had perfected lying over the years, so I always thought I was a pretty good actor. But Taylor noticed something was wrong. And she came to a party where she clearly didn’t want to be just to make sure I was all right. She made me want to talk to her. To tell her everything that was bothering me.

But I couldn’t tell her about how jealous I was of her and Brian. And how I had picked a fight with Brandon because of it. I still had my pride.

Instead, I told her about Mom and the card I found in her purse.

“So did you end up talking to her?”

“Yeah.” I stared up at the stars peeking out between the branches and leaves. A lot of good that had done. I had tried to talk to Mom again a few more times, but she still refused to let me talk to Dad. I should have just swiped the card when I had the chance. “She said he’s tried to contact me for a while, but she didn’t tell me because it was for my own good.” I let out a humorless laugh. “Brandon said it was better that way. So I could make a new life. Be happier. Thinking that my dad abandoned me.”

Taylor wrinkled her nose. “Well, it’s easy to see why Brandon chose to be an anesthesiologist rather than a psychiatrist. He doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.”