She strips off her shorts and bikini bottom before undoing her top. She’s stark naked now and sprinting to the edge of the water before she cannonballs in. I’m not sure what Georgia has planned for after graduation, but I know whatever it is, there will likely be no rulesand lots of fun.
I untie my string bikini and strip the bottoms from my hips before racing to the edge and jumping in after her. Georgia squeals and splashes me as I laugh and flip on to my back, floating while watching the moon above.
“You ever think about leaving Texas?” I ask, sighing.
Georgia is quiet for only a moment before responding. “All of the time. I just don’t know where I’d go. Being an only child, I feel a responsibility to stay nearby for my parents’ sake.”
I nod. “I get that.”
“It must be stifling,” Georgia continues, “Having your parents plan your whole life out for you like that and control your every move.”
I sigh. “It is. I know I live a life of privilege and wealth but what I think people don’t realize is that sometimes, I wish I wasn’t given everything. There’s a lot of control that goes with wealthy families and it’s stolen my self-confidence. I just wish I could make decisions for my future on my own, but I know that's not possible.”
“Why not?” Georgia asks.
Why not? Because deep down inside maybe I like the perks that come along with the privilege that I have?
Because it’s nice to never worry about anything when it comes to finances?
Because I’m afraid if I choose something for myself, I’ll fail and then I’ll have no safety net since it was a choice outside of my parents plan for my life.
Because in some weird, twisted way, I still want to please my parents with all of my decisions?
“I don’t know.”
Something brushes against my leg in the murky water, and an involuntary shiver races up my spine. I quickly push into a standing position, my eyes darting through the dark pond, trying to make outwhat just touched me. My heart pounds in my chest, but before I can even speak, my gaze catches on movement just beyond the water’s edge.
A shadowy figure sits in a gator utility vehicle a few feet away, barely visible in the dim moonlight. My stomach drops.
Is that...Cody?
My breath catches as I stare at him, realizing too late that I’m completely exposed. The cool night air presses against my wet skin, my breasts glistening under the faint light. My arms twitch with the instinct to cover myself, but it’s like I’m frozen.
His head tilts slightly, as if he’s trying to process what he’s seeing. Then, like someone flipped a switch, he snaps out of it, slamming the gearshift into reverse. The gator jerks backward, its tires spitting gravel as he tears off toward the house, disappearing into the shadows.
Georgia’s voice jolts me back to reality. “Hey, did you see someone?” she asks, glancing over her shoulder as she stands in the water.
My mind races for an excuse. “Uh… maybe an animal?” I mumble, my voice shakier than I’d like. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, I’m not sticking around to find out!” she squeals, her laughter echoing across the pond as she bolts out of the water toward our waiting 4-wheelers.
I follow her, but my thoughts are stuck on Cody. The way he looked at me—like he was caught somewhere between curiosity and guilt. And the way I felt under his gaze...I liked it.
Chapter 8: Cody
A few minutes earlier...
What the hell are they doing?
I sit in the gator, engine idling, a few feet away from the pond, trying to make sense of the scene in front of me. I should turn around, give them their privacy, but my gaze stays locked on Mae.
She's floating on her back, her blonde hair fanning out like a halo across the dark water. The moonlight reflects off her skin, highlighting every delicate curve, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
She's so damn beautiful.
Georgia floats beside her, thankfully angled in a way that spares me from seeing anything I shouldn’t. If I caught a glimpse of my cousin like that, I’d be booking an appointment for a lobotomy first thing in the morning.
But Mae? I can’t look away.
