I closed my eyes, dizzy and overheated, and why was I wearing so many clothes? Why was June so hot already? Doingthe list with just Dean…this was a fantasy, right? Could I tell the girls? Not Lo! No.
“Okay, did I come on too strong? I’m sorry. I feel so comfortable with you it’s honestly jarring.” He smiled, a little blush on his cheeks. “I can’t tell if your silence is because you’re trying to tell me no nicely or –”
Miss a summer with my crush? Get a fucking grip Mack!
This was the adventure I wanted. The thing my friends wanted me to do!
“I’m in. I amsoin.”
He grinned. “Fuck yeah, girl.” He held out a fist. I hit it.
We stared at each other, like dorks, and my heart sped up like I ran three miles in fifteen minutes. (I could do it)
“Give me—”
“Should we—” I said.
Then we both laughed. It broke the weird tension between us, and I relaxed into my seat. “Wow.”
"I was going to ask for your number.”
“Pretty sure you saidgive meand not Can I Please Have.”
“Fair.” He smiled again, this time letting his gaze linger on my collarbone. He’d bitten and licked me there a lot at the bar, and now with my list… maybe do that again? I mean, going past first base was on the list for sure.
My thighs clenched together as leftover heat from last night returned. I handed him my phone. “Put your number in.”
I had a million questions to ask, mainly, when were we starting, and could we make out first? I’d fantasized about kissing Dean the second I saw him freshmen year, before I became Lo’s best friend. Dean and I were in the same freshmen orientation, and it was love at first sight.
Now I could kiss him this summer? Crazy. My life was crazy.
“So—”
“What’s this?” Lo opened the patio door, wearing her bumblebee robe. She had sleep lines on her face and leftover makeup on her eyes.
Guilt stabbed me in the chest. How dare I lust after her brother after she shared with me that they were going through something? She told me how she had friends use her to get to him, and here I was, planning on skinny dipping with him and thinking about his mouth.
“Uh, nothing.”
“I brought pastries. Figured you were both hungover,” Dean said. “Plus, Mack and I are friends now.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Lo narrowed her eyes at her brother, but any of the anger disappeared just as fast as it showed up. “What pastries?”
“Your favorite. Obviously. All the berries. Blue and rasp and straw.”
“You’re so weird,” Lo mumbled.
“Did you bring one for me?” Luca joined her at the door.
This was just fantastic. I couldn’t lie for shit, and my face told my feelings like the words were bolded on my forehead.HORNY AND GUILTYwere pretty much plastered on there now. Might as well put some neon lights and glitter on there too. I chewed my lip, my mind spinning on how to play it cool.
“Help yourself, bro.” Dean ran a hand over his face, his gaze lingering on his sister as she touched every pastry in the box. “Okay, don’t put your gross germs over all them.”
“I’m testing the squishiness. I have feelings about the firmness.”
“Yeah, but we, other humans, have to eat those, and you’re dirty.” Dean swatted her hand away, his tone playful. “I brought them for Mack too. Let her pick.”
Lo narrowed her eyes on her brother, the flash of annoyancereturning. “Right. Everyone else comes first for you now besides me. Got it.”
