My arms wrap around her waist, my face in her boobs. Riley towers about six inches over me. She tugs me into her lean body. She works at a yoga studio, so her body’s always in peak shape. I made the mistake of attending one of her classes, not realizing it was hot yoga. About halfway through, the heat got to me, and I fainted.
I never did it again.
“Ry, I can’t breathe.”
“Sorry! I’ve just missed you so much!” Riley’s words tumble together quickly. “I know I only saw you a few months ago and video-chatted a couple of days ago, but still! It’s so nice to have my bestie back for an entire summer.” She pulls away, her hands still on my shoulders, her eyes shining with excitement.
“Okay, okay, stop hogging her, it’s my turn!” Addie shouts. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
She jumps on me, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I almost fall over. When we pull away, I spot James watching us. His golden tan skin contrasts with his dark hair, and his silver-gray eyes seem to catch the light. James walks toward me, a shy, lopsided smile in place.
“Look who it is.” James says.
“Wow, growing some facial hair Jameson? Looks nice,” I reply.
We give each other a friendly, quick hug. I’ve always looked at James, and his brother, Beau, like family to me. And he treats me like a sister.
I look around before asking, “No Hailey or Beau?”
“Hailey has a full day of tattoo appointments,” Riley says.
“I have no idea where my brother is,” James says lazily.
“Probably getting a tattoo by my sister,” Riley replies.
I laugh, and then my eyes land on the one person my heart thrums for.
Rowan.
He stands off to the side, arms crossed, that signature pose of his making him look almost impossibly serious. But when his eyes meet mine, everything changes. Those eyes—like the ocean, deep and quiet—hold a kind of calm power. The blues and grays shift, catching the sunlight in a way that makes my chest tighten.
He could melt glaciers with those eyes.
My heart starts pounding, the rush of blood moving through my veins, pushing straight to the tips of my fingers. And when he smiles—God, those dimples. The same ones I haven’t kissed in what feels like forever.
They make you want to grab his cheeks and tell him how cute he is. The tattoos that play along his muscular arms, causing my eyes trail along the black ink of American traditional tattoos. Out of all of them, there’s one that catches my eye. The only one in color. The small ladybug on the inside of his wrist that I picked out when he wanted to get his first tattoo after graduation.
“Ellie Thompson,” Rowan says in his deep voice.
It’s the kind of voice that makes your toes curl, the hair on your arms rise, and you desperately want to hear him whisper your name in your ear as he holds you.
“Rowan Williams.” I suppress a smile, trying to stay serious in a playful way.
Before I move toward him, he’s already making his way past our friends. I open my arms excitedly, smiling so hard that my cheeks start to hurt. I love a good hug, but Rowan’s hugs are out of this world. The warmth of his body against mine does things to me. Unspeakable things.
When he wraps his arms around my waist, I tug him down with mine wrapped around his neck. The familiar embrace makes my heart go into hyper-speed. I suddenly feel the tension in my shoulders melt away.
I want to stay here, stay in this moment. Feeling safe and tucked away, as though no one can hurt me, no one can get to me, because I know Rowan wouldn’t let anything happen to me if he could help it.
I breathe him in and feel my heart slowing down to a healthy rhythm. His scent is cool and refreshing. A fresh breeze of coastal air and blue cypress.
“I’ve missed you so much, El,” Rowan whispers in my ear.
And just like that, the hair on my arms rises. “I’ve missed you too.”
I can feel my lips barely brush the skin on his neck when I say those words. Four words that mean more than he could understand.
“Should we, uh, leave you two alone?” James chimes in.
