“Girl,”Willowsaid. “WhatIwouldn’t give to be on the receiving end of that attitude.Ibet he fucks like an animal.”
Jack thundered back up the beach and dumped a bucket full of ocean water on the base of the fire.
The three of us shrieked as ash exploded in a plume, coating us in gray and black soot.
Without a word,Jackturned and went back for round two.Hedoused it from the top this time, snuffing out the few remaining flames.
“What the hell is your problem,Wharton?”Isnapped.
He let a caustic laugh fly toward the heavens. “Rightnow?You.Nowget inside and stop trying to get arrested and burn down my beach.”
“Bonfires out here are allowed,”Ishot back. “Wechecked.”
“Yeah?Well, open containers aren’t,” he countered, pointing at our drinks. “Glassisn’t allowed either.Nowget inside.”
Oh,Iwas about to rip into him. “Justwho do you think you are, telling me what—”Iscreamed as the world turned upside down and my face smacked straight intoJack’svery toned ass. “Whatthe hell!”
“I’m taking you inside and you’re going to sit your ass on a couch, put anice packon your ankle, and stop making stupid decisions,”Jacksnapped.Hisfootfalls were silenced in the sand, but turned heavy and angry as he stomped up the boardwalk.
All the blood was rushing to my head. “Andyou justhadto throw me over your shoulder like aNeanderthal?Whatis wrong with you?Ithought firefighters were the nice ones and cops were the assholes?”Ihad to pause mid-rant to breathe as my head throbbed. “Aren’tfirefighters supposed to cradle people when they carry them out?That’sa lot nicer.Thisis?—”
“More effective,”Jacksaid as he let himself into the house. “Carryingpeople out of burning buildings isn’t pretty,Roar.Youdon’t get carried like a bride.Youget thrown over a shoulder or dragged out.”
He upended me onto a couch.Adust cloud plumed around us asIwas tossed onto the cushion.Icoughed and waved it away.
The ice clinked asJackstuffed my empty margarita glass into my hand. “Nowstop doing things that require rescuing so youdon’thave to be dragged out of a burning building or from a fucking riptide.”Hecharged around the house like an angry bull, grabbing pillows and filling a plastic bag with ice, then wrapping it with a towel.Hewedged the pillows under my ankle, elevating it the proper way, then gently draped the ice pack over it.
“Sit.Stay,” he clipped as ifIwere a naughty house pet.
I set the glass on the coffee table and propped my hands up like paws. “Woof.”
Jack rolled his eyes.
Whitney andWillowsnuck inside, dumping their glasses in the sink. “Sorry,Jack,” they muttered together like contrite children trying to avoid being scolded.
“We’ll clean up the bonfire in the morning,”Isaid, extending an olive branch.
He just huffed. “Restand ice.I’lltake care of it.Idon’t want anyone going for a walk and stepping on a rusty nail from that chair you tried to burn.”
He may have had a point . . .
“Goodnight,Jack,”Whitneysaid asJacklet himself out.
Willow andWhitneyheld it together until the door closed, then burst into fits of laughter.
“Girl, we were scared to come into the house,”Willowsaid. “Theway he hauled your ass off the beach looked like he was about to fuck you into next year.”
“I mean, you guys could have demoed the rest of the house.Wreckingball, party of two,”Whitneysnickered.
I rolled my eyes.
“We’re still burning that notebook,”Willowsaid with a pointed finger. “Butmaybe we’ll do it in the fireplace soMr.FireSafetydoesn’t spoil the fun.”
I glanced at the fireplace.Itwas decrepit.Whydid a beach house even have a fireplace?
“I haven’t gotten it inspected.It’sprobably not safe to use.Therecould be flammable things in the chimney or something.”
Whitney wandered over and smoothed her hands over the aged bricks. “It’sgorgeous, though.Thehouse has so much character.”
