Since she’d met Adrian, another guy even brushing up against her seemed terribly wrong. This was downright unacceptable. Isa wrinkled her nose and said, “Haven’t you heard, Brently? I’m datingsomeone.”
She tried to bow out of his arms, but he still held her tightly. Although they were in a room full of people, most of them were drunk and the rest were Brently’s friends. They’d let him get away with anything. Harbor and Shelly had suddenlyvanished.
“Who?” Brently demanded. “Who are youdating?”
“His name is Adrian. And if word gets out that you’ve got your armsaroundme…”
“Adrian? Never heard of him,” Brently said dismissively. “You know they’re going to elect me Coral King. We’re gonna be perfecttogether.”
If she heard about the Coral Queen contest one more time, she was going to scream. “I don’tthinkso.”
He bent down to spittle into her ear. “Come on, honey. You know youwantme.”
“You’re gonna piss my boyfriend off. Leave me alone,” she said, and she tried to shovehimaway.
Brently held her tighter and started dragging her toward his bedroom. “Come on, hon. Just one night. It’s not gonnakillyou.”
Aim for the groin.Isa brought up her knee to give him a kick, but before she could, she heard someone say in a dark, low tone, “Get offofher.”
Brently let her go. Isa’s eyes widened as she realized it was Adrian. He stood there, dripping wet from the sea, clothes soaked and looking as though he’d swam across oceans to gettoher.
“Is this the asshole you were talking about earlier? I thought you just made him up,” Brently said, jabbing an angry finger in Adrian’sdirection.
“Yes, actually.” Isa crossed the room. She wrapped an arm around Adrian’s waist and kissed his cheek. “He’s my new man. Sobackoff.”
Adrian didn’t have to say anything. His stare was enough to make Brently turn andwalkaway.
“Hey.” Adrian turned and faced her, laying his hands on her hips. “Are you allright?”
“Yeah. Thanks for scaring off that creep.” She breathed out a sigh, weaving a hand inherhair.
“You told him I was yourboyfriend.”
“Yeah.” She felt herself blushing again. “Sorryaboutthat.”
He winked at her. “Idon’tmind.”
People were staring at them. Adrian took her by the hand and said, “Let’sleave.”
They were stopped by Harbor and Shelly, who were lingering at the bottom of the stairs. “Isa!” Harbor squealed. “Is this yournewbabe?”
Isa gave a weak smile. “Yep. Girls, meetAdrian.”
“Adrian!” The slightly-lesser-intoxicated Shelly hiccupped. “You mean, the one you were talkingabout?”
“You’ve been talking about me?” Adrian asked. His grin only gotbigger.
“Sure,” Isa said, to answer both questions. Harbor and Shelly gave each other eager looks, waggling theireyebrows.
The other girls were totally jealous. Adrian was definitely the hottest dude at this party, no questions asked, and once again, he was on Isa’s arm. But she was keeping this onethistime.
“Where do you want to go?” Isa asked as they passed the bonfire to leave theparty.
Adrian opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, he wasinterrupted.
“She’ll be gone in the morning, bud,” a guy called out. “Never fall in love with awhore!”
Isa felt her insides seize. The voice had come from Hayden— a guy that had never gotten over when Isa had dumped himyearsago.
