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I was wrong. I’m sure of it now. Especially when Beckett’s gaze darts to mine, his happiness wavering. I hit a nerve.

“Did Henley tell you that?”

“No.” I shake my head quickly. “I guessed.”

“Why?”

“Just something your mom said once.”

“She doesn’t need me. She’s not⁠—”

“Wait.” I hold up a hand to stop him. “I wasn’t implying anything by that. I just have this problem where I feel the need to voice whatever thought pops into my mind. Forget I said anything.”

His expression softens, and my pulse slows along with it. “Sorry. I’m not big on discussing my private life.”

“I understand that; it’s private for a reason. How about we level the playing field?”

“What?” Beckett coughs lightly.

“It’s only fair that I tell you something about me,” I respond before blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. “I had planned on getting absolutely wasted this weekend and having sex with a stranger”—I whisper the word sex—“but then I remembered I’m not all that interested in doing it with someone who could very well be a serial killer.”

Beckett raises a single brow, his lips quirking with intrigue, and it makes me a little bit giddy.

He raises his hand to order another drink, a water this time, and rather than gloating over the fact that I hooked him into the conversation, my thoughts shift. As much as I love that he’s still here, I didn’t expect him to actually stay.

“Can I ask why you’re down here, drinking water, instead of up there, sleeping?” I point above us, as though that’s where his room is.

“I was planning on heading to bed as soon as I finished my drink, but my room is next to yours, and I’m not that interested in listening to my sister’s romp in the sack.”

“Her romp in the sack?” I lose control of my laughter, snorting—again—as I grab Beckett’s arm, my amusement making me breathless.

“I was putting it in terms I thought you’d prefer.” He shrugs. “You know, since you seemed to have trouble saying the word sex.” He whispers sex and my laughter cuts off.

“Oh, well, that’s a little bit sweet.”

“Sweet?” Beckett chuckles again and I can’t help but smile. “It was meant to be teasing.”

Teasing? Either way, I like it.

Chapter Five

BECKETT

It was meant to be teasing? God. Since when do I tease?

Lily’s infectious laughter rises in pitch as she slams her hand over her mouth, making me chuckle. Again.

While I haven’t exactly hated this weekend, I think she’s pulled more genuine smiles out of me in the past few minutes than anyone else since I arrived.

“Either way, you’re right. I don’t like openly talking about sex,” she adorably whispers again, and it’s safe to say she’s tipsy. “I figured if I tell you about it, then we’re even.”

“We don’t need to be even.”

“Sure we do. It’s only fair.”

“If you say so.”

“Thank you.” She takes another sip of her spritzer before launching into more detail about the various guys who approached her during the night, momentarily catching me off guard. She leans in as she’s speaking, and I find myself listening intently.