Read Online Flirting with Boys by Hailey Abbott - Free Book Online Page A

back to the big tree. Travis was attacking the tall grass by the kitchen door with his back to her. She crept up behind him and smacked his butt.
    â€œHey!” He whirled around.
    â€œDon’t turn the weed-whacker off,” she said quickly. “Dad’s still inside. But do you want to go for a swim tonight?” she asked. The engine noise and the odor from the kitchen Dumpster were making it hard to be seductive, but she was doing her best.
    A grin split Travis’s face. “Do you even need to ask?”
    â€œOkay. Meet me at midnight at the pool gate. It’ll be totally empty at that hour.”
    Just then Celeste’s phone buzzed again. She glanced at it. Nick.
    Playfully, Travis craned his head. “Who’s calling, your boyfriend?” he teased. Thank God he couldn’t see the screen.
    â€œOh yeah, right!” Celeste said quickly. She forced an idiotic little giggle. Travis gave her a strange look but leaned down and kissed her quickly.
    â€œSee you tonight.”
    Â 
    Celeste felt good when she showed up at the pool gate that night, wearing her new H&M bikini under a loose cotton beach dress. She deserved a little fun after her day of insanity. But she could see Travis was in a rotten mood the minute he walked up. He grunted in response to her greeting, without kissing her, and then when went straight to the pool and dove in. Celeste followed. The icy blue water felt fantastic against her dusty, hot skin.
    She paddled over to the side, where Travis was resting his arms on the pool edge and gazing moodily out at the road, a sliver of which was just visible beyond the main gate. Celeste swam up behind him and softly ran her hand over the hard muscles in his back and shoulders. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
    He shook off her hand. “Nothing—I’m fine.” Almost angrily, he stroked to the other side of the pool. Celeste swam back and forth a little and then paddled over tothe steps. She climbed up on the first one and sat down, looping her arms over her knees.
    Travis turned around. “Look, it’s just that Kevin told me today that the surf instructors at the beach are all hosting Derek Rodham next week.”
    Celeste must have looked blank because he burst out, “He’s like the biggest surfer on the West Coast! They get to surf with him and take a class. And I’m missing it because I’m stuck here in the desert!” He struck the water with his fist.
    â€œThat sucks. I’m sorry,” Celeste said softly. To herself, she thought that Travis should just man up. It was his stupid prank that had gotten him here anyway. And besides, wasn’t he glad that she was here? “Anyway,” she said, pushing off the step and swimming over to him, “let’s forget about that. Give me a ride!” She jumped on his back.
    At first, he didn’t move. Then he grabbed her arms, held them around his neck, and dove under the water. He swam the entire length of the pool and then, just when Celeste thought she was going to choke, he surfaced. Spluttering, she gasped a lungful of air. “That was so long!” she said, flipping around so she could face him.
    He smiled grudgingly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, while he backed up against the pool wall. “Don’t think about any of that stuffright now,” she said softly, touching his cool lips with her mouth. He closed his eyes and nodded, running his hands up her wet arms. He slid them down her back and she pressed herself more tightly against him. His mouth pressed more firmly on hers and she shivered as the warm night breeze played over her shoulders.
    â€œYou’re right,” he said, drawing back after a long moment. “You’re here, I’m here. I don’t care about anything else.” His breath tickled her cheek.
    â€œThat’s right,” Celeste whispered. “Nothing else