to his right, where Anna sat looking up at the sky with childlike wonder. He leaned over and ran his hand over her hair to say hello. She gave him a huge smile and a pinch on his cheek before looking back to the skies.
Then he stealthily looked across Anna; Toni sat on her other side. She also had her face tipped up, and reflections of color from the fireworks covered her in an ethereal glow. She’d pulled on a red and white striped T-shirt and denim shorts at some point, which he found adorable. Her long, dark curls streamed down her back and her smile was pure glee. He wished he could pull her onto his lap the way Sean had Cassandra. He wished he could string his fingers through her curly hair, nuzzle the spot where her neck met her shoulder, and just breathe her in.
She must have felt his stare, because she turned to look at him. Their eyes met and she smiled at him openly. There was even… no, he must be imagining it. But damn if there wasn’t a hint of flirtation in her expression. Her gaze held his for a long beat before she looked back up to the fireworks.
Gavin exhaled hard, realizing then that he’d stopped breathing for a minute. With new warmth inside, he smiled as he sat back in his chair, crossed his long legs at the ankles, and watched the rest of the show in the night sky.
*
On the lounge chair, Toni breathed in the salty ocean air and stared at the stars. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore lulled and soothed her as she laid still. Damn, she’d had too much to drink after all. She couldn’t go to bed just yet, or she’d be in horrible shape when she woke up. The slightly swirly feeling in her stomach was testament to that. So, even though she was exhausted, she’d opted for some time in the fresh air, warm though it was.
It was so quiet now, at two AM. Such a nice contrast to the noisy day. The party had ended around midnight; early by their usual standards, but they usually didn’t start early in the afternoon like they had today. It’d been a great time. She’d eaten too much, danced and talked and laughed with her friends, and drank a little too much. As soon as her head stopped spinning, she’d go upstairs to the comfort of her air-conditioned room and soft, wide bed.
She leaned over to sip some more water from the large cup at her side and looked around. The deck was littered with paper plates, plastic cups, and empty soda cans and beer bottles. What a mess. They all had their work cut out for them in the morning, but with all of them pitching in, it would get cleaned up quickly.
The sound of the glass door sliding open made her jump. Her head whipped around to see Gavin coming out to the deck.
“Gavin?” she said.
He peered into the dark and spotted her. “Toni, hi. I didn’t know anyone was out here.”
She gestured to the empty lounge chair beside hers. “Join me. It’s a gorgeous night.”
“Aye, it is.” He stretched out on the chair, crossing his long legs at the ankles. Her eyes ran over his body, clad in only a white T-shirt and loose navy shorts. Something pinged in her belly and warmth spread through her veins. The breeze off the ocean ruffled his short hair as he glanced over at her and said, “Truth be told, I’m still a little drunk. Thought getting some air would be good. Why are you out here?”
“I’m still a little drunk, too. I knew I couldn’t go to bed yet, or I’d get sick.”
“Ah. Smart. Getting sick in your bed would be… unpleasant.” His eyes twinkled at her from behind his glasses as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve done that, it’s the worst. ’Cause then you’re so tired, and all you want to do is go to sleep, but ya have to clean up the mess first… which is enough to make ya sick again. So you boak in your bed again, and it’s just an endless nightmare.”
Toni couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve done that?”
“Aye, I just told ya so, didn’t I?” he grinned. “Did plenty of right stupid things
Then he stealthily looked across Anna; Toni sat on her other side. She also had her face tipped up, and reflections of color from the fireworks covered her in an ethereal glow. She’d pulled on a red and white striped T-shirt and denim shorts at some point, which he found adorable. Her long, dark curls streamed down her back and her smile was pure glee. He wished he could pull her onto his lap the way Sean had Cassandra. He wished he could string his fingers through her curly hair, nuzzle the spot where her neck met her shoulder, and just breathe her in.
She must have felt his stare, because she turned to look at him. Their eyes met and she smiled at him openly. There was even… no, he must be imagining it. But damn if there wasn’t a hint of flirtation in her expression. Her gaze held his for a long beat before she looked back up to the fireworks.
Gavin exhaled hard, realizing then that he’d stopped breathing for a minute. With new warmth inside, he smiled as he sat back in his chair, crossed his long legs at the ankles, and watched the rest of the show in the night sky.
*
On the lounge chair, Toni breathed in the salty ocean air and stared at the stars. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore lulled and soothed her as she laid still. Damn, she’d had too much to drink after all. She couldn’t go to bed just yet, or she’d be in horrible shape when she woke up. The slightly swirly feeling in her stomach was testament to that. So, even though she was exhausted, she’d opted for some time in the fresh air, warm though it was.
It was so quiet now, at two AM. Such a nice contrast to the noisy day. The party had ended around midnight; early by their usual standards, but they usually didn’t start early in the afternoon like they had today. It’d been a great time. She’d eaten too much, danced and talked and laughed with her friends, and drank a little too much. As soon as her head stopped spinning, she’d go upstairs to the comfort of her air-conditioned room and soft, wide bed.
She leaned over to sip some more water from the large cup at her side and looked around. The deck was littered with paper plates, plastic cups, and empty soda cans and beer bottles. What a mess. They all had their work cut out for them in the morning, but with all of them pitching in, it would get cleaned up quickly.
The sound of the glass door sliding open made her jump. Her head whipped around to see Gavin coming out to the deck.
“Gavin?” she said.
He peered into the dark and spotted her. “Toni, hi. I didn’t know anyone was out here.”
She gestured to the empty lounge chair beside hers. “Join me. It’s a gorgeous night.”
“Aye, it is.” He stretched out on the chair, crossing his long legs at the ankles. Her eyes ran over his body, clad in only a white T-shirt and loose navy shorts. Something pinged in her belly and warmth spread through her veins. The breeze off the ocean ruffled his short hair as he glanced over at her and said, “Truth be told, I’m still a little drunk. Thought getting some air would be good. Why are you out here?”
“I’m still a little drunk, too. I knew I couldn’t go to bed yet, or I’d get sick.”
“Ah. Smart. Getting sick in your bed would be… unpleasant.” His eyes twinkled at her from behind his glasses as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve done that, it’s the worst. ’Cause then you’re so tired, and all you want to do is go to sleep, but ya have to clean up the mess first… which is enough to make ya sick again. So you boak in your bed again, and it’s just an endless nightmare.”
Toni couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve done that?”
“Aye, I just told ya so, didn’t I?” he grinned. “Did plenty of right stupid things
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