is my girlfriend, Kayla.”
“Hi,” she says, wrapping her other arm around Brenden’s arm like she owns his ass, obviously dodging my girl’s hand she was about to stretch out.
I sling my arm around Ava’s shoulders and tuck her under my arm like I own her too. Thank God she comes willingly.
“Are you two actually—dating?” Kayla asks with sarcastic wonder, if that’s even a thing.
“We are,” I say without hesitation. Ava rests her hand on my chest as if she’s claiming me.
That’s kind of hot.
“Watch out,” Kayla says to Ava. “That guy you’re with is a complete douchebag.”
I feel Ava tense up. She’s scowling.
Uh oh.
“You don’t know him at all, so if I were you, I would watch what you’re saying,” Ava snaps, sounding ready for trouble.
Damn, I really, really, really love this girl.
“It’s your funeral,” Kayla says snottily.
“It’ll be yours if you keep up the insults.” Ava walks right out from underneath my arm, heading straight for Kayla. I grab her before she can do any damage.
“Hey, hey little mama. Simmer down,” I tell my girl, keeping her in place. She struggles against my hold, and I can admit it.
I’m a little turned on.
“What the hell? You want to fight me? She’s perfect for you, Eli,” Kayla says with a sneer before she turns her attention to Brenden. “Let’s go.”
“But I wanted—”
“Come on, Brenden.” She takes his hand and they leave us, Brenden sending me one last pleading look over his shoulder before the crowd swallows him up.
“I hate her,” Ava says once I let go of her. She turns to face me. “I was kind of shocked by how hostile you were toward her at first, but now I understand why.”
“She’s a complete bitch. Remember? She’s the one who drove a huge wedge between me and Brenden.” I touch her cheek, overwhelmed with the need to get her alone. “That was hot by the way, how you wanted to fight her.”
“She made me so freaking angry. She doesn’t know me. She doesn’t even really know you. How could she make all those assumptions about you?” Ava’s voice rises, and I can tell she’s still heated.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Kayla hates me. Has since day one.”
“I hate her too,” she says vehemently, glancing around at the crowd, which is gradually thinning. It’s cold as a witch’s tit out here—fitting since we’re transitioning into October in a few days—and people are going home. It’s probably getting late.
“Do you need to go home soon?” I ask.
Ava grabs her phone and checks the time, frowning. “Probably.” Her gaze lifts to mine. “But I don’t want this night to end.”
“Me either.” Yet again, I yank her back into my arms, and I drop a simple kiss on her lips. “Think people are watching us?”
“Yes.” She wraps her arms around my neck, playing with the hair at my nape and making me shiver. “Should we put on a show?”
“Not too nasty of a one.” She laughs. “What we do, we do in secret.” I kiss her again, absorbing the sweet taste of her lips. There is nothing better in the world than a kiss from this girl.
Nothing.
“I wasn’t talking about getting naked in front of everyone, Eli. Jeez.” She rolls her eyes and laughs. I’m about to kiss her with full on tongues showing and everything, but Jackson starts singing and she turns her head just as I go in for the kill, leaving me kissing her cheek like a lame ass.
“I always thought he was overrated, but not tonight,” she tells me, as we both push our way into the thinning crowd around the fire, so we can watch and listen to my friend sing. I recognize the tune. Can’t quite place it, but I know the words. In fact, I start singing along with them and so does Ava, who’s laughing.
“He’s singing ‘Lucid Dreams’!” she says. “But all slow and kind of country sounding.”
“It’s a fucking great song,” I say. “Though it got overplayed fast.”
“Whatever, I love it.” She’s swaying her cute ass to the beat, singing along with everyone else. I watch her, completely entranced. She’s having a great time, moving toward a group of girls who smile at her as they all continue singing. She’s not acting shy or timid or clinging to me like a class A stalker.
In fact she’s having so much fun I’m almost…jealous. That she can have such a great time and it’s not all about me. But that’s a good thing. She may be the