All That Jazz (Butler Cove #1)(21)

I mean I’d kissed a few boys at school. This was how it went, right?

But his hand continued gliding … right up over my breast.

I gasped, breaking the kiss.

The sound of a throat clearing behind me caused me to jump. “Jazz,” said Joseph’s hard voice. “How about you introduce me to your friend.”





MORTIFICATION FEELS VERY much like a heavy load of lava rolling around in your gut. You burn from the inside out, all your blood and organs pushed uncomfortably out of the way, including your tongue. I was dying. I mean, to be caught mid feelup?

Gah!

Caught by Joseph?

Die.

Chase hopped to his feet and reached for my hand, pulling me up. Well brought up boy that he obviously was.

“Hi, I’m Chase Kennedy,” he said to Joey with a hand out. Holy shrimp guts, I didn’t even know his last name, and he was almost on a first name basis with my girls. I folded my arms across my chest to belatedly keep them safe.

“Chase, this is Joey,” I managed.

“Joseph Butler,” said Joey and shook the proffered hand. “So how do you and Jazz know each other?”

Chase glanced at me, smirking.

“Uh, through work?” I said.

“We met today.”

Joseph’s eyebrows rocketed upwards, and I winced, looking away so as not to catch his eye.

“So how about you guys?” Chase asked Joey. “No offense, you don’t look like you’re in high school.”

“We’re family friends,” said Joey. “I’m back from college for the summer.”

“Oh yeah? Where are you at school?”

“South Carolina.”

“Gamecocks?”

“Yeah. You?”

“Tar Heels.”

So he went to Chapel Hill in North Carolina? That wasn’t far. Oh my God. Where was my mind going? My plan didn’t include staying in touch. It had to be quick, fun, and easy.

“Nice. Battle of the Carolinas,” said Joey referring to the hundred-year-old rivalry between North and South Carolina. “We’re rivals.”

I snorted without meaning to.

Then Colt walked up. A regular college boy sausage fest. I slunk away to find Keri Ann as they talked sports scores, Greek and fraternities.

“I just got cock-blocked by your brother,” I moaned to Keri Ann as I flopped to the sand next to her and our friend Liz.

“He’s just making sure no one takes advantage of you,” defended Keri Ann after I filled them in.

I let out a groan and fiddled with my anklet, digging my toes in the sand. “What if I want someone to take advantage of me?”

“I know the feeling,” said Liz. “What does a girl have to do to get some anyway?”

Both Keri Ann and I whipped our heads to look at our class valedictorian. “Lizzie!” I gasped in delight and watched Liz’s face turn puce. “Did you really just say that?”

“I did,” she admitted with a grin, setting her chin up. “Seriously, though.”

“You did what?” asked Jasper coming up to us. By far the most good-looking boy in our year, he was doubly blessed by being smart too. Liz had probably totally stolen his thunder by being named valedictorian.

“Finish my valedictorian speech?” she offered in the kind of cautious questioning way that meant she was totally making it up and seeing if he’d buy it.

“Right,” he said. “So, Liz. I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to take a walk or something? I wanted to chat with you about next year.”

There was a long awkward pause where Liz, ever cautious, went through a very obvious internal struggle, then abruptly got to her feet. Her blush had returned with a vengeance. “Yes, sure,” she squeaked and cleared her throat. “See you in a bit, girls.”

We waved.

“You’ve got a long second toe,” Keri Ann, observed with amusement next to me where our feet lay in the cool sand. The firelight flickered over our bare suntanned legs.

“We’ve been friends, how long? And you just now noticed?” I glanced at her small milk and honey feet next to my darker ones and grimaced. As Nana always told me, my skin was as brown as a gypsy. I swear just the thought of the summer vacation almost within reach was enough to turn my skin. Keri Ann’s toenails were bare and perfect, where mine still had chipped turquoise polish on the long toe in question. Sand and seawater weren’t a match for cheap dime store polish.

“Way to point out my flaws, bestie.” I pouted and flopped back to lie down. “Wow, look. The stars are coming out.”

“It’s lucky, you know. It means you’ll be super successful one day,” she said joining me. “Anyway, according to Joey, you have really pretty feet.”

My belly flipped. “Ugh, when did he say that? That’s totally pervy.”

“Oh, I don’t remember. Maybe the one time we were all down here at the beach together.”

“God that must have been like last summer. You have the weirdest memory for inconsequential b.s., but you can’t tell me what a male gamete is,” I said seriously. Keri Ann had missed it on a quiz once in eighth grade, and it had become a huge source of amusement ever since.

“Oh grow up. It’s a sperm, you gross child,” Keri Ann chided, elbowing me in the side as I barely suppressed my laughter.