All That Jazz (Butler Cove #1)(32)

“No, I mean it’s dangerous too, right? Did you see how high he was? It’s an idiotic sport.”

I looked back out at the kitesurfer and saw he was heading the kite back to the rapidly narrowing beach.

“Yeah. I guess.” Actually, I thought it was pretty spectacular.

“So listen, babes, let’s—”

And that was all I heard because my attention was completely trapped by the kitesurfing guy skating his board toward the beach and then managing to quickly unstrap it from his feet and hop off onto the sand. It was freaking Joseph. He planted his feet, his muscles straining as he brought the kite into submission, landing it safely up the beach about fifty yards in the other direction from where we were.

“Oh, hey, isn’t that your friend from the beach the other night?” Chase said when he realized I was paying him zero attention.

“Yeah. My best friend’s brother.” My tone was incredulous. He was such a stick in the mud about anything risky. And here he was freaking kitesurfing? I’d had no idea, and I bet Keri Ann didn’t either. She was gonna freak out.

“Oops. I’m gathering you didn’t know he did this?”

I shook my head, my mouth still open. I snapped it closed as soon as I realized how I must look. “No. Jeez. His sister is gonna be so mad at him.”

“You don’t need to tell her.”

I looked at him. “Um. I tell her everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes. Everything. That’s what best friends do.”

His expression said he was unconvinced. Whatever. I looked back toward Joseph who’d reached his kite and managed to roll it so it didn’t catch the wind again. He detached the ropes. Then he stood and his head turned toward us.

I swallowed.

“So is that cool?”

Was Chase still talking? “Huh?”

“You coming back to my place this evening? My fam’s in Savannah for some show.” He cocked an eyebrow, and taking my hips in his hands, pulled me in close. “We’ve got the place to ourselves.”

“Oh, uh …”

He leaned in and nuzzled my neck. Regardless of the fact that Chase getting into my pants had been my motivation to get to know him in the first place, I honestly couldn’t have felt less like giving up my V-card. I didn’t even want to kiss him again. I actually felt a bit nauseous when he leaned in for a kiss. I blamed it on the fact I hadn’t eaten anything other than a banana from the school cafeteria at noon.

I glanced back toward Joseph. He’d turned away and was dealing with his board and kite.

“We should go,” I said. We should go before Joseph felt compelled to come over and say hello. It was awkward enough when all I could think about was the fact I’d kissed both these boys within the same week. And I was comparing kisses. Chase definitely wanted me, and Joey had only kissed me to avoid a stalker, but now his lips were all I could think about. It must have been because of his impressive display out on the water.

Chase chuckled. “Enthusiastic. I like it.”

I cringed inwardly. Now his confidence started to seem smarmy, where before I’d found it cool and flirty.

We walked to where we’d parked our bikes. He’d rented a lime green one from Road Fish on the south end of the island. “So you’re a senior next year, right?” I asked conversationally, trying to salvage what was left of my attraction for him. I had a mission to accomplish after all. Operation V-card. And now that I’d told Joey I’d done it, I really needed to get on with it. “What are you doing after you graduate? Are you traveling or anything?”

We rode side by side, heading toward the bike path that bordered the main road cutting across the island. An evening breeze had picked up, but it was still warmer than the wind had been up at the head.

“God, no. I hate to travel. I can never find Diet Dr. Pepper in any of the countries I visit.”

I glanced at him to see if he was joking, but he was dead serious.

“I’m going to work with my father in New York,” he went on. “He runs a hedge fund.”

“Oh yeah? What does that do exactly?”

“Fuck if I know. He just makes a shit ton of money, so I figure I may as well get in on it too.”

“Right,” I said. “At least you’re honest.” I laughed uncomfortably. “So why go to college if you already have a job lined up? Seems like an expensive waste.”

He shrugged. “My dad told me I needed to party it up and get it out of my system so I didn’t go off the rails in New York. Apparently the parties are sick up there. Guys get hooked on coke and shit and go nuts. He needs me sober.”

“Smart advice from your father,” I said. My tongue was so far stuck in my cheek I was surprised I didn’t gag.

“Right? He’s the coolest. And I f*cking love New York. The clubs are beast. So it’s, like, totally good advice.”

“Right.” Oh God, was this guy for real?

“Anyway,” Chase went on, oblivious to the fact he’d verbally snuffed out any lingering attraction I may have had for him at all. “My dad was Phi Delt. A fraternity,” he clarified. “And being Greek goes a long way in business. He still gets deals done with fraternity brothers or other Phi Delts from other schools. So obviously I had to rush Phi Delt too.”