Chapter 3 03

03

Rowan

Harsh morning light streamed through my window, piercing my eyes as I pried them open. With a hard grimace, I massaged my temples to ease my throbbing head. The memories of last night came flashing back, intensifying the headache I was trying to soothe.

The way my fingers had tightened around the liquor bottle, my legs moving on their own to make a stupid move, the punch, Max’s lips on mine. I flinched the thoughts away. I shouldn't be thinking of such nonsense. It was all my fault, anyway. Max didn't mean to kiss me, the same way I didn't mean to push him like that.

How did I even get here? The last memory I had was the softness of his lips and that push. Ugh.

I threw the sheets from my body and clambered out of bed, heading into my bathroom. Glaring at my reflection in the mirror, my curls were a mess and my brown eyes looked lifeless. My skin was pale. I needed to sleep some more so badly.

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My eyes searched the kitchen island where Mom and my stepdad were having breakfast. “Where's Max?”

I wasn't sure why I asked that in the first place. I wanted to shrug it off, but Mom had already heard me. “Rowan, you're awake. How are you feeling now?”

“I'm good,” I said with grogginess and a slight frown, settling into an empty space at the island.

My mom left her seat and approached me. “Are you sure, son? Max said you drank too much last night.” At the mention of Max, I stiffened. I was so tense that I didn't register how close she was until the cold of her palm touched my forehead, making me flinch and pull away.

“Your hands are very cold.” Even though that was true, I used it as an excuse. I didn't want anyone babying me anymore. I wasn't a kid, and I could take care of myself.

“Sorry,” she murmured, settling back into her seat. “Should I make you some hangover soup later?”

My nose wrinkled in disgust. “No. It's bitter and disgusting. Besides, I'm fine now. I've taken a shower, so I feel better.” I wrapped my fingers around my mug and brought the rim to my lips, inhaling the warm steam.

“You should thank Max,” Richard said warmly, clearly meaning no harm. My mouth almost spat the tea back into the mug. “He went through quite a hassle bringing you home.”

I barely remembered drinking that much, or anything else that happened. Had I passed out afterward, or did Max lie to them to make himself feel better and make me feel smaller than everyone already made me seem?

“Mmm,” I mumbled into my mug, filling my mouth with tea. Once I swallowed, I knew that if he truly went through a hassle to get me home, I should thank him. And maybe say sorry for last night. “Where's Max?” My mouth betrayed my train of thought, and my eyes darted between Richard and Mom as if I’d just asked the most taboo question.

Why did I have to overthink everything so much?

Richard took a bite of his toast. “By the poolside.”

Before I knew it, I was on my feet. “Thanks.”

“Ro, breakfast?” I heard my mom call out, and I nodded, already heading through the back door.

Before I was even halfway to the poolside, I began hearing strange, small noises that drew me toward him. They piqued my curiosity until I recognized the sound: a tiny moan vibrating through a phone speaker. My gaze met Max’s, and I let my eyes drag over his abs down to his waistband, where his hand was deep inside his shorts.

“Want to join in, kid?” He adjusted the angle of his phone, and I caught a glimpse of a girl in a tight close-up on his screen.

My presence didn't seem to rattle him, but it certainly shook me. “Sorry, I'll come back later,” I murmured, biting my lip. I didn't want him to ask questions, already pivoting on my heels to make a brisk escape.

I should have kept walking, but he spoke up. “Mommy’s boy is here. I need to tend to him. Talk to you later.” He ended the call, cutting the girl off mid-sentence.

That instantly prickled my guts. I stood rooted to the spot, trying to act unflinching even though I wanted the ground to open and swallow me whole.

Max removed his hand from his shorts and rose to his full height, his stomach muscles twitching and flexing as he moved. I swallowed hard and looked away. “I'm no mommy’s boy.”

“What is it, then? Or do you want to pick up where she left off?”

I snapped my gaze back to him, my expression twisting. What a jerk. In his wildest dreams.

“If that's all, then get lost.”

That only hardened my scowl. I internally fought the intense urge to bite back. Maybe this was all we would ever be: just picking and snapping at each other.

Turning toward the blue water, I lied. “I came to swim and sunbathe afterward. I didn't know you were already here. You're the one who should get lost.”

I heard a short snort escape him from behind me. I waited, but he said nothing else. I wasn't actually in the mood to swim; why did I lie? Should I just go for it, or… “I wanted to say thank you,” I said before I could stop myself. I turned to face him and continued anyway. “For bringing me home last night,” I added, holding my breath.

This was how it always went with Max. I never knew what would come out of those perfect lips next, so I braced myself for the worst possible shot.

But his light blue eyes bored into mine, unblinking, and I felt my body heat rising. He let the silence stretch for too long, making me instantly regret the vulnerability. “Whatever. Forget I said anything,” I snapped, turning away.

The next second, I was being swept off my feet and hoisted over a rock-hard shoulder. “Max, put me down!” I choked out, hammering on his back and trying to flail out of his iron grip. Instead, he lunged toward the water. “Jesus!” was all I managed to yell before hitting the cold surface harshly. Shivers erupted all over my body.

“It's freezing!” I gasped, wading toward the edge to pull myself out. Max, on the other hand, stood on the pavement proudly, watching me struggle. He was clearly having fun.

Before he could gloat, I reached out, grabbed his ankle, and dragged him in with me. The massive splash swallowed him whole. The laugh bubbling in my throat died almost immediately when he didn't resurface. Even after the ripples settled, there was no sign of him. No bubbles, nothing.

“Max?” I stepped closer to where he had gone under. “Max!”

A heavy wave erupted as Max shot upward, startling me so badly I nearly tripped. “Fuck you, man!” I splashed him in retaliation, annoyed. He had nearly scared me to death.

Since I wasn't in the mood to play anymore, I started toward the edge to exit, but he splashed the back of my neck hard. It must have been a distraction because as I stumbled, he knocked me off balance. Before I could recover, he was pinning my back against the pool wall.

The air trapped in my lungs. Standing in such close proximity to him was overwhelming. He was shirtless, and I could see the fine, damp hair on his chest. His lips were so pink and glistening with pool water that I wanted to kiss him again so badly.

In the heat of the moment, not sure why I did it, I ran my tongue over my bottom lip. “Why did you come back?”

Max’s eyes tracked the movement of my mouth. “Because of you,” he whispered. The sound sent an electrifying jolt straight to my crotch.

He met my eyes, and I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. “Ro.” His voice was low and soothing.

“Rowan!”

A voice cut through the tension. Approaching footsteps reached my ears just as Max sank beneath the surface, disappearing before whoever it was could reach us.

I whipped my head around to look, and my jaw nearly dropped. “Jenny?”

“Rowan!”

“Jenny? What are you doing here?” I asked in utter surprise.

Jenny opened her mouth to answer, but something caught her attention, making her eyes widen. I followed her gaze to see Max sliding out of the pool with perfect, athletic precision.

“Hi, Jenny.” Max waved nonchalantly. “Good to see you again.”

“Hi, Max,” she managed to say. We both watched Max trudge away toward the house, the way his wet shorts clung to his thighs and

ass. Christ.

“I came to see you. I missed you.” Jenny’s words finally pulled my attention back to her.