"I'll grab the rest of the bags," Aaron said, heading back out of the door.
I walked in and my jaw dropped. Wow.
The cabin was beautiful, albeit a little dated. The view of the lake from the family room window was to die for. The sun shone down on the water's surface, making it glisten. There was a large fireplace that I could have stepped into.
Kyle walked behind me, capturing the view with his phone.
"I'm going to explore. Anyone wanna come?" Megan asked, bouncing up and down like a toddler. Her short, overly hair-sprayed bob barely moved an inch. She had already dropped her bag by the bottom of the stairs, which was about as much unpacking as she ever did.
I handed a case of beer to Courtney, who was organizing the food and booze in the kitchen.
"Don't fancy getting lost in the forest, thanks," I replied.
Aaron dropped a load of bags on the floor. "I'll come." He walked out before anyone could stop him and make him help. I watched them walk into the woods. The bright midday sun shone down on Aaron's white-blond hair, making it glow. They both looked happy to be away, and I was going to try and do the same.
"Going for a walk," Kyle said, shaking his head at them as he lowered the phone. He held up a six-pack in his other hand. "Crazy. Hey, Blake, where'd you want the beer, man?"
"In the oven," he replied dryly.
I tried not to smile but failed miserably. I wasn't sure what Blake was doing here. He didn't seem to have a good relationship with Josh, and he didn't seem to be making much effort.
Kyle's mouth thinned in a tight smile, and I could tell he was fighting the urge to say something back. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and spun on his heel. Shaking his head, he walked away. Kyle was a sensitive soul and was never very good with anyone making fun of him.
Then, Blake and I were left in the living room. Alone again. I pursed my lips, not knowing what to say. Should I even say anything? The silence was awkward, but it didn't seem to bother him at all. Nothing seemed to affect him. Blake was cool, calm, and almost robotic. But I wasn't naive enough to think that nothing got to him.
"So...did you come here much when you were a kid?" I asked to fill the silence.
He looked over his shoulder, half smiling at me. "You're asking if I come here much?"
"No, I asked if you came here much." There was a big difference.
Blake turned his body so he was fully facing me. I don't know if he did it to be intimidating, but it was. He had this cockiness about him, but it wasn't off-putting like Josh's.
"We came here a lot before our parents separated. After the divorce, the place stayed empty, until now."
I didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry."
"Why? People divorce all the time." Before I had the chance to say anything else, he walked outside. There was definitely a lot more to him than he let people see.
"Beer, Kenz?" Kyle asked from behind me.
I turned and smirked. "You know it's eleven in the morning, right?"
"Yeah," he replied, tilting his head, waiting for me to explain.
I smiled and took a beer from his outstretched hand. "Never mind."
Kyle and I sat on the sofa while Josh and Courtney messed around putting things away in the kitchen. "You think we should help?" I asked.
"I offered. You know what Josh is like."
Control freak. We wouldn't do it the way he wanted. How many different ways were there to put food in a cupboard? This was "Josh's" place though, and we were being made very aware that we were just guests. "I'm going to need a lot of alcohol to get through this weekend," I said. I'd promised my parents no drinking, obviously, but we were all parent free and determined to make the most of it. They think we're swimming in the lake, cooking out, and roasting marshmallows around a campfire. We are, so it's not a total lie, but there will be drinking.
Kyle nodded in agreement and raised his bottle. "Let's keep it coming, then."
I clinked the top of my bottle against his and took a swig.
Kyle and I had just finished our thirds when the rest of the group joined us. "Wow, this looks fun," Aaron said, grinning at the bottles of alcohol spread out over the coffee table.
"Yep, Kyle and I thought we should have it all at arm's reach. Cheers," I said, raising my half-full bottle.
"Well, if we're doing this, we're doing it right. I'm well up for getting wasted," Aaron replied, picking the Absolut Vodka. "Everyone's in, no backing out. Josh, shot glasses, my man!" My smile grew. I wasn't a big drinker, especially after last time, with the accident, but I wanted to have stupid, immature fun tonight.
"Err, guys, I don't want anyone throwing up in my house," Josh said in his annoying, stuck-up, I'm-better-than-you way. I had a very sudden, very childish urge to drink until I puked.
Everything he wanted, I wanted to do the opposite. I knew that was dangerous though. I knew I couldn't--and I wasn't stupid enough to do it--but I damn well wanted to.
"Lighten up, mate, come on. We all want this to be a good weekend," Kyle replied.
Josh glared and his jaw tightened. He didn't like to be challenged. "I am relaxed," he growled through his teeth.
Aaron lifted a freshly poured shot glass and raised it to Josh, his own little in-your-face, before knocking it back. I smiled and did the same. And then I regretted it because Josh's eyebrow arched and I knew exactly what he was thinking.
And he wouldn't hesitate to open his big mouth. But before he could say anything, Aaron spoke. "A toast," he said, raising a bottle this time. "To a killer weekend."
We lifted whatever we had in our hands. "To a killer weekend!"
Chapter Two
After about an hour of drinking, I eased off so I wouldn't be flat on my face before it even got dark. Josh and Courtney, the only couple, had gone off to his parents' room, as it was the only double, for a bit of privacy, which meant Josh wanted sex.
Megan and Aaron were in the kitchen. I could hear her laughing at something he'd said. Kyle had gone to the toilet shortly after Josh and Courtney went upstairs, which was ages ago, so I vowed to never use that bathroom.
Blake stretched his legs, kicking his booted feet up on the coffee table. He didn't fit in. He drank with us and joined in with conversation when necessary, but he didn't contribute much. There was tension between him and Josh that went beyond the usual dislike that the rest of us had. They stared each other down if one said something the other didn't like. It was awkward and made me want to leave the room.
They clearly didn't get along, so why on earth would Blake invite himself?
"What do you do back home?" I asked, trying to get to know a little more about him other than his favorite alcoholic drink.
"I work here and there," he grunted.
OK, it was like getting blood out of a stone. "You're not very chatty, are ya?"
He flicked his eyes to me without moving his head. "What's the point?"
"To get to know people, to make friends, to not live like a hermit..." I rewarded him with a charming, toothy smile, which softened his face.
"You think I'm a hermit?"
"Aren't you?"
"No," he replied. "I don't spend much time alone at all."
The spark in his eye told me everything. I turned my nose up in disgust. "Different girl every night?"
"Not every night."
Hmm, that didn't make sense--unless his earlier shyness was an act? But why would he pretend to be shy around women? He was obviously proud that he could sleep with practically whomever he wanted.
My stomach knotted at the thought of him hooking up with loads of girls, which was ridiculous. We weren't in a relationship. I hardly knew him. I pursed my lips. "Previously broken heart or just not grown up yet?"
He frowned. "What?"
"I want to know why you use women."
"Can't it just be that I like sex but don't want a relationship?"
"Not usually." A thought popped into my head. "Ah, don't worry. I get it."
Sighing
, he asked, "Get what?"
"Get why."
He rubbed his forehead in exasperation and muttered, "Women... What do you think you get, Mackenzie?"
"You don't want a relationship because you lived through your parents' less-than-amicable divorce. You're scared of history repeating itself with you."
He sat frozen for a minute, his face falling, and I knew I'd hit the nail on the head. Mackenzie, one. Blake, zero.
A moment of silence stretched on, and I fiddled with my fingers. Blake narrowed his eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about. I haven't met anyone I wanted to see exclusively, that's all."
"Whatever you say."
His glare turned colder.
Damn it. My stomach turned with guilt. "I'm sorry, Blake. I didn't mean to offend you."
"I'm not offended."
His rough, gravelly voice said otherwise.
His eyes pierced holes into mine, making my heart race. The atmosphere solidified until I could barely stand it. One minute, Blake looked like he wouldn't have been bothered if I'd left immediately, and the next, he looked like he wanted to know my entire life story.
He was beyond confusing. He was also very sexy, so much so that he made every other boy I'd ever fancied look like a gargoyle. But I couldn't figure him out and I didn't like that. There were people in my life I loved and some I didn't much care for, but at least I knew where I stood with them.
"Wanna get out of here for a bit?" I asked.
"Really? You don't seem like the type to offer that," he replied. The spark in his eyes crystal clear, blue eyes was back.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, buddy. You know that's not what I mean."
I thought he'd say no, but he dug his hands into the sofa and pushed himself up. When I didn't move, he smirked. "Don't you want to go...somewhere? Was that a trick question, Mackenzie?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"No, it wasn't!" I replied, standing. My heart raced in annoyance and anticipation. "I didn't expect you to take that the wrong way."
His eyes turned darker as his mind wandered. "There's a lot about me you probably wouldn't expect."
I shuddered in delightful anticipation at his tone. Yeah, I didn't doubt that for a second. That was part of his allure.
Blake turned without a word and headed for the door. I followed him out of the cabin and along the path even though I wasn't sure how smart that was. My mum had drilled it into me from a young age to never trust a person I don't know. The forest was vast, we were miles from town, the closest cabin to us was a good twenty minutes' walk, and there I was going off into the woods with a stranger.
He headed into the woods by the river. If he went deep enough, no one would be able to hear me scream. A body could easily be lost here.
I swallowed my nerves.
You're being ridiculous. No more horror films.
"So, what's your damage? Or are you as perfect as you look?" he asked, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm not sure how to take that," I said, and he shrugged. I was sure "perfect" was meant sarcastically. I'm so far from perfect. I've made mistakes and done something I would give the world to change. "No damage. I'm boringly normal."
"No dark secrets you're hiding?"
I tripped, losing my footing. My throat closed to the point it almost choked me. Had Josh told him? No, he couldn't have. There was no reason to. Telling Blake wouldn't fit his agenda. "No, no secrets."
"Liar," he muttered.
I planted my feet. He'd taken about ten more steps before he realized I was no longer beside him. He twisted his head around to find me and smirked.
Rolling his eyes, he said, "Oh, come on, Mackenzie, everyone has secrets."
"Not dark ones."
Except, you do, I thought to myself. What does he know?
He stepped closer, his eyes pinning me to the spot. I stood tall as he approached. Twigs snapped underneath his boots until he stopped almost toe-to-toe with me. I tried to ignore the thudding of my heart at being so close to him. His muscular frame and bedroom eyes really did make me want to go to bed.
I bit the inside of my cheek. He was entirely too close and too far away at the same time.
Bloody hormones.
"The secrets you hide from yourself are always the most dangerous," he murmured in a low voice, almost as if he were speaking to himself.
"I'm not hiding anything from anyone."
"You're too straight."
I let that sink in for a minute. Or I tried to anyway. When it still made no sense, I said, "What?"
"You're pretty open, Mackenzie. You put up with Courtney siding with Josh over you, right?"
I nodded.
"Why? Why not give up on her? Stop trying to fix your friendship and make every situation perfect. People will let you down and they'll take advantage. Know when to let go. I can see it all in your eyes. You struggle to keep yourself and everyone around you together. It must be exhausting. When do you let off steam? You're going to go crazy before you're thirty."
My spine straightened. How could he be so right after knowing me for a couple of hours? Either I was super-transparent, or he was really good at reading people. Still, I couldn't let the guy know he was right. I stood my ground and folded my arms. "You know nothing about me."
He'd hit too close to home and I didn't like it. There were things about my past I didn't like--a massive mistake that I would take back in a heartbeat if I could. I tried to compensate for that horrendous decision by being everything that was expected of me--everything I now expected of myself.
It was exhausting.
The most annoying part was Blake, a guy I'd known for two sodding seconds, recognized that more than my friends and family. OK, so he didn't know what had happened, but he knew there was something I was hiding. If I could help it, he would never learn what that was.
"I don't know specifics, but you've got frustrated-teen tattooed all over yourself."
"And what have you got tattooed over yourself?" Arrogant arse was my guess.
"The Japanese rising sun."
"Huh?"
He pulled up his T-shirt sleeve, revealing a black tattoo of half a sun.
Oh, he was talking literally. "What does it stand for?"
"No idea. Just liked it."
OK...
"Well, I think it's cool," I said.
Chuckling to himself, he walked deeper into the forest. The trees were a bright, crisp green and leaves blew softly in the light wind as we walked. It was cooler under the trees, and since England was going strong with the heat wave, it was welcome.
"You've known the others for years?" he asked as I jogged to catch up with him again.
"Yeah."
"Kyle and Aaron didn't seem that happy about me crashing your weekend. Megan either, actually."
I shrugged. "They're cool. They just liked the dynamic we had pre-Josh-and-Courtney best. They can be kind of protective, Aaron especially. That guy would literally do anything for his friends. He'd take a bullet for us. Not that I wouldn't. Once a guy grabbed my arse after I refused a dance and Aaron knocked him out cold."
"He sounds more psychotic than protective, but put whatever label you want on it."
"I will," I replied, narrowing my eyes. I could handle Blake's theories about me. What I didn't like was his speaking badly of my friends.
"So, tell me. A group as close as you lot..."
I knew where that was going. "Not me. Josh and Courtney, as you know. Aaron and Tilly had an on/off relationship."
"You never? Not even once?"
"Nope. Girls and guys can be just friends, you know."
"Sure, just seems odd. I've been around groups of friends, and there's always a few who have had drunken sex. Or at least gotten their hands busy."
Oh, that's lovely. "Sorry. No dirt here." Not that kind anyway.
"Wow, Kenzie, you lot really are as straight as they come. You plan some board games for this evening?"
"No, of course not! Sorry, we're so boring, Mr. Excitement. What do you do for fun anyway?"
He whipped around. His eyes were wide and hungry as he grabbed my wrists and pushed me against a tree, trapping me with his entire body. I was stunned. My body wanted to arch into him. I wanted to feel his skin against mine, his tongue in my mouth, his breath on my neck.
Get. A. Grip. Mackenzie.
What was going on with me? I'd never had this kind of chemistry so quickly with someone. Actually, I'd never had this much chemistry with someone else at all. It was his fault. Blake's outrageously good looks and air of mystery short-circuited my brain, and I had to force myself to stay focused. My legs turned to jelly, and if it wasn't for him holding me up, I'd be on the floor.
Forcing myself to get it together, I swallowed, my throat like the Sahara, and whispered, "Sex is the only fun you have?" His body pressed against mine a little bit harder, and I stifled a moan. I could feel the hard muscles of his chest. Stop. It.
"No. Sex is the most fun I have." His eyes, now on fire, looked right through me, to the secrets I hid away. Still, he stayed pressed against me, his jaw tight, as if he was finding it hard to hold back.
I can't be doing this right now. Or at all. I wasn't the person that instantly wanted someone. I had to build up to that, get to know them first, but Blake made me want to throw all my rules out of the window. Rules I had worked very hard to keep.
He suddenly pulled away from me. My knees felt weak. Gripping the tree, I barely managed to keep myself upright. "What?" I asked, shaking my head to clear the fog of confusion and lust that had swept over me.
"What're the odds of you freaking afterward?"
"High," I replied. Having sex in the middle of the forest with Josh's brother, who I'd only met today, was a terrible idea. I couldn't quite get that through to my racing pulse and overheated body though. "Thought so. Come on. I'll show you where I shoved Josh in the river and broke his arm."
What? One minute the guy was all over me, and the next, he was playing tour guide?
I took a deep breath to get my thoughts together and stop being an idiot around him. "You broke his arm?" I asked, running again to catch up with him.
"Accidentally." He smirked. "I'm not a sociopath."
Chapter Three
Two hours later, Blake and I were back at the cabin and indulging in drinking games with my friends. It didn't take long for me to get tipsy again...and then go straight to being drunk. I still knew my name and the prime minister's, but I'd definitely had one too many.