Wet (The Water's Edge #1) by Stacy Kestwick Read Free Book Online Page B

headed to get some ice cream,” Theo said. “You guys want to join us?”
    West glanced back at me, down to the hand on my hip, then back up. “No,” he said, sounding almost bored. “Besides, Grady’s meeting us soon. We’ll catch you later, Benedict.” He started to walk away, not waiting for the other guys. My face burned, and I felt guilty, like I had done something wrong, which was ridiculous, of course. I refused to turn and watch him leave, even though I swear my body could tell the difference as he moved farther away, my awareness of him lessening.
    The others trailed after West, and Theo and I started walking again, his arm falling back to his side. “Benedict?” I questioned.
    “My last name. I played pee-wee football with most of those guys. Well, not West and Grady, because they were older, but we went by our last names there. It kind of stuck for me.”
    I hummed an acknowledgement, then returned to our previous conversation, refusing to let myself think about West. “So, Theo, if bartending isn’t the goal, what are you working toward?”
    He shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure that out. I couldn’t afford college like those guys, so I’ve just been working and saving. I want to be my own boss someday, not have to answer to anyone but myself.”
    I nodded. I could understand that. It was part of the appeal of photography. Setting your own schedule, working as hard as you wanted, knowing your success or failure depended only on you. I could definitely relate.
    We walked farther, laughing at each other’s stupid jokes. We bought waffle cones and stood licking the melting gelato, watching the sunset over the water turn the sky a delicious shade of coral. I wished I had my camera. I snapped a quick photo with my phone, but it wasn’t the same.
    Back at my house, we climbed the steps to my front door when my stomach twisted with anxiety. Would he try to kiss me? I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. We stopped on the porch, and I dug my key out of my purse, letting it dangle from my hand. “Theo, I had a great time tonight,” I said.
    He smiled and stepped a little closer, taking each of my hands in his. “Me too.” Staring into my eyes, he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Okay, moment of truth.”
    He leaned in and pressed his lips against me, moving them gently over mine. It was nice, but there was no spark. Bummer. We broke apart and stood there facing each other, holding hands, foreheads touching.
    Theo whispered, “Wow. That really didn’t do anything for me. How ’bout you?”
    I laughed in relief that we were on the same page. “You do have nice lips,” I offered as a consolation.
    “And you have a nice ass, so why can’t this just work? Hold on a sec.”
    He grabbed my butt and pulled our pelvises together and ground against me for a moment. I looked at him in confusion. He sighed and shook his head. “Nope. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re hot, and I’d lay you in a heartbeat if I didn’t have to see you at work and —”
    I cut him off. “Friends?”
    Theo nodded. “Definitely. See you at the gym Monday morning?”
    I smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “I’ll buy the doughnuts this time.”
    He groaned. “No more doughnuts. I’ll take you to this little café I know. They have good omelets.”
    “But I like doughnuts.”
    “How ’bout this? I train you for free four times a week, and you buy breakfast. We’ll eat healthy three days a week and splurge for doughnuts on Wednesdays.”
    I narrowed my eyes. “We’ll only train three times a week, and we’ll get doughnuts on Mondays and Wednesdays.”
    Theo sighed then nodded in defeat.
    “Ahhh.” I grinned. “A man after my own heart. We are going to get along just fine, Benedict.”

CHAPTER 4
    I blew my whistle at the rowdy preteen boys running around the pool having a water gun fight. “Walk! No running!” I hollered for the nineteenth time in the last hour. Their moms were either