There is something about the way they carry themselves. Every girl is head over heels for a Holden brother or Cole Trenton, and then there is Travis to round of the equation. Cole, Travis, Aiden and Wyatt round of the elite four of Lyman.

I dart a nervous glance up and lock eyes with him. It feels like he is looking right through me.

“I’m surprised to see you came. I haven’t seen you at a party before.” The corner of his mouth curves slightly in a trademark family smile, guaranteed to make any girl’s knees go weak, including mine.

“I don’t,” I start to say but the group of guys in the pool breaks out into a loud chanting.

“Dunk her, dunk her, dunk her!”

I hear screeching laugher to my left and see Wyatt running up the stairs with Brooke in his arms. She’s clearly enjoying the attention. At the entrance of the tube he disappears with her. Brooke’s screeching echoes all the way down to where it thankfully gets drowned out by the water.

“Grab Laurie!” Travis screams.

Laurie starts to back up on the other side of the fire when her younger brother gets out of the pool.

“Wyatt, touch me and die!” she yells, but she still turns around and runs from him.

My heart launches into my throat as Wyatt comes closer. If he comes near me I’ll have a heart attack. Instinctively I step around Cole using him to block Wyatt’s view of me.

“Hey, it’s okay. If you don’t want to go in then you just have to say so,” Cole says. He steps into my personal space and takes hold of my arm, right above my elbow.

“I don’t want to go in,” I say, my eyes jumping between Cole and Wyatt who got hold of Peyton. Laurie up and vanished into thin air.

The group in the pool starts to yell for Wyatt to dunk her. I can feel Cole’s eyes on me and I don’t want him to think I’m weirder than he already thinks I am.

“I can’t swim,” I explain.

His smile grows wider, lighting his face up. It also makes his eyes look softer. “Stick with me for the night and Wyatt will leave you alone.”

Did he really just say that? Maybe I imagined it? Did Cole Trenton just tell me to stick with him for the night? I know he kissed me last week, but I didn’t get my hopes up. People like Cole just don’t mix with people like me.

“You,” I clear my throat when my voice sounds too throaty, “you have a party to get back to.”

His hand skims up my left arm, leaving a hot trial right through the material. Placing his arm around my shoulders, he draws me against his side for a quick hug. I’m so stunned that I can hardly take in how it feels.

He chuckles softly as if he’s finding something funny. I hope I don’t have anything on my face. His eyes dart to something over my head before they settle back on mine.

“It’s getting hot here. You want to go sit over by the picnic tables?”

His eyes dart over my head again and I look over my shoulder, following his line of sight. The picnic area is dark, bathed in shadows. I really want to spend time with Cole. I’d be stupid to say no. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

But that corner is so dark!

But I won’t be alone. Cole will be there with me.

“Okay,” I murmur, not able to muster much more.

His arm falls from my shoulders. I’m caught off guard again when I feel his hand take hold of mine. His fingers interlace with mine as he leads me away from the fire. My heart thumps faster with every step I take closer to the dark area. I focus on keeping my breaths steady and as the last of the light dies away behind us I take hold of Cole’s arm with my right hand as well, and I hold on for dear life.

I hate letting go of him when we reach the table. I sit down, torn between my need to run back to the light and my want for Cole. He straddles the bench I’m sitting on so he can face me. At first he only sits close to me, one leg going behind me and his other leg touching my knee, with his arm resting on the table behind me. It’s a consolation price knowing he’s this close to me.

“What are your plans now that we’ve graduated?” he asks. It might be my imagination but his voice sounds lower, more intimate.

“I’m not sure yet. Yours?” I’d rather divert the conversation back to him.

His knee nudges mine, sending sparks racing up my hips and beyond.

“We signed up.” He clears his throat.

Even though I can’t see his eyes clearly I still try to search them. I’m not sure I understand what he’s saying.

“We? For what? For army?” I pray I’m assuming wrong. Lyman will be a ghost town without him.

“Yeah,” he says, “the Marines.”

I can’t tear my eyes away from his face.

“Isn’t that harder than just joining the army?” It is, isn’t it? They do the worst kind of things.

“The trainin’ will be intense,” he says. His arm moves from the table to my back and I feel his other hand settle just above my right knee. His touch eases the blow of the news somewhat. “Let’s talk about somethin’ else.”

Good idea. My heart is breaking just thinking about not seeing him around here. I swallow hard on the lump in my throat.

“What would you like to talk about?” I can’t come up with anything right now. He’ll have to think of something.

“Let’s talk about why you’ve been running from me all these years.”

My mouth drops open and I make a sound much like that of a tire deflating. “We talked about that last week.” Oh shit! How do I get myself out of this question? He just won’t let go.

“Yeah, we did, but I’m not buying your answer. Every time I tried to talk to you at the lockers you’d make a run for it. You’re like a lightning bolt, all over the place.”

“I am?” I parrot him like an idiot. “It’s …” I let my eyes drift over the wide expanse of his chest, down to his jean clad legs, so close to mine. “It’s not that I was avoiding you. Not at all.” I don’t know what else to say without giving something of my past away. I really thought the explanation I gave last week was a good one.

His hand slips down my back and goes around my waist. Cole gives one tug and the side of my body is pressed against his chest. Glancing up at him I lose my breath as he starts to lean into me. I don’t move a single muscle, not even blinking as his lips press against mine.

Oh. My. Freaking. Word!

Cole Trenton is kissing me. Again! I thought he made a mistake the first time, but he’s kissing me again!

His fingers trace the gentlest path across my jawline and I gasp at the delicious sensations jumping from his fingertips to my skin. The moment his tongue slips into my mouth my mind clouds over just like the first time when he kissed me. Every time his tongue brushes against mine my body sizzles to life and I lose more and more control, pressing closer to him.

When he pulls back I’m plastered against him, and pretty much putty in his hands.

“I should’ve kissed you years ago,” he whispers against my mouth. I nod and the movement causes our lips to brush against each other. Cole takes a deep breath before slipping his other hand into my hair. Grabbing some strands, he crushes his mouth to mine. I lose myself in his hot kiss, until I feel his other hand skimming down my left arm. He keeps going down and drops his hand to my waist. Taking hold of the hem of my sweater his fingers slip under the material, and they brush against the bare skin above my jeans.

I grab hold of his hand, stopping him from going any further. Sharing a kiss is one thing, but the second he sees my scars he’ll be out of here as fast as his legs can carry him.

“Sorry,” he whispers against my mouth, “I keep getting’ carried away when it comes to you.” He pulls back and I’m glad to see he’s not angry with me for stopping him. “You want to wait here while I get us somethin’ to drink?”

“No,” the word pops from my lips. “Ah … I’ll walk with you.” There is no way I’m sitting alone here in the dark.

“Sure, come on.” He smiles as he pulls me up next to him, interlacing our fingers again. He draws me closer to him and I soak in the warmth of his body even though it’s warm out.