ged on a private Hamptons beach, its f

s beach chair, far away

er younger cousin, Kian, had

of the action, right n

e and tequila were half-bur

up and clapped

n the Bottle. O

althy twenty-so

Dom Pérignon bottle on a flat w

un it

rred as it sp

s weight agains

ok at the spi

ed on the solitary figure a

tle slo

ck pointing direct

at up straighter, fixing th

tood up

e sand off the knee

ny of the girls wai

, he started walking toward

er around the

ds, watching his tall fig

ing down at he

er her, blocking out t

look

over her, his hands

my favor from the tenni

owned, c

playing

bent

wooden armrests of her chai

s the favor. And I

n took a step forwar

stepped in his path, shaking

ed into An

light danced, making

would only embarrass he

k a dee

osed her eyes, expecting a qu

t move towar

pressed his rough thu

higher, forcing her

down and crushed hi

e, and aggressive. It w

al intimacy, of saving himself for somet

force, pouring all his raw panic

ed against

n short-

, grabbing the front of his c

ire erupted into loud

pressed to hers for

d back, both of their

e dark and heavy

uth with the ba

e didn't shout. Instead, his voice was a low growl meant only for th

d at his sh

swollen lips wit

his absurd week as nothing more t