Page 82 of Detour

“Make sure to tell Beckett that. Let his guilt eat him alive.”

He drops his face, grimacing. “That was his way of getting you back up to your place. Shitty execution, I know, but it worked.” He chances another look at me and I lift an eyebrow.

“Why would he do that when you were the ones that asked me to go down there to begin with?” I gesture to the treat bouquet forgetting there’s an empty cupcake liner sitting on the counter next to it. Coty notices and tries to hide a grin. The sugar helped revive me after Skirtgate, and getting sidetracked by my phone, I forgot to clean up the evidence. What else am I supposed to do with a cupcake bouquet? Plant them and hope they multiply?

“So we could prepare.” He shrugs, passing me the garment, and double-handed, I throw it into the kitchen sink before returning my attention back to him.

“Prepare for what?”

Coty frowns at the neglected item over my shoulder. I’ll tend to it when I take care of the cupcakes…I mean put them away, for safe keeping.

In answer, he just holds out his hand, saying, “See for yourself.”

CHAPTER 28

Angela

H olding hands, we descend the stairs to the party, only it’s no longer recognizable as the party I left. The sun’s gone down making it dark save for the thousands of items now aglow. The pool alone must have hundreds of glowsticks strewn about the water, some wobbling at the bottom, others floating on the top. Each person adorned with rows and rows of glowsticks looks up and cheers as we hit the bottom step.

“You did this?” I turn my head to Coty.

“We did this. For you. We wanted to show you that even in the dark there’s light to be found.” He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a stack of bracelets. Snapping them, he attaches several to my wrists before doing his own. “And if there isn’t, then I can always make some.”

I smother his grin with a pressing kiss. Unable to express the gratitude I have for this man in words, I use my lips in a more skillful way.

“Ahem, I’ll have you know Marc and I helped, too.”

Coty keeps my waist close to his as I twist my neck to acknowledge Beckett. Coty continues to nibble at my ear, making it hard to concentrate but I manage—somewhat.

“Where is Marc by the way?”

Coty finally pulls away as he and Beckett share a look.

“He’ll be here.”

“Well, thank you, both of you, for this, for all of it. I love it.”

I wrap an arm around each of them, although my right arm only goes up to Beckett’s chest making it an awkward embrace all around. His height is definitely a challenge. How do girls have sex with someone so tall? Judging by how many of them are always hanging off the guy, they find a way.

“Let’s go, neighbor girl. Shots now. Dancing next.”

“What about food?” Coty interjects.

Beckett waves a hand. “Sure, eat something,” then like he almost forgot, he adds, “but not someone. We’re partying tonight, so no sneaking off.”

He points between us and my face warms. I peer over at Coty’s tattoos again. My tongue wets my lip as my eyes drift lower, taking in his chiseled abs. Sucking the lip between my teeth, I ogle the deep V stretching beneath his low-slung black shorts.

“Angie!” Long fingers snap in front of my face.

“What?” I scowl.

“Did you hear a thing I said? Shots first.”

My gaze returns to Coty to see he’s giving me the same appreciative look I was just giving him.

Like shots will help.

We each take a shot of clear liquor, nothing mixed despite Beckett’s request, then the boys take another. I check out the table filled with more goodies now that nighttime has arrived. At the other end, next to the jar of unlit sparklers, are various containers full of glowing necklaces, bracelets, and rings, along with some sort of paint.