"True." He drank his beer and then changed topics. "You're spending a lot of time with Elena. Anything going on there?"
My shoulders tightened. "She's writing that article. You know that."
"That can't be all that's going on. You seem close."
"I'm not sure it's a good idea to get involved with someone who's writing an article about me and my family. Besides, she could leave at any time. Her time here could be temporary." I needed someone to give me permission to act on my instincts, which were telling me to cross the sand and claim Elena as mine.
"Not everything has to be the right decision. Sometimes you can do something that's just good for you."
"How's that turning out for Dalton?" I couldn't help but ask.
"That's different. He waited too long to break up with this girl, and now he's in too deep. Typical Dalton. But you're nothing like him. You're more careful."
"Who says I like her anyway?"
He nodded toward where Elena was dancing with Kinsley. "You've been watching her all night. And I'm fairly sure if a man tried to dance with her, you wouldn't still be standing here talking to me."
"You might be right about that, but I don't have any claim on her."
Shep and Cooper were dancing with the girls now. He moved behind Elena, and my blood pumped through my veins.
Brady gave me a pointed look.
I tried to stay cool. "He's just messing with me."
Brady raised a brow. "Are you sure about that?"
I growled when Shep's hand landed on Elena's hip. I handed Brady my beer and ate up the distance between us.
"Brady needed to talk to you about something," I said when I reached him, throwing a thumb over my shoulder.
"Yeah. Okay." Shep walked away, and I moved in front of Elena.
She raised a brow. "Did Brady really need to talk to Shep?"
"Nope. I wanted you for myself."
She grinned. "Is that so?"
This time, it was my hands on her hips, and I enjoyed the way she swayed to the music. I pulled her closer until we were just inches apart. There was something about the tease of the music, the closeness of our bodies. It was the ultimate foreplay to be so close to her but not really touching.
Suddenly, she turned so that her back was to my front, and she was flush against me. I felt every inch of her body. My dick was responding, and I was positive she could feel what she was doing to me.
I pressed my hand against her stomach, wishing we were alone, because I'd let my hands drift upward to cup her breasts.
A drop of rain landed on my forehead.
Someone yelled, "Rain!" Thunder rumbled, and there was a mad scramble to grab things: coolers, drinks, and chairs.
I pulled away from Elena to help my brothers put out the bonfire and the tiki torches. The drops were coming faster now.
We threw water on the fire until it was out, and then we all made our way down the path. My brothers continued around the house and to their trucks. I heard the roar of their engines firing up, and I looked up in time for the sky to let loose.
We were soaked within seconds, and when I looked down at Elena, her eyes were closed, her face lifted, and there was a hint of a smile on her lips.
I moved closer to her, my hand cupping her cheek. Her eyes drifted open, and I couldn't stop myself from pressing against her, needing to feel her hard nipples which were now poking through the material of her dress.
She blinked up at me. "Are you going to kiss me?"