Page 21 of Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

I say a quick prayer, asking God for that happy ending, and fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

“Would you calm down?He’ll be here,” Abi says.

I’m bouncing from foot to foot at the Friday night party in the lodge.I’ve already turned down three offers from various guys to dance.I can think of only one man I’m planning to dance with tonight.I told Abi about my feelings this morning, and she’s very excited but isn’t as surprised as I expected her to be.

Abi grabs my wrist.“Seriously, girl.He’ll be here, and you guys will dance until midnight, and then you’ll go back to his cabin and make pretty babies.”

My face flushes.“Abi!We haven’t even kissed yet.”

“Yeah, well.It won’t be long.I don’t know why you’re nervous.”

Mark and Levi saunter up to Abi’s other side, their smirks evident with the mischievous glint in their eyes.They’ve obviously been up to something again.Probably still tormenting Seth.

“What have you two troublemakers been up to now?”Abi eyes them suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Mark says.But seconds later, Seth barges into the lodge, his face livid.He spots us, but I’m not even sure he sees me.Which is a blow to my ego.

He marches toward them, his fancy shoes thudding against the wooden floor.“Would you two mind staying the hell out of my cabin?”he growls, pointing a finger accusingly at them.

Mark crosses his arms.“No.We rather like it there.”

“What did they do?”Abi asks, and I can tell she’s trying to keep a straight face.

“They stole all my bedding.Duvet, pillows, and sheets.”

“See, and that’s why we do this.What the hell is a duvet anyway?”Levi asks.

Seth pinches his nose.“Where are they?”

“Aw, Sethy, we didn’t steal them.We got you better ones.Don’t you love them?”Mark asks in a singsong voice.

Abi claps her hands.“What did they do?I wanna know.”

Seth glances my way for a second, and his face goes red.

“Yeah, tell her what we got for you.”

Seth shakes his head and grabs my hand, pulling me onto the dance floor.A few women glare at me.Apparently, I wasn’t the only one wanting a dance from him.

Mark yells after us.“Boobs.All of his bedding has boobs on it.”

I have to hand it to Seth.He doesn’t miss a beat.He pulls me into him, one hand on my back and the other leading me around the dance floor.His face is still tense.

“Is it really?”I ask, trying to keep a smile off my face.

He gives a tight nod.“The pillows are even shaped like them.I forgot how hard it is living with them.With my friends, I’m the one pulling the pranks, and I’m mild compared to my brothers.”

Mark and Levi are really good pranksters.Most of the time, it’s garden-variety camp-type pranks.More than once, the girls’ bunk has been raided and our underwear strung up the flagpole, but with Seth they’re getting really creative.It’s crude humor, but I find it hilarious.“Okay, I gotta see this.”

Seth’s eyes meet mine, and his face brightens.“Mei mei, are you trying to get into my bedroom?”

I don’t look away.“I didn’t think that was a secret.”

Seth opens and closes his mouth.I like that I’ve rendered him speechless.I bring my hand to the back of his neck and play with his hair.I rest my head on his chest and listen to his racing heart.His hand slips lower down my back, and his fingers find the bare skin between my shirt and skirt.

The song ends, and another one begins, but we don’t let go of each other.Words aren’t spoken.They don’t have to be.The song after that is a fast one, and Seth finally pulls away from me.“We need to talk about this.”

---