Page 27 of Beyond Me

I hid a grin and got water and a bunch of napkins from the bartender.By the time I got back, she was clenching the rails with a death grip.Her jaw worked as if trying madly to hold back from hurling.“Babe, drink some of this.Look out way in the distance, as far as you can see.And breathe deep.”

“Think I’m gonna vomit,” she said miserably.“You gotta go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.Drink.”

She gulped in a breath and took a sip of water.Then creased her brows in a fierce frown as she concentrated on the horizon.I stroked her hair and rubbed her back, waiting it out.Finally, her muscles relaxed.“I feel a little better.”

“Good.It should be over soon.I wouldn’t advise going back in there.Something about looking at the bottom of the boat as it moves makes a lot of people nauseous.”

She drank some more water and leaned into me.My arms slid around her stomach, and I rested my chin on the top of her head.We finished the boat ride in comfortable silence, until the buzzing of my phone interrupted.I fished it out of my back pocket and glanced at the screen.

Adam.

I declined the call and waited to see if he’d text.I hadn’t spoken to him or Rich since they promised to stay away from Quinn and me.Probably checking on the stupid bet.I made a mental note to tell them it was officially off, whether or not I’d meet my mentor, but the text threw me off guard.

Dude, confirming party tomorrow at your house.Invited a bunch of new people.Gonna be epic.

Shit.I usually held the parties for spring breakers Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.They were the big events of the week.I thought of the empty conversations, alcohol, and half-naked girls who meant nothing to me.Was I ever gonna stop?Why was I even doing it?I was way past the age for spring break.Hell, most guys my age were digging into a career and planning their futures.Disgust boiled in my gut.

“What’s the matter?”

Her quiet voice brought me back to the present.“How’d you know?”

“You got all stiff on me.And not in the good way.”

I laughed and held her tighter.“Adam texted me about a party I’m supposed to throw tomorrow.If I do it, will you come?”

She shifted her weight and silence settled between us.Uh-oh.“Of course, I’ll go.”I let out my breath.“I’m just—I’m just not that big into those type of parties.”She sounded glum, so I turned her around and forced her to meet my gaze.“I have to tell you something, James.”

My heart pounded, but I kept my voice calm.“Go ahead.”

“I’m kind of a nerd.”

I waited for more, but that seemed to be the big confession.Relief whooshed through my body.“You’re a very sexy nerd,” I said.

Her lips twisted in a half-smile.“I’m serious.I’m lame.I don’t get off on drinking hard, parading myself around, and making endless conversation with people who don’t care.I’m sorry.But if you want me to go, I will.”

It didn’t take me long to make my decision.In fact, the moment I accepted what I was about to do, I was completely at peace.I didn’t want to hold these parties anymore.I wanted to spend the day alone with Quinn and let it take us wherever it would.I was done with that part of my life, and it was about time I did something about it.

“I’m canceling the party, Quinn.I’ve been trying to get out of them for a while now.Hell, I don’t even enjoy it.Time for someone else to take over.”

She gnawed on her lip.“Don’t do it for me.”

I smiled and ran a thumb over her now swollen mouth.“I’m doing it for me.Will you spend the day with me alone?”

Her face lit up and my heart stopped.“Yes.And I have a long list of activities for us.”

“More?”

Her eyes danced.“Yeah.But tomorrow we’ll keep it all horizontal.”

The blood whooshed to my other head.“My kind of activities.”

“Thought you’d like that.”She studied my features, and her hand lifted to push my hair back from my brow.Her gentle touch burned like charcoal against my skin.“You remind me of Gatsby.”

“F.Scott Fitzgerald?Didn’t they make a bunch of movies about Gatsby?Wealthy guy with a mansion, lusting after a girl from his past?”

She continued her caress, smoothing her fingers down my cheek, across my jaw, and touching the center of my lips.Her sweet scent carried on the ocean breeze and tangled me in its spell.I’d never be able to smell coconut without thinking of her.“Yeah.He has all the money in the world, and holds these lavish parties that everyone flocks to.Handsome, smart, mysterious.He’s a celebrity everyone wants a piece of.But inside, he’s lonely.Separate from the crowd.He ends up pinning all his hopes on Daisy because she made him feel something.”

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