Rockson Bay Book 1: Burn For Me
Автор
Jane Anne
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200K
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Eden’s summer plan is simple: no strings, no drama, just fun. After her long-term boyfriend trades her in for his secretary, she’s over pretending she’s fine. Then Leo—a smug, charming pain she swore she’d never touch—makes an offer too tempting to ignore: enemies with benefits, no emotions allowed. But the longer the heat lingers, the blurrier those lines get. Leo isn’t safe, not his grin, not his hands, not the way he looks at her like he sees everything she hides. What starts as control turns into chaos, and Eden has to face what scares her most—that real love might mean letting go of control completely.
Chapter 1: Reckless Intentions
It was one of those eerily still, hot, sticky nights that signaled summer had arrived in Rockson Bay in full force.
The oppressive heat weighed on me as I stood outside the front door of my best friend’s beachfront cottage. Sweat trickled down my back, and my hair frizzed into a riot of curls around my face, making me grunt with annoyance for the dozenth time since leaving my apartment.
I should have pulled my hair back. I hated my hair being all over the place, and in a location so close to the ocean, hair like mine was always all over the place.
“Forget your hair, Eden,” I said to myself. “You have bigger things to deal with tonight than heat and frizz.”
I wiped my brow and bit my lip, contemplating for the tenth time whether to go in. I usually wasn’t the type to be dithering on a doorstep, completely indecisive over what to do next. I was the girl with lists, the one who color-coded her calendar and reminded everyone of deadlines.
But tonight I wasn’t Eden-the-organizer. Tonight I was Eden-the-risk-taker, Eden-the-reckless, Eden-who-wanted Leo Mackenna for reasons I couldn’t even admit to myself.
The thought made my stomach twist violently. Leo had always been golden: golden boy, golden smile, golden fucking life. And I had always been the girl who burned in his shadow. Easily forgotten, easily dismissed.
Whatever happened tonight, I would make sure Leo didn’t forget or dismiss me. This was my chance to flip the script. Or maybe it was my chance to get hurt all over again.
Regardless of the outcome, I was usually the type to enter somewhere with one clear goal in mind. And even if the goal tonight was far removed from my usual ones, it was still just as important.
Sex. I was here for sweaty, no-strings, scream-out-loud-until-you-pass-out sex.
Something that had never crossed my mind prior to last night. Sex was always something that I had scheduled. Something planned and anticipated with a little buzz of warmth in my stomach. Not something that I viciously grabbed while I felt like I was being squeezed to death by a vise of panic.
But now this new and terrifying kind of sex was all that was on my mind.
The heavy beat of music vibrated through the windows like a silent invitation, tempting me in, but underneath it I caught the crash of waves against the shore.
Rockson Bay was always loud in summer: tourists from New York, surf, and the endless chatter of neighbors who never minded their own business. Tonight, though, the noise felt sharper, like the whole town was holding its breath for my decision.
From my spot on the doorstep, I could see a writhing mass of bodies on the makeshift dance floor in the front living room. It was the first house party of the summer, and it looked like the entire town had shown up. Perfect. They all could witness me humiliate myself.
My phone buzzed and I looked down. It was Margo, asking where the hell I was. Valid question, since I was now over an hour late.
I was expected to be in there, throwing myself literally into the aforementioned plan for sex. And I would make an appearance, just as soon as my feet cooperated and moved.
“Fuck’s sake,” I muttered, shaking my head. This is ridiculous. Just take a step and move. Stick to the plan. You want this.
I hugged myself fiercely before straightening my spine. I tossed my hair over my shoulder and stepped into the strobe-lit house.
The front room was dim, lit only by a disco light and a few strategically placed lamps. Even so, I noticed every male gaze in the room snap to me as I entered.
Good, was my first thought. Then: shit, they’re looking at me and they know what I’m here for. But that was impossible. A girl could change her appearance without it having to be a big deal. Without it meaning she was about to throw herself off a cliff face. Or, more specifically, throw herself at someone who didn’t deserve it.
I took a calming breath and tried to appear unbothered. Everyone was probably looking at me for a very good reason.
Usually a jeans-and-T-shirt girl, tonight I wore a tight black dress that barely grazed my thighs, paired with high-heeled silver sandals. My tawny curls framed my fair face and green eyes, and subtle makeup with sharp black eyeliner made my irises glow even brighter.
I didn’t look like sensible Eden, the girl who wrote lists, organized people, and stuck to perfectly formed plans. But that was the point. Tonight, I was someone else. Someone who made reckless choices and took what she wanted. Someone who needed to stop fidgeting with her damn dress and move from her frozen place just inside the door.
Ignoring the stares, I beelined toward my closest friends in the world, Margo and Grace, who stood chatting in the kitchen. They looked up and whistled as I approached.
“Finally,” Margo sighed in relief. “I thought you had decided to stay home and eat your feelings with empty carbs and ice cream.”
“Not in this dress,” I muttered, adjusting the hem again.
“It was a good choice. You look hot,” Grace said appreciatively, fanning her flushed face. “And I don’t mean because it’s a hundred degrees tonight.”
Her wavy blonde hair was scraped into a messy ponytail. She wore a pale-blue sundress that matched her eyes and was mid-stir over a massive bowl of punch. It was her party. Grace, with her kind smiles and easygoing nature, always drew a crowd.
“Definitely,” Margo agreed, eyes twinkling as she leaned against the island. She wore an oversized shirt and loose shorts, her dark skin gleaming with sweat.
A colorful scarf held her short black hair back as she waved a paper fan in front of her face. Even with the air conditioning on, the mix of humidity and bodies made the heat unbearable.
“So I’m guessing that outfit means you’re still going through with your plan?” Grace asked.
“Look at her—of course she is,” Margo snorted, then, to me, “I bet you don’t even have underwear on.”
I flushed, glancing down at myself. “You don’t think it’s too much? And yes, I have fucking underwear on. I’m not that deranged yet.”
Margo held her hands up. “I just thought you would want to be efficient. Nothing says ‘fuck me against this wall’ like a short dress and a bare ass.”
“I can be goal-oriented and still retain some dignity.” I hesitated before adding, “And I never said anything about fucking against a wall.”
“Don’t knock it until you have tried it,” Margo said with a saucy wink.
“You look amazing,” Grace reassured me, elbowing Margo in the side. “If you want Leo’s attention, that dress will absolutely do it.”
“She doesn’t want his attention,” Margo added with a laugh. “She wants his dick.”
At the mention of my target for the night, and his dick, a brutal flash of heat drowned me. “What if he says no?” I asked, my resolve slowly disappearing like water through a leaky tap. “He has every right to, and I wouldn’t blame him. I’m going to seem idiotic.”
“You are not an idiot,” Margo said firmly. “You’re beautiful, sexy, and there’s nothing wrong with making the first move. And let’s be real—it’s not like Leo’s exactly picky about who he hooks up with.”
At my look, Margo rushed on. “I mean, he doesn’t deserve the absolute goddess you are, we all know that, but this is your plan, and that’s who you picked. This is exactly his thing, so I doubt he’ll say no. Just put it out there and see what happens. You won’t know if you don’t try.”
I nodded at Margo’s confidence, though doubt clawed at my chest. The plan had seemed fun and bold last night at the bar during after-work drinks. Now it just felt reckless. Silly. And far too dangerous now that reality was here.
Grace had been quiet, but when she saw my hesitation, she pulled me into a quick hug. “Hey, it’s okay if you change your mind. We were, like, very drunk when we came up with this plan. It probably wasn’t super well thought out. We can forget it and regroup tomorrow.”
“You two were drunk. I was just really sexually frustrated.”
Grace nodded. “Which was the point, right? You want to get rid of that frustration underneath someone.”
“But Leo? I’ll be better off with my vibrator, and we all know it.”
“Why not him?” Margo argued. “And a hot, hard man driving into you is no match for a vibrator.”
I groaned. “But it’s Leo.”
“We already did the pros and cons last night, remember?” Grace reminded me. “You still chose Leo, despite all the reasons not to.”
All the reasons. So many I couldn’t even list them. And I absolutely, above everything else, loved knowing I was making a logical choice. This was no longer logical. It was madness.
I tugged at the hem of my dress again, tempted to go home and scrap this whole idea. Empty carbs, ice cream, and a session with my favorite vibrating toy didn’t seem so bad now.
But then Margo’s eyes snapped to something behind me. “Speak of the fucking devil. Leo just walked in.”
I turned quickly. Leo Mackenna had arrived with a group of his old baseball teammates. Nate and Jay flanked him, laughing and slapping each other’s backs in that showy way guys did when they were together.
It was probably some throwback to the cavemen, congratulating themselves for the sheer fact that they had testosterone and gorgeous smiles that dropped panties everywhere.
I rolled my eyes. Leo wore cargo shorts and a clingy V-neck that hugged his abs a little too well. His light-caramel hair curled around his ears, slightly too long. He swept it back as he surveyed the room with that familiar watchful look.
I couldn’t see his eyes from this distance, but I knew them: hazel, golden in the right light or when he was amused. Everything about Leo seemed golden.
His looks, his charm, his ability to coast through life untouched. His name, Latin for lion, suited him. He prowled through life, taking what he wanted, shouldering nothing. Annoying me with his very existence even though that was unfair.
Still, my chest tightened with resentment.
Leo could do whatever, whoever, whenever. And no one batted an eye. Meanwhile, I couldn’t even follow through on one spontaneous plan. The heat and my indecision were already unbearable, and now Leo’s presence was tipping me over the edge.
As he scanned the room, his eyes landed on me.
I braced for his usual dismissive glance, but it didn’t come. His gaze lingered. Sharp. Direct. Focused.
I locked eyes with him and raised my chin in challenge.
He looked away first.
More people streamed in, jostling his group into the living room. I lost sight of him.
Got you, I thought, satisfaction blooming in my chest. Maybe this plan had a shot after all. All it had taken was a slutty dress and some makeup, but Leo had noticed me for the first time in years.
I turned back to my friends, a snap decision already made. “I’m doing it. Wish me luck.”
Grace looked torn but smiled. “You’re the most stubborn person I know, so I’m not surprised. Go for it. And if you’re doing it, make it worth it.”
“You know I’m totally here for this,” Margo added. “I need something juicy to live through vicariously. Tell me all the details later.”
I took a deep breath. “Okay. Here I go.”
Margo gave me a little push. “Don’t forget condoms. And the wall.”
“I’m not fucking against a—”
Margo’s push became more insistent. “Just go already.”
Grace called, “And be safe! Tell us everything tomorrow!”
I smiled over my shoulder, warmth surging for the girls who had my back no matter what. Grace: the softhearted one. Margo: the bold, theatrical, and, apparently tonight, very thirsty one.
Together, they were my team. They had supported me through school, college, and now life. And they would keep supporting me, even if I was about to go through with my plan to sleep with a man I hated.
