“Flush what out of my system?” I asked, taking the bottle from him. “It’s just the flu.”
I opened the cap and took a few sips of the cold liquid anyway, praying it wouldn’t come back to haunt me. I watched Anthony’s careful movements and easy way as he stood next to me. His chiseled features gave way to full lips and dark, smoldering eyes. His brown hair fell to the side, but when he caught me noticing, he brushed it back with his fingers and my cheeks reddened.
“Whoever made that punch is evil,” Anthony continued, ignoring my own assessment of the situation. He leaned against the railing, and I saw his muscular forearms flex as he held onto the wood. “I think they poured the entire liquor store into the bowl, and I should know.”
“The punch didn’t have alcohol.” I glanced back in his direction.
“I could smell it.” His grin deepened, and I knew it was time for me to go home.
He was far too good-looking for my own good, even with a stomach like mine that matched the rough seas surrounding us.
I shook my head. “There’s no way. I made the punch, and all I put in it was ginger ale, pineapple juice, sherbet, and fruit punch. That’s why I stuck to it. I have work tomorrow morning.”
“Well, someone poured a little happy juice in there while you weren’t looking.” His smile matched the one I’d seen on recent magazine covers, and it was even more intoxicating in person.
I groaned and rested my head on the railing again. “That explains it. I thought I’d caught the flu.”
“How many glasses did you have?” he asked. “I thought I saw you over there a lot.”
He noticed me?
“I lost count. Would you mind closing the door? The music is killing me.”
Anthony laughed. “Gladly.”
He made his way over to the doors and softly closed them, muffling the music by several decibels. “All better?”
I nodded. “That song is so depressing. I don’t know who sings it, but they’ve got a bad case of the blues.” I stood back up, and Anthony’s eyes locked on mine, sending an unexpected charge through me.
“What?” I asked, feeling him study me for no particular reason.
He balanced his elbows on the railing and leaned forward.
“Your honesty is refreshing.”
My brows furrowed, and I shook my head. I wasn’t clearheaded enough to know what he was talking about. I took another sip of water and noticed a group of women inside the house staring at Anthony.
What would it be like to always have people staring or whispering about you? I wanted to ask, but I didn’t know him well enough to pry.
Anthony followed my stare and shook his head.
“You’re disappointing your admirers. You might want to go back inside so you don’t lose any fans.”
“I’m not worried about fans. I’m more interested in creating converts.” His gaze swept over my lips before he brought his eyes back to mine, and my breath caught. “Sorry about my brother’s choice in music. He likes to take any opportunity he can to use as a PR moment for my band.”
I shook my head in confusion before the pieces of the puzzle slowly started to fit together in my hazy mind. My heart dropped to my toes, realizing that I’d just asked the lead singer of Crimson Strings to please shut the door on his own music. Now I really was sick.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, jerking my gaze away. My stomach was getting worse by the second. “It’s a good song. It’s amazing. It’s totally me, not your music. I’m so—”
“No apologies necessary. I’m tired of hearing it myself, and I’ll gladly take a reprieve,” he interrupted.
I flung my head back and looked toward the heavily clouded sky.
Suck me up now, heavens.
It was definitely time for me to get back to the comfort of my apartment. This was why I stuck to taking care of my dad and working several jobs. It kept me out of trouble and out of awkward situations.
The doors flung open, and the music flooded the deck again. Thankfully, the song had changed, and the new singer to insult was nowhere to be found.
“There you are,” my best friend, Natalie, hollered. “I thought you might have slipped out without telling me.”
Natalie nearly floated over to me. I’d never seen her this happy, and it made me love the idea of love. I’d never experienced love before. I probably got close a time or two, but something always went drastically wrong right before that particular emotion coated the relationship in the sweetness others had tasted.
“So you finally bumped into Anthony,” she gushed.
“I did.” I nodded, peeking at him through my lashes. “Sort of.”
“She didn’t realize someone spiked the punch,” Anthony informed her. “I saw her out here and thought I’d better bring her some water.”
“Oh, no. Are you going to be okay? You’re already such a lightweight,” Natty teased.
It was true. Drinking wasn’t my thing. I did it now and again, but this was usually where it got me.
“I’ll live, but I do have a busy day at both of my jobs tomorrow, so I should probably get home and into bed.”
“Tomorrow’s Sunday,” Anthony said.
Natalie smiled, and I caught a flicker of something run behind her gaze. What was she up to?
“Sophie works two regular jobs, and she helps me out at my floral shop,” Natalie informed him.
“So this is the Sophie?” Anthony said, a wry grin spreading across his lips. “I didn’t even recognize her.”
“What do you mean, the Sophie?” I asked, scowling at Natalie.
What had she been telling him?
I spotted Cole walking onto the deck, and my suspicions grew as he cautiously eyed his brother.
“Isn’t it a little cold out here?” Cole asked, circling his arm around Natalie’s waist.
“Not when you’ve had too much punch,” Natalie informed him.
“It wasn’t supposed to have alcohol,” I protested.
“Ooh, yeah. I have my suspicions for who made it that way.” Cole smiled and Anthony took a step closer to me.
“Nick?” Natalie asked, and Cole nodded.
“He was acting shifty,” I agreed. “Nick’s known for livening things up, one way or another.”
“That’s usually my job.” Anthony laughed.
“Who are you kidding?” Cole asked. “You’re the most boring person I know.”
“Thanks for that.” Anthony pressed his lips together, and I chuckled, glancing up at Anthony. He was a good inch or two over six feet and his presence was imposing, but his brother could somehow knock him down a peg or two, which surprised me.
“How could someone in your line of work be boring?” I asked, the nausea subsiding slightly.
Anthony shot his brother a cold stare and didn’t answer.
“So, can you believe this is Garfield?” Cole asked, drawing me right out of my bliss.
I hadn’t heard that term since high school—at least when the term was directed at me.
“It’s hard to believe,” Anthony agreed. “I didn’t even recognize her.”
I crossed my arms and shook my head. “What do you know about Garfield?”
“Enough.” Anthony’s smile did surprising things to me, and I didn’t like it one bit. I liked being oblivious to the opposite sex. It kept me safe and my life smooth.
I glared at Natalie, and her smile widened.
“It was a bad hair dye. It wasn’t my fault,” I muttered, feeling the nausea continue to slip away.
“How long did you walk around the island with orange hair?” Cole asked.
“Long enough,” I chimed, eyeing Anthony out of the corner of my eye. He looked far too interested, and it was hard to believe he’d remember some fifteen-year-old walking around the island with bright orange hair.
Then again, Fireweed Island wasn’t known for breaking news beyond a house getting toilet papered, a ferry not running, or a power outage that wiped out the electricity t
o the island.
“About three months, wasn’t it?” Natalie answered.
The wind picked up, and a maple leaf broke free from the branches dangling above us, slowly floating down to the deck. The weather was definitely shifting.
“Why did you pick that hair color?” Cole asked, grinning.
“I didn’t pick that color on purpose. I wanted to go blonde, and the bleach was way too harsh. I never should have tried an at-home kit. We couldn’t do any color correcting until my hair stopped breaking off.” I cringed at the memory. Not only did my hair turn bright orange, but my strands were so damaged that my long hair eventually turned to an uneven pixie.
“Not many could pull that color off, but you did. I thought you were cute,” Anthony said, glancing at the crushed leaf.
I narrowed my eyes at Anthony, unsure of his intentions.
“In a sexy cartoon kind of way,” he added.
“You certainly are smooth. Did you learn those lines in rock star school?” I joked.
“No, I made them up on the spot.”
“I never would’ve guessed.” I turned my attention back to Natalie and Cole, who were both watching me as if this were a test. “I do need to get to bed. My shift starts at four in the morning. One of our housekeepers is out sick at Loxxy. The joys of a promotion.”
“You work at the hotel?” Anthony asked.
“I do. I also work at Island Bluff.”
“That’s a great restaurant.” Anthony nodded.
“If a person can afford it.” I suddenly felt ridiculous talking about restaurant prices in front of someone who probably doesn’t even give a receipt a second thought.
“Are you feeling better?” Anthony asked. He seemed genuinely concerned, which also puzzled me. “Should you be alone?”
“Who said I was going to be alone?” I asked, arching my brow. I caught Natalie rolling her eyes, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “But yeah. I’ll be fine. I just need to head out before it gets too dark.”
Natalie gave me a quick hug and whispered, “Let Anthony drive you home.”
“I’m just going to walk to my apartment, but thanks,” I whispered back.
“You won’t make it home before the sun sets,” she said, loud enough for Anthony to hear.
“I’ll drive you,” Anthony offered. “I need to head out anyway.”
I froze in place. “No. I’m fine. I like to walk.”
“Well, I’ll walk with you then,” Anthony said.
Natalie and Cole were grinning, and I knew I wasn’t going to win this battle.
“You’re persistent,” I said, unable to gauge his intent. Feeling the first raindrops from above, I sighed.
“And we’re going to get very soggy if we don’t start soon.” Anthony looked at his brother, who shrugged. I blew a sigh of defeat.
A dry ride home would be nice.
“Okay, but don’t get any ideas.” I glanced at him, secretly hoping his head was full of ideas.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he assured me as we followed Natalie and Cole back into the house just in time.
As we closed the doors, lightning flickered over the water, bringing even more excitement to the room. There was something about witnessing storms brewing off the coast that always made islanders stop everything to enjoy the view. We all turned to look over the ocean as the sky sizzled with an electrical display, and within seconds, thunder clapped and rumbled through the air. The first autumn storm had officially hit Fireweed.
All around us, guests eagerly talked about their storm preparations, and I chuckled, glancing at Anthony.
“Probably pretty different from the life you’ve built off the island?” I ventured, pointing toward the closet to get my things. “No matter how many storms we get, we all act like it’s the storm to end all storms.”
Anthony laughed. “It’s a little different pace here than Los Angeles.”
“A little.”
As I reached for the closet door, the hall lights flickered and everyone in the family room gasped.
“Here we go. Things are about to get really lively,” I warned.
“I can’t even imagine.” Anthony held open the closet door as I went inside. The closet was deep and wound under the stairs, which was where I stowed my purse and coat so everyone else could hang theirs.
A loud crack sounded, and what dim light I’d had entering the closet immediately extinguished.
“Power’s out,” Anthony said, coming in behind me.
“I kind of figured,” I said, stumbling around under the stairs.
“Need help?” he asked, narrowing the distance between us.
The small space made me keenly aware of what his presence did to me. I took in a deep breath and shoved the ridiculousness away. He was nothing more than Anthony Hill, a kid who grew up on the island.
And looked insanely good doing so.
“It should be right over here,” I said, running my hands over all kinds of unrecognizable objects, trying to stay focused on anything but the feelings washing over me.
He gently placed his hand on my back, and I about lost my mind. That punch was to blame. It had to be the root cause of all these blustery emotions.
If all it took was a swipe of a hand to get me wound up, I definitely needed to get out more.
“This might help.” He clicked the flashlight on his phone and pointed it under the stairs.
“Thanks.” I took two steps forward, and his hand fell from my back as I snatched my items and blinded myself by turning around into his light.
“Sorry.” He turned it off quickly, and I was left seeing stars and spots while my eyes attempted to adjust to the darkness.
I expected him to move out of the way, but he didn’t. Instead, he placed both hands on my shoulders and squeezed slightly.
“We’re not walking. It’s too dangerous.” His voice turned gruff, and my head automatically nodded.
It was like being in a trance around him, and I didn’t understand how someone could do that to me.
Lust.
Lust for a rock star is how that happened. I straightened up and took a deep breath in. That was a trap I wouldn’t fall into. I wasn’t going to be a groupie or one of those women who’d fall at the feet of a successful male musician just because he was in a band. I had more important things to worry about—like how to pay my rent, take care of my dad, and try to start my business—so maybe one day, I wouldn’t have to work three jobs and get excited over a man merely placing his hand on my back.
“We should get going before it gets any worse out there,” he told me. His hands slowly slid down my arms, and his smooth touch made my knees feel like I’d been at sea for weeks. I placed my hand on the wall next to me and used it as support.
That was it. Men who were drawn to fame and stardom must have some sort of spell they could cast with a single touch or a sideways glance.
There had to be a school for it.
“Definitely.” My voice turned breathier than it should have, and I swore, even in the shadows, I spotted a smile lining his lips.
“Good. I’m glad you’re being sensible.”
“Always sensible. That’s me.” I clenched my hands and tapped on his chest to get him to turn around. “Now let’s get going before things get worse.”
“I don’t know. I kind of like being trapped in a dark closet with a beautiful woman.”
My heart ran wild for a millisecond before I put a leash on my emotions and wrangled them back into the sensible part of my brain. He was a singer who knew how to get what he wanted, and I certainly wasn’t going to give it to him.
We pulled into my apartment building’s pitch-black parking lot. Not even a faint glow from candles could be seen from any of the windows. It was going to be a long night. There were very few times I’d ever wished I was in a relationship, but when the power went out, it was one of those moments. I hated seeing shadows dance off my walls in the dead of night, knowing I couldn’t just flip on a ligh
t. It made it impossible to close my eyes for a good night’s sleep. Add to it the cracks and booms of the storm, and I knew sleep was a lost cause. Tomorrow would be a miserably long day.
“Looks like I’m without power too. The joys of island living.” I smiled and leaned over to pick up my purse from between my legs. “You can park over there.” I pointed toward an empty stall in front of my apartment, and he parked without saying a word. The windshield wipers were unable to keep up with the rain, which dumped so hard that the water looked like a veil surrounding the car.
The ride over had been uneventful, possibly because the liquid courage no longer guided my choices, and I felt confident I wouldn’t fall into a lust-filled adventure that I’d regret by morning. I had more important things on my plate.
Like paying rent.
He turned off the car and slid his keys out of the ignition.
“Whoa, buddy. No need to do that. I can make it inside by myself.”
Anthony laughed. “Are you always this nervous?”
“I’m not nervous. I’m cautious.”
“And so am I. I don’t think it’s a very good idea for you to go into your apartment alone when the electricity is off and a storm is slamming the island.”
“That is exactly why I’ll be safe. No criminal is going to brave the weather to hide in my apartment and get me while the lights are out. Besides, it’s a small apartment and there aren’t any hiding places.”
“I’m sure plenty of crime happens when it’s raining. Criminals adapt to their environment, and this is Washington, not California. It rains all the time.” Anthony’s lip upturned slightly, like he enjoyed the unintentional challenge.
I had to admit, he reminded me a bit of my best friend, Nick. There was a protective quality I found endearing, but Anthony was an entertainer. He knew how to turn on the appropriate charm at the appropriate time for the appropriate girl.
I reached for the handle and almost expected him to hit the lock button to prove his point, but he didn’t. That would have been Nick’s move, and I was relieved that Anthony seemed to be slightly more mature. I glanced at the dark building in front of me, and it did look a little less inviting than when I’d left it this afternoon.
“Well, it probably wouldn’t look good in the tabloids if you dropped me off and I got sprinkled in bits and pieces into the ocean. They’d probably even label you as the prime suspect.” I kept my eyes straight ahead of me.
Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Island County Series Book 3) Page 2