His tone cooled. “He’s excited. That’s all.”

Another girl perked up. “I’m excited!” She had a drunken giggle on her face before she toppled off the log she had tried to squat over.

Kate rolled her eyes. “Parker’s going to get laid tonight. We all know.”

A hand shot in the air. A cup was in it. “I saved my beer.”

Some of the guys snorted in approval. One stood, bent down, and scooped the petite black-haired girl from the ground. He deposited her on the ground beside Kate, who patted her on the head. “Thanks, Strauss.”

He grunted before he took his old seat.

Parker giggled and fell to the side. “When’s Nate coming, Mason? I’ve missed him.”

I swiveled around. “Nate’s coming?”

Mason pressed a kiss to the side of my head and whispered, “I’m excited too.”

“When?”

“Now!”

The shout came from my right, and I was scooped off my feet once more. Nate wrapped both arms around me and twirled me in a circle. “Heya, Sam!”

“Nate!” I hugged him tight and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It grew when he set me back on my feet and grabbed Mason in another bear hug. He scooped him up but only lifted him in the air for two steps before he couldn’t hold him any longer. The two couldn’t contain their delight, and the best friendship was easy to spot when they thumped each other on the back a few more times.

“Hello!” Parker stomped the ground. “Other people here.”

Nate turned with a different grin, one with promise as he crossed and lifted her off her feet too. She giggled as she wound her legs around his waist. Whispers were shared between the two as Nate carried her away from the group.

Kate stood and yelled, “You better come back and greet the rest of us.”

Nate flipped her off before they were swallowed into the darkness.

“Ass,” she grumbled and sat back down with a huff. Her eyes glittered with a dark promise as she fixed them on me. “Parker’s not gonna be happy with you.”

Mason curved a hand around my hip. “Shut it, Reid.”

She shut her mouth but continued to glower.

“Why’s she going to be mad at me?”

“Because Nate said hi to you first,” she clipped out. When Mason stiffened, she made a show of closing her lips and took a long swallow from her glass.

“Serious?”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Parker’s an insecure bitch.”

“She’s my friend, Mason!” Kate surged to her feet. Her jeans slipped low over her hip bones and the thin white tank top she wore inched high. Her rib cage showed through the top; her black bra did as well. She flipped a loose braid over her shoulder and gripped her beer tight.

His hand tightened on me as he cursed at her. “You’re an insecure bitch too.”

Her eyes flashed in anger, and her fingers tightened around her drink.

“Hey, whoa.” One of the guys surged forward and swept a hand around her waist. He lifted her as if she were a flower and walked away with her. When he took her inside the barn, one of the other guys chuckled. “Man, Kate’s so high strung.”

Another guffawed, “They’re better when Natalie’s around.”

The one who had been called Strauss sat forward. “Yeah, where are Natalie and Jasmine?”

Then Ethan rambled to the group. His jeans were baggy and nearly falling off, but he hitched them up with one hand. The other gripped a beer and he sat with a grunt. His shirt hung around his neck and his biceps flexed from the night’s chill. His eyes were glazed with booze and a snarl loitered over his face.

One of the guys chuckled. He asked in a low baritone, “You lose against Tara?”

Ethan grimaced. “Nah. Fucking pu**y.”

The guys mirrored each other with similar knowing smirks, but Ethan glanced around. His eyes narrowed when he saw me, but he asked Mason, “I heard Nate finally got here. Where is he?”

Mason jerked towards the woods. Strauss grunted, “Parker.”

“Ah.” Ethan nodded and finished the rest of his beer.

A small grin grew on Mason’s face as Ethan continued to finish the rest of his beer. He asked then, “We set up for tomorrow night?”

“Fuck yeah.” Ethan’s snarl was illuminated by the bonfire’s light. It flashed over his face and sent chills down my back. “Roussou won’t know what hit ‘em.”

The guys cheered to that.

Mason nodded and held me tighter against him. I sensed he’d heard whatever he needed to hear and was now done with the group. I was right when he lifted me in the air. I gasped on a laugh and wound my legs around his waist. His hands held me up by my ass. They flexed into my cheeks as he grunted when he came in full contact against me.

When he turned and started to leave, Ethan yelled out, “A couple of those daisy farts are here.”

Mason pivoted around and hollered back, “Don’t touch ‘em.”

I heard a growl behind us.

“That’s an order, Fischer.” Mason was stern.

The growl grew, but I felt Mason starting to laugh against my chest and grinned into his neck. “Where are we going?”

“Where do you think?” His voice dropped to a knowing promise and my legs tightened in response. He groaned again but clasped me tighter against him. I felt him harden and kissed the side of his neck.

“Sam!”

He cursed under his breath, and I closed my eyes.

“Heya, Sam!”

I pressed my forehead against him for a moment and panted. I needed to get control of myself.

“Seriously?”

I heard his question and nodded.

He groaned as he swung me down but pulled my back tight against him. He started to grind against me, but it was slow. It was slow enough so that others wouldn’t notice, at first.

Becky had a silly grin on her face as she hurried over. She was panting with a beer in hand. “Hey!” She bent over and gasped for breath. “I saw you all the way across the clearing. Where’d you go? Hiya, Mason.”

He looked away.

She continued to pant. “Mark and Adam saw Logan grab some girl. He took off in the woods.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “We all know what they’re doing.” Then her smile slipped a bit. “Adam got all pissed. I think he’s hitting on some girls around here.”