Waterborn (The Emerald Series Book 1) (7 page)

I looked at her sideways, mouth gaping. Boo on me for pegging her as the stereotypical blonde with air for brains. Pretty and self-aware—a lethal combination.

“Besides,” she took a sip of her beer, “you can’t help who you love.”

I opened my mouth to argue when I saw something move outside the field of the landscaped lighting. My heart rate kicked up a notch. Noah emerged from the lush dark. I hiccuped as beer got stuck in my throat. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and his hair was shower-wet. His sudden presence sent a slow wave of awareness over the backyard, and it seemed everyone responded. Like everyone had started moving in slow motion, gripped in a moment of uncertainty and veiled curiosity.

Even Ally’s words sounded slurred in my ears. “Well, this night just got a lot more interesting.”

I tore my eyes away from Noah and looked at Jax. He was leaning on his cue eyes focused on Noah. He didn’t look too worried. In fact, one of his buddies leaned into him and said something close to his ear. They laughed, then Jax smirked in Noah’s direction and bent back to his pool game.

Unable to stop myself, my gaze tracked to Noah again and I was surprised to find his eyes focused on me. And like that first night on the beach and everyday since, a song sprang in my mind—a song that I didn’t know but was familiar with all the same. My chest vibrated with the effort to contain it. It wasn’t until Erin walked up to him and grabbed his arm that he looked away I relaxed again.

Erin was angry, and I wasn’t the only one watching their heated exchange. Erin was doing most of the talking. I couldn’t make out any of her words over the music, but going by Noah’s expression, she was being pretty harsh.

“Give him hell, Erin,” Ally said and took a long swig of her beer.

I dragged my gaze away from the two of them long enough to raise a questioning brow to Ally.

“Nope.” She shook her head, her curls bouncing with the movement. “Not my story to tell. If it was anyone but Erin, I’d be glad to fill you in, but you’ll have to ask her. Unless they kill each other, of course.”

Noah was responding to whatever Erin had said. I watched his mouth move and cursed myself that I couldn’t read lips. Whatever he said worked magic because she threw her arms around his shoulders. They embraced in a hug that lasted about five seconds too long to be a “we’re just friends” hug. Their hug was followed by a collective sigh of relief as though everyone had been holding their breath. Except I wasn’t relieved. I had developed a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and I had no idea why. I watched as Erin led him through the French doors and into the house.

“You want to dance?” I asked Ally to counter the pity party I was in danger of throwing.

“I thought you’d never ask.” She jumped up and grabbed my hand, pulling me off the seat.

I didn’t possess Ally’s particular boneless quality of dancing, but I could hold my own. We were soon joined by Jax and two other guys. One of them leaned close to my ear.

“I’m Tyler,” he yelled over the music. He smelled like ocean breeze body wash mixed with the tang of sweat.

I had my own trickle of perspiration working its way down my back.

“I’m Caris.” I smiled up at him. I didn’t recognize him as one of Jax’s goons, so when he took my hand and paired us off, I didn’t object. He was average looking—average height with dark shaggy hair that curled at the ends. He did have nice blue eyes and an above average ass. We danced for about three songs, and I lost myself in the pulsating music, singing along to the lyrics. At one point Ally threw her hands over my shoulders. Tyler and Jax joined her behind me, and in a matter of seconds we morphed into a bumping, grinding line of gyrating bodies.

I was having so much fun I had almost forgotten about Noah until I looked up and caught him watching me. I really wished he would smile. He had put on a t-shirt and tucked his wet hair behind his ears. We danced right past him, and I smiled and waved as we snaked our way around the pool. Maybe it was the effects of the two beers I had consumed, or getting jostled from behind, but suddenly I was too close to the pool. The air had grown hot and tight. I scooted my way out of our dying conga line and went in search of something cold to drink.

I wasn’t the only one feeling the eighty-degree temperature, and it appeared the moment I’d been dreading had arrived. Clothes were being shed and the pool was filling up with scantily clad tanned bodies. Jax and Ally were already splashing around in the shallow end. Tyler walked over to me and pulled his t-shirt over his head. I downed about half my bottle of water.

“You want to get in?” He threw his shirt on the stool next to the one I was sitting on.

“Better not.” I shook my head. “Ear infection.”

Tyler’s mouth turned down in disappointment before he cannonballed his way into the deep end.

The underwater lights created a rainbow effect as they dissolved from pink to blue to yellow to green in an endless circle of colors. Nets were being set up at each end of the pool and someone had grabbed a ball. I questioned the ability of Ally’s triangle top to withstand a game of any kind. She motioned at me with her arms to get in. I pointed to my ear and shook my head then settled onto my stool, leaning my back against the bar. I thought about joining Erin on the side of the pool where she was sitting with her feet dangling in the water, but I decided it would be too risky.

Someone slid onto the stool next to me. I didn’t need to look to know it was Noah. I recognized his smell already. I turned my head and looked straight into his face. His eyes were leveled on mine and stayed there as he took a sip of water.

“Why aren’t you in the pool?” His interrogation tactics were growing tiresome.

“I’m just getting over an ear infection.” For some reason the lie didn’t flow as smoothly off my lips as I would have liked. He looked at me as though he didn’t believe me, as though I had some nefarious reason for not getting in, which I did.

“Liar,” he said under his breath.

“You’re such a bully.”

Erin was watching us, and I wondered what was going on between the two of them. She didn’t look too happy, and I hoped I wasn’t breaking some kind of ex-boyfriend rule by talking to Noah. That was the only explanation I could come up with for the pained expression on her face.

“You here with Tyler?” Noah’s voice was so close that I swore if I turned my head our noses would have touched. I didn’t move. I could barely breathe.

“No. I just met him thirty minutes ago.” As if it was any of his business.

He made a “humph” sound, then took another drink of his water. “He’s looking for a hookup.”

I tilted my face up, looking him square in the eyes. “I’m not in the habit of hooking up with guys I just met.” I was surprised my voice sounded so calm and even. My heart was beating nearly out of my chest and the dizziness from earlier was back. His eyes were like this green net that wrapped around me, and the longer I looked at him, the tighter it wound itself. I let my gaze drop to his mouth as if that would be a reprieve, but the sensation only worsened. My lips involuntarily parted and I heard his slight intake of breath. And now he knew I’d lied about that too, because I would probably so hookup with Noah.

“We got an uneven number. Caris or Noah jump in,” some guy yelled from the pool. My eyes flew back to Noah’s. He still hadn’t looked away. It wasn’t until Jax’s voice rang out that he did.

“Come on, Noah,” Jax taunted.

We looked at Jax at the same time. He puckered his lips again—he really liked to do that—throwing Noah an air kiss. A “kiss my ass” air kiss. I wasn’t a violent person, but I really wished Noah would punch him in the face. Or better yet, maybe I could punch him in the face. Jax juggled the ball from one hand to the other, daring Noah with a smile. An undercurrent of excitement flowed around the pool that wasn’t all fun and games. Erin was the only person not watching Noah expectantly. Her nod was barely discernible, but the warning she shot was not. I saw it, and so did Noah.

Noah slid off the stool. I refused to watch him take his shirt off again. For a fleeting moment, Jax’s face fell lax, as though he hadn’t expected Noah to take him up on his invitation.

“Noah,” I heard Erin say under her breath, a warning Noah ignored. He walked to the edge of the pool and dove in and I couldn’t quite contain my sigh. He resurfaced on the opposite side of the pool from Jax.

I didn’t know much about water polo, but it was pretty obvious Noah and Jax were the two best players in the pool, and that was being generous to Jax. Much like the day I’d watched Noah swim with the dolphin, I was mesmerized. He didn’t plow through the water like everyone else. He moved so effortlessly and gracefully it was as though the water moved out of his way. I couldn’t help staring, and I couldn’t help noticing I wasn’t the only one.

I wasn’t exactly sure when the shift happened, when the movement of his arms and legs became sluggish. A not quite right awkwardness, a missed shot, a bad pass. It was a slow ride down, and I hated watching it, but eventually Jax’s team scored the winning goal. They all erupted in an exchange of chest bumps and flailing high-fives that splashed water everywhere. A few drops landed on my legs and arms. I though it might feel refreshing but there was a slight sting as the water seeped into my skin.

I heard Ally’s “whoop, whoop” and Jax swam over to her and planted a kiss on her lips before pulling her in on top of him. The game quickly shifted from water polo to a free-for-all wrestling match. Noah endured a few slaps on the back as he hoisted himself out of the pool, and I noticed it took more effort than it should. He wavered his way back to the stool, making a grab for his shirt, and missed. He fell forward, catching himself on the bar before taking a precarious seat on the stool.

“Noah?” His head swayed on his neck and his eyes carried a glazed look like he was having trouble focusing. “You okay?” Maybe he
was
on drugs.

He stumbled away without a word. I told myself it was none of my business. I didn’t even like the guy, but I helplessly watched as he disappeared down a stone path and disappeared into the darkness.

In a matter of minutes, I was surrounded by dripping bodies all intent on hydration in one form or another. Thankfully, the party took a mellow turn around the fire pit. Conversation flowed, but I was only half listening. Tyler had scooted his chair close to mine and was leaning over, invading my space. When I stood up, he grabbed my hand. “Where are you going?”

“Bathroom,” I said as my fingers slipped from his.

“Hurry back,” he called after me.

Great. He
was
looking for a hookup. I pushed through the door of the pool house, careful not to slip on the tile floor. On my way out, I decided on a detour. I took a right out of the bathroom, following the same path I’d watched Noah take earlier.

I found him hunched over, his hands clasped around his knees, puking in the grass. He was right outside the cone of light that hung from a nearby tree, and I could just make out the outline of his jaw. A strand of hair hung in a wet clump against his cheek.

“Are you okay?” I took a cautious step forward.

“Leave me alone.” He spit into the grass not bothering to look at me.

I wanted to leave him alone. I should leave him alone. But I didn’t think I could leave him alone. After a few minutes of me standing there staring at him, Noah peered at me sideways, hands still clutched around his knees. His chest heaved as he stood up. His advance was so sudden my feet pedaled backward awkwardly. I was about to fall into the shrubs when his arm shot out and saved the pink Hibiscus from getting crushed by my backside. His grip was surprisingly strong for someone who seconds before could barely keep himself upright.

“Stop it,” he said. “Stop making that sound.” I’d never heard a whisper sound so harsh, and it had the same effect as stuffing a sock in my mouth. I hadn’t realized I was humming.

“I can’t help it.” Well, crap. I was about to cry. I blinked before the tears could fall, and my head shook back and forth in denial. Of what, I didn’t know.

“Noah? Are you out here?”

Noah dropped my arm at the sound of Erin’s voice, but I could still feel the imprint where his fingers had gripped me so tightly. I took a shuddering breath, unable to take my eyes off his. I shifted nervously, thinking he could see all that was wrong with me. Erin moved into my peripheral vision. Noah was the first to look away.

“What were you thinking, Noah?” Erin’s eyes shifted between us before settling into a knowing expression. “Showing off? That’s what that was about?”

“Leave it alone.” Noah turned away and lurched down the path that led to the dock. I squashed my absurd desire to follow him.

“You gonna be okay?” she yelled after him, concern getting the best of her. The shadow of his arm lifted in goodbye.

“Where is he going?” I asked. Beneath the dock water lapped in the darkness.

“Home, I guess.” She started back up the stone path toward the house and I was caught in the middle, uncertain whom to follow.

“Do you think he’ll be all right?” I fell into step behind her, casting concerned glances over my shoulder.

“Yeah.” She didn’t sound all that convinced. “Noah can take care of himself.”

I wasn’t so sure. I could see him teetering on the end of the dock. His dive lacked its usual elegance.

“Did he just jump in the water?”

She grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the house.

“His house is close,” Erin said as if that was an answer.

I turned for one last look. He was gone, lost in the dark. And because I had to know, I asked, “You two aren’t like
talking
, are you?”

She stopped and the darkness couldn’t conceal the haunted look in her eyes. “I was married to his brother.”

“
T
his is Jamie
.”

I took the picture from Erin’s hand. After I’d followed her up to the house, totally dumbstruck, she had brought me to her room. I sat on her bed, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“He’s dead.” The words held a note of disbelief, as though she had never said them out loud. I could see why Ally hadn’t wanted to share this story. I didn’t think I wanted to hear it anymore.