Tugging my knees under my chin, I rest my solo cup in the sand between Brynn and me. So far I've managed to keep the conversation related to the daycare center and lifeguarding, our plans for the rest of the summer, and some of the local drama I've missed out on, but I'm beginning to feel a bit drained. It's been a couple of hours - longer than I thought I'd make it, to be honest.

Although my exhaustion could be due to the six drinks I've had, the alcohol making my mind move a bit slower than normal.

"Brynn!" Someone calls from closer to the fire and Brynn looks over her shoulder to the sound. Her friends are dancing wildly, hands above their heads as a popular R&B song thumps through the speakers.

Staring at the dark waves crashing against the sand in front of us, I urge her on. "Go ahead, Brynn. You don't need to stick with me all night. This has been fun, really."

And I sort of mean it. Brynn is easy to talk to. She has a nice laugh, one that makes me feel sort of happy when I hear it. But she has a life and friends, and I don't need a babysitter.

"They just love to dance," She explains needlessly. Standing and wiping sand from her shorts, she promises "I'll see you before the end of the night, though?"

"Sure," I nod, resting my chin on my knee once more.

She walks away and I turn my attention back to the ocean, the salty spray making my skin sticky in the best way.

Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply. Smoke mixes with salt and sand, a hint of dried seaweed and a tinge of alcohol. The perfect cocktail for a summer night. Or it used to be, at least.

I open my eyes when I sense someone sitting beside me and find a blonde man with eyes bluer than the water smirking at me.

"Do I know you?" I murmur, lifting my head slightly. I'm certain I don't - I would've recognized his eyes, I'm sure.

"Probably not," He shrugs, running a hand over the scruff along his jaw. "I'm here for a couple of weeks."

"Mmm." I mumble, barely feigning interest. Squinting past him, I can see Luke watching us in the distance, his signature ball cap giving him away. His friends hoot and holler around him, but his arms are crossed over his chest in a serious, domineering sort of way.

"What's a girl like you doing sitting by herself?"

I raise my brows at the man in front of me, wondering how often lines like these work for him. He's too cute for lines, really. A strong jaw, straight nose. Handsome.

"Girl like me?"

"Beautiful." He smiles, tucking a fly-away strand of hair behind my ear. Despite myself, I lean into his hand, liking the way he bites his bottom lip when he looks at me. "I'm Ryan."

"Dylan," I sigh, eyes not leaving his mouth.

He leans forward and for some reason, perhaps the beer buzzing through my veins, I lean in, too. Our lips are almost touching, his breath warm and smelling of liquor, when sand flies up around us, long legs nearly plowing into our bodies.

"Hey guys," It's Luke. Of course it is. "How's it going? I'm Luke," He sticks his hand between us awkwardly, smiling with false positivity at Ryan. "Since we're doing introductions."

"Luke," I groan, letting my head fall into my hands.

Ryan looks between Luke and me before raising his hands in surrender.

"I didn't know you two were..." he gestures between us clumsily.

"We're not." I groan.

At the same time, Luke shrugs. "Yeah, well. Nice to meet ya, man." His eyes watch Ryan intently as he stands and walks away, tail between his legs.

"Why did you do that?" I sigh, slowly opening my eyes to Luke.

In a baseball tee and light wash jeans, he looks amazing. It might be the alcohol talking but I've always loved the ways those shirts fit his broad shoulders. I lift my eyes to his face lazily, hoping he didn't notice me appreciating his physique.

"You've had seven drinks, Dyl." Luke rolls his eyes, taking a long swig from his own drink. "Nice guys don't go after drunk girls."

"Six," I correct him childishly.

"Seven." He insists, peering down at me. "I counted."

"You've been watching me?" I look up at him through my lashes, involuntarily leaning closer to his body. Heat radiates off of him and I want to be closer, to feel that warmth all over me.

"Haven't I always watched over you?" Luke smirks, taking another sip from his cup.

He's right. As Casey's best friend, Luke was always like an older brother. Until he wasn't. Even as our friendship grew into romance though, he always looked out for me. It was like a job, one he took seriously.

Until he didn't.

"Well don't." I try to stand, wobbling as sand shifts beneath my feet - or is it the beer making the ground uneven? - until I finally fall back on my butt. "I can take care of myself."

"Clearly." Luke laughs, pushing his sleeves up his forearms to reveal one covered in dark tattoos. Again I wonder about them. "You're not leaving, are you?"

I use his shoulder to right myself, ignoring the sparks the touch sends to my toes and back, and take a deep breath, grabbing my solo cup to throw away at home.

"I've had enough socializing, I think."

"You've definitely had enough to drink," Luke mutters, standing and holding an arm out for me to hold onto. Stubbornly, I oblige as he continues. "But I'd love it if you stayed."