LILA

Ethan didn’t move.

He just stood there under the string lights, beer dangling from loose fingers, eyes locked on the spot where Noah’s hand had just brushed the small of my back. The look on his face wasn’t shock. It was darker. Hungry. Like he’d been waiting for exactly this.

Noah felt it too. His body went rigid beside me for half a second before the easy cousin smile slid back into place.

“Ethan,” he said, voice smooth. “Didn’t know you were coming this year.”

“Last-minute decision.” Ethan’s gaze dropped to my thighs, lingering on the way the thin white dress clung to the damp skin there. He could...