Free Tracing Holland (NSB Book 2) by Alyson Santos Page A

almost force the
doors back closed. I’d left my room to escape her and there she is, perfect
flesh giving life to the dangerous hallucination in my head! They spot me,
however, eliminating any chance of a retreat, and I plaster my best smile on my
face.
    “Hey, guys,” I say, approaching the small group, careful to
keep my eyes fixed on Casey and Callie. I can’t look at Holland after what I’d
just done with her in the shower. She’d been engaged in a separate conversation
with Wes and her drummer, Spence, when I appeared, and suddenly falls silent.
    “No Eli and Sweeny?” I ask , mostly
to distract myself from the effect of her intense gaze. I can feel her studying
me, searching me, and it’s messing with my brain chemistry in a bad way.
    “They’re coming,” Casey answers. “Late as usual.”
    I snicker, not at all surprised. As if on cue, the elevator
doors open, and the boisterous duo explodes into the lobby.
    “Let’s do this!” Sweeny calls, drawing stares from everyone
else in the large space.
    Callie laughs and takes Casey’s hand, dragging him toward
the door. “Yes! Let’s go!” she cries, giving us no choice but to follow.

 
    ∞∞∞

 
    The beach
is not as crowded as I would have thought. There are plenty of other visitors
enjoying the sand and walking along the surf, but it’s definitely not the
raucous party atmosphere I’m used to. This crowd is mostly families with young
children or retired natives strolling along for their daily walk. Callie is
clearly through the roof with excitement, and I can’t help but grin as she
skips across the bridge over the dunes. Casey just shakes his head in amusement
and struggles to keep up.
    “Come on!” she cries turning back and waving us on.
    “Has she never seen the beach before?”
    I stiffen at the voice, my smile faltering. I force another surge
of energy into it.
    “Callie lives everything in the moment,” I explain to
Holland. I suck in my breath, and allow myself to look at her but immediately
wish I hadn’t. She’s stunning with her loose, cut-out tank draped over a bikini top and tiny shorts. Her aviator sunglasses hide her
eyes from me, but I know they’re focused on me as well. I can almost feel the
tension in her too. It makes no sense, given how much energy she pours into
convincing me she has no interest in me.
    “It’s pretty hot,” she muses, still staring at me, and I
can’t stop my grin.
    “What, the temperature or the view?”
    She laughs and shakes her head. “Wow. You are so full of
yourself!”
    I give a playful shrug, and she shoves me as we move down
the steps together.
    “You know what I meant. Yes, the temperature.”
    “So that’s where we are now? Talking about the weather? I
let you play my Gibson.”
    “Exactly. Which is why we’ve graduated from the stock market
to weather.”
    I laugh, and cherish her return grin. “Oh, I see. So what
does a guy have to do to get to sports scores?”
    “I’m not sure you could handle that,” she responds with a
sly look.
    “Oh, really?” I ask, warming to the challenge.
    “October is the best month for sports.”
    And the magic vanishes as Wes steps in.
    Spence is up front with Jesse, Eli and Sweeny, Casey and
Callie are hand-in-hand several paces behind, which leaves our awkward threesome
bringing up the rear.
    “Oh, hey, Wes,” Holland greets, and I have to admit I like
the slight hint of disappointment in her tone. I don’t know if he picks up on
it, but he clearly has no intention of leaving the two of us alone to explore
our gentle flirting.
    “Great day for the beach,” he says, and we nod.
    “Gorgeous,” Holland replies.
    “Not as many people as I would have expected,” I add,
desperate for anything to fill the uncomfortable cloud surrounding us. I can
see Holland holding in a smile, and I love that she knows how awkward this is
too. I’m about to excuse myself to join another group, rather than endure this
agony, when Jesse, Spence,