“Everything okay?” He whispered in my ear before setting my feet on the ground.

“Yes, I’m really sorry, he isn’t usually like that.”

Brandon looked behind me and shook someone’s hand.

“Sorry man.” Carter said, “She just means a lot to me.”

“I understand that.” Brandon said as he stared in my eyes, warming my heart. “Come on, Harper made lunch for everyone, you and your guys are more than welcome to it.”

I smiled against Brandon’s chest. Even after Carter had been an ass, he was still being incredibly polite to him. We all sat down to eat, and stayed at the beach for another few hours. Everyone but Chase seemed to forgive Carter for the way he’d been when he first showed up. Even Brandon was laughing and joking with him as he invited them all back to the house for the party that night.

***

“Carter!” I yelled and ran over to hug him after slamming back another shot. This was the third Friday in a row he’d come to Chase’s house with some of the guys from his new unit.

He hugged me tightly and shook Brandon’s hand, “Sorry we’re late, it took forever to get off base.”

“Just glad you’re here now.”

Carter’s answering smile was warm and slow, and kind of confusing. “Me too.” His words were lost in the loud music, but it was obvious what he was saying. His arm was still around me, and I slid out of it, wrapping my arms around Brandon’s waist.

“Let’s get you a drink.” Brandon said as he led the way to the kitchen.

After we all had a beer in hand, Brandon gave me a weird look when we tried for the third time to start a conversation with Carter, and he just stared straight ahead. Chase walked through the kitchen, on his way to work I’m sure, and when he saw Carter his face fell as he pushed through him to leave. Carter glanced at him and drained his beer. It wasn’t weird for Chase to be rude, as far as I knew he still had yet to say anything to Carter. But usually Carter would make a snide remark to him, not just stand there and take it.

“Are you okay?” I asked, placing a hand on Carter’s arm.

He glanced to Brandon, then back to me, “I’m perfect, why?”

“You’re being really quiet.”

“I don’t have to keep you company every time I’m here, do I? As far as I’m concerned, that’s your boyfriend’s job.”

“Hey,” Brandon pulled me closer to his chest, “she’s just worried about you man. You don’t have to be an ass.”

Carter laughed humorlessly, “She doesn’t have a reason to be worried.”

“Look,” I leaned into Carter so I could speak in his ear, “obviously you’ve had a bad day, or week, and I’m sorry. But you need to have another drink, relax, and go find a girl or something.”

“I’ll be sure to do just that.” He grabbed another beer out of the fridge and left the kitchen.

Brandon kissed my neck, “Just let him go, he needs to chill for a bit.”

I nodded and tilted my head to give him better access, “I don’t know what his deal is, he’s been so different since he came to California.”

“Maybe he’s having a hard time getting used to his new unit.”

“You’re probably right.” turning, I wrapped my arms around his neck and slid my tongue across his bottom lip, I laughed huskily when he moaned, “Want to dance?”

He grabbed my hand and led me into the living room, smiling when Bree winked at me from where she was grinding on Konrad, they were finally exclusive. Pressing my back against Brandon’s chest I slowly started moving against him, loving the way his hard body felt against mine. I brought a hand up to cup the back of his neck when I felt his lips on my shoulder, and placed my other hand over one of his gripping the bottom of my shorts. My body felt like it was melting into him as heat burned through me, and I was once again left with my heart racing and wanting to take him somewhere where we could be alone. When the song changed into a faster one, Bree grabbed my hand and pulled me toward her, Brandon stayed right behind me. The four of us were dancing so close to each other, I kept brushing against Konrad’s legs and I knew Bree was having a hard time avoiding Brandon’s. While one of his hands stayed on my thigh, Brandon’s other raised up and went under my shirt, leaving it at the top of the denim I was wearing. My breath caught when he gripped me tighter, his pinky barely sliding under my shorts, the rest of his hand splayed across my bare stomach. I pressed my back against him even harder, resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes so all I could do was feel his body and hear the music. When my movement caused his ring finger to go below the waist of my shorts as well, my body trembled and I felt him harden against the small of my back. I don’t know if it was the shots, or the music, but I brought my hand behind my back and let it pass over the bulge in his jeans every time he’d move against me. Brandon trailed his fingers lower, skimming them across my satin underwear and I let out an involuntary moan, my body aching for his hand to continue lower. Suddenly, his hands and body were no longer touching me. I turned to ask what was wrong, but I lost my voice when I saw the passion and heat in his gray eyes.

“If I don’t back off for a minute, I’m going to take you right here in front of everyone.”

I grinned wickedly at him and watched him mentally talk himself into walking away without me. Good thing one of us could remember that we weren’t alone, I would have let him do anything to me just then, people surrounding us or not. I kept my eyes on Brandon while he walked to the kitchen, but had started dancing with Bree and Konrad again when a hand on my arm caused me to turn my head and look at an angry Carter. He tilted his head to the side and back, indicating the back yard so I followed, slowly making our way through the tightly packed bodies.