Our Kind of Love by Shane Morgan

didn’t seem very tempted to
wild out like everyone else.”
    I loosen my arms and ease forward, resting my
elbows on the table. I look her straight in the eye. “What if it’s a show? What
if this nice guy thing is all an act?”
    She tilts her head to one side and says
confidently, “The guy I saw walking on the beach Friday night and tried to get
me to go swimming was clearly not putting on a show.”
    “Oh yeah,” I snort.
    Reign bobs her head. “I’m usually a good judge
of character and I can tell that you’re genuinely a nice guy.”
    “Good judge of character, huh?” I tease. “Then what about Nate?” Oops. I didn’t mean to blurt that
out. Hmm…maybe I did.
    She blinks in her astonishment and inclines back
on her seat. “What about him?”
    “Um, hello?” Claudia pipes in, waving her hand. “I’m still here.”
    I seem to have cause tension between me and
Reign. She turns her gaze away from me and motions to the waitress for the
bill. “We should get going. The restaurant opens in thirty minutes,” she
mutters, not looking at me.
    “Okay, yeah.” Claudia picks up her clutch from
her lap and places it on the table, rifling through her cash.
    I stop her. “Don’t, I’ll take care of it.”
    Reign stares at me again. “We brought you out;
we can’t ask you to pay for breakfast. Let’s split it three ways then.”
    Waving her off, I reach into my pocket and take
out my wallet. “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I let you do that.”
    Claudia swoons. “Aw, that’s so sweet of you.”
    I look at Reign as I leave a couple bills along
with the tip on the table. She’s trying not to smile.
    “See…a nice guy.”
     
     
    SIXTEEN

    Reign
     
     
    I DON’T understand Nate. He’s been texting me
sweet things about how he’s anticipating tonight, and how he can’t wait to be
inside me. But shortly before I get off work, he texts me that he won’t be able
to pick me up and that I should meet him at the bonfire.
    So I drive over with Claudia and Micah, who she
convinced to come out. I have to admit, it is nice being around him. I’m
relaxed. I have this feeling like I’m safe. I haven’t felt that way since Mary
died. My attraction to him still won’t disappear though; maybe it will when I
get to know him better as a friend, and especially after tonight when I sleep
with Nate.
    When we arrive at the beach, Nate’s goofing off
with Ryan and some other guys from our graduating class. He laughs and starts
over when he finally glimpses me. It’s hard to let him stick his tongue inside
my mouth when his breath is laced with alcohol. So I let him kiss my lips
instead, no matter how he’s trying to go deeper. Times like this I don’t want
to kiss him back. It’s not romantic.
    At the end of the kiss he nuzzles me up to him,
a scowl appearing on his face as he regards Micah.
    “You again?” he sneers.
    Claudia snakes her arm around Micah’s and says,
“Yes, him again. Got a problem?”
    Micah doesn’t say anything. He only looks at
Nate hard. His sea blue eyes are darkened by the night. A look of annoyance
morphs his face.
    Nate lifts his beer to his lips and scoffs
before having a drink. “Anyways,” He turns me to face him again, stroking my
cheek. “Sorry you had to come here, babe. I know it’s not your scene but my
parents hadn’t left yet for their little out of town thing.”
    I look over at Claudia after he said that and
she silently titters knowingly. I sneak a glance at Micah. He’s looking out at
the ocean, trying to hide his frustrated expression.
    But why is he upset?
    Throwing his arm around me, Nate tows me up the
beach. I peer back at my best friend; I don’t know why, maybe to seek
confirmation that I’m doing the right thing. She shrugs and pulls Micah away
towards the fire, introducing him to everyone.
    I turn my gaze back to Nate and let him haul me
to his car. My heart starts to pound as we slip inside and he takes off for his
house.
    The moment we arrive and