Stealing Harper by Molly McAdams

since I called to tell you where she was. Just think about all the time in between when I got her and when I called you. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and ask my princess what we were doing before I called you last night.”
    I’d barely gotten the last word out before Brandon was knocking me over and holding me down in the sand with one hand against my throat, the other fisted in the air, “Let’s get this straight right now. You didn’t want her, I made sure of that before I pursued anything with her. Now she’s mine, and I don’t care that it’s been a week since I met her. I’m telling you I am never letting that girl go. Don’t talk about her, don’t go near her, and don’t push me because I swear, brother, I am five seconds from ripping into you even though I know you’re full of shit.”
    I couldn’t swallow or speak, and he knew it, so when he felt I had gotten the message, he let up and started to sit back up; too bad I wasn’t ready for this little heart-to-heart to be over yet. “Damn, the way she moans my name, though.”
    “Chase!” Brad barked, and Brandon’s fist connected with my temple faster than I thought possible. Shit, that one hurt.
    Blinking back the black spots in my vision, I stopped his next punch and got him in the ribs before Derek and Zach were pulling him off me while Brad and Drew kept me on the ground.
    Bree’s booty call walked past us, carrying his board and shaking his head. “Thought we came out here to surf. While your little catfight is entertaining as hell, I’d rather be in the water.”
    Brad, Drew, and I all started laughing; I liked this kid.
    “Chase, you are beyond stupid. Next time, I won’t try to stop him.” Brad looked up to Drew and nodded over to Brandon’s group. “Get lost.” When he was gone, Brad loosened his grip and let me sit up; his back was to the other guys, and he was looking past me at something while talking low. “Is it because she’s a virgin?”
    I shook my head.
    “Because she didn’t want you?”
    “At first.”
    “And now?” I didn’t respond, and he sighed. “It’s just her?”
    I nodded. “Everything about her.”
    “I hate to say this, but Brandon is right. How many times did he ask you before he did anything about it?” I growled, and he held up his hands. “I’m just saying man, you blew it. Stop making one of your best friends miserable because you missed your chance.”
    Thank God Brad had stopped talking when Brandon walked past us to grab his board. Brad stood and watched Brandon walk out toward the water before offering me a hand to pull me up as well.
    “Come on, let’s surf. You’ll both get over what just happened, and we’ll all go back to the house and have a hell of a party tonight. Maybe you’ll find another chick.” I glared up at him, and he stood up and took a step away. “Or maybe not.”
    The waves were perfect that morning, and we were able to surf for hours. It was just what I needed after what had happened on the beach, and by then I had needed what happened on the beach for a week. It wasn’t enough, but it would keep my head on straight for a while at least. Like Brad predicted, all bad moods were gone within the first half hour, and I tried not to let the sight of Brandon practically lying on Harper when we all came up the beach get me pissed off again. Who was I kidding? Of course it pissed me off, but I just tried to look the other way. I stuck my board in the sand and toweled off while Harper talked to someone on her phone. I watched her easy smile and thought back to kissing the corner of her mouth in the shower that night, and wished I had just kissed her then, or even before that.
    Next thing I know, Harper took off running away from our group, and I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to chase after her or ask Brandon what he’d done now. Before I could decide, I saw her crash into some guy and start talking to him while he kept his arms around her. Who the fuck is this?