5
Noah’s POV
Ethan’s pool parties were always an excuse for him to drink cheap beer and brag about how many push-ups he could do in a row. For me, tonight had only one purpose—Ava.
She’d been avoiding me all day, sending me curt looks and pressing her lips together like she was holding back words she didn’t dare say. Guilt was eating her up, but I knew better. The more she tried to pull away, the more I saw through the cracks—how her breath hitched when I walked past, how she stiffened when I got too close. She wanted me, even if she wouldn’t admit it.
The backyard was packed, music thumping, bodies glistening with pool water and sweat. But I only saw her.
Ava stepped out of the house, her bare feet on the concrete, her eyes scanning the crowd. And f**k me—she looked sinful.
A tiny b
