He would have hit on her, but she was blunt and aggressive and rumor said she played for the other team in a way that decidedly did not mean sports.

Then again, she was looking at Hunter like he was something to eat.

“Yeah,” said Hunter. “Aren’t you the girl who told Mrs. Har-rison you were intimidated by the ‘length’ of Moby Dick?”

“Who isn’t?” said Calla, deadpan.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at a party,” said Gabriel.

Calla shrugged. “You never know when something interesting might happen.” She reached out a hand to touch Hunter’s arm, tracing the small tattoo by his elbow. “I like this. It’s not Arabic, is it?”

“Farsi.”

Her eyes lit with intrigue.

And that was enough for Gabriel. “I’m going to get some food,” he said, turning for the grill.

Usually he’d get stopped half a dozen times when crossing ground at a party. Game recaps, plans for the next weekend, practice strategies.

Tonight? Conversation died when he approached.

He grabbed some burgers and dropped onto an empty chaise lounge by the pool, straddling the cushion to set his plate in front of him. The tiki torches flickered in his direction.

Welcome.

‘Sup, he thought.

Some kid across the way was swinging a torch with abandon, and Gabriel could feel the flame’s excitement at the potential for danger. Cloth, paper, whatever. As soon as the fire found fuel, it would flare.

What an idiot.

Despite the music, the air was quiet here by the pool. Gabriel could feel people looking at him, talking about him, but it was easier to ignore them when he wasn’t standing directly in their midst.

And not everyone was talking about him. Some kids by the back door were playing cards. The people in the hot tub had a lively interaction going on the kind that didn’t exactly involve a lot of talking. Hunter was still talking to Calla, following her into the house now. Interesting. And another couple was going at it hot and heavy at the opposite end of the pool deck. Probably drunk, or they’d never be out here in the open.

He wondered what Layne would do if he walked to her house and started throwing stones at her window.

Gabriel polished off his food and set the plate below his chair, dropping back to stare up at the stars.

A breeze caught the flames and made them flicker.

Play?

He shook his head. Not now.

Then a stronger gust of wind whipped across the pool to sprinkle him with water and blow out the three torches surrounding him.

Nick.

Gabriel flung a surge of power into the torch by his twin, making flames shoot high and spray sparks. Girls shrieked and scattered, including Quinn.

Gabriel smiled.

“That wasn’t very nice.”

He craned his head back. Becca stood there in the darkness.

He couldn’t make out her expression, but the displeasure in her voice said enough.

Gabriel looked back at the pool. “Maybe I’m not very nice.”

“Can I sit down?”

He shrugged. “Go ahead. I already lost my wingman.”

She moved forward between the lounges, and he expected her to drop onto the one next to him, but she sat on his. She faced him, her hip against his, the warmth in her body carrying through the gauzy skirt she wore.

His eyes flicked up to hers. “Trying to make Chris jealous?”

“No. I’m trying to figure out what’s up with you.”

“Don’t bother.”

“Nick doesn’t know what he did wrong. You know, he’s beating himself up trying to figure it ”

“Becca, stop.” He glared out at the pool. “Nick did nothing wrong.”

That was the whole problem. Nick never did anything wrong.

“He misses you.”

Gabriel snorted and gestured to the dark tiki torches. “Yeah, he’s got a funny way of showing it.” He fished the lighter out of his pocket and stood to relight them.

Really, he couldn’t take her closeness right now.

He pulled down the first torch and flicked his lighter. Becca stood next to him, and he watched the firelight dance across her cheeks. She looked worried.

He sighed. “Please stop looking at me like that.”

“Are you really starting these fires?” she whispered.

He pulled down the next torch. If he said no, would it make a difference? He could already hear the plea in her tone, the fear behind her whisper.

But then he flicked his lighter, and something beyond Becca caught his eye.

Taylor and Heather had cell phones in their hands, and they were taking pictures or maybe video of the couple writhing on the lounge. The girls were giggling, but he couldn’t make out everything they were saying.

He let the flame die and nodded in their direction. “What do you think is going on over there?”

Becca turned and her whole body stiffened. “Hey!” she called. She started storming across the pool deck. “Hey!”

God, she was a ballsy chick. Gabriel followed her.

Taylor and Heather were making wolf whistles, egging the couple on. Some big kid was on top of a much smaller girl in boots and a miniskirt. He couldn’t see her face behind the guy, but he’d worked her skirt up to her waist and her shirt up to her chest, revealing the edge of a bra. Thank god she had tights on, or she’d be giving quite a show.

The guy’s arm was on her shoulder, pinning her there, his hand over her mouth.

The other hand was trying to force the shirt higher. The girl squealed and struggled.