Chapter Six

Gavin let out a quiet, forced laugh, his hand tightening just a fraction around the beer bottle. “I’m… just making sure things don’t get out of hand,” he said, voice low but tense. His eyes flicked toward us again, lingering just long enough to make it impossible to ignore.

Gemma elbowed me, voice slurring slightly from the drinks. “Yep. Totally watching. Can you feel it? He’s holding himself back.”

I nodded, sipping my drink, my heart racing as I tried to enjoy the tipsy haze of the party while knowing that Gavin—so close yet restrained—was silently keeping a careful, protective watch over every move we made.

The two guys, feeling emboldened, leaned in closer. One brushed a hand over Gemma’s arm, the other slid just a little too close to me, their faces inching toward ours.

“Hey… just one little kiss,” the new guy whispered, a mischievous grin on his face.

Gemma giggled nervously, tipping back her drink, wobbling slightly. “Uh… I… maybe not right now,” she slurred, her words almost unintelligible through the alcohol.

I tried to pull back, my mind fuzzy from the warmth of the drinks, my body reacting before my brain could catch up. “Yeah… uh… maybe… later?” I muttered, voice breathy and uncertain.

Across the fire, Gavin’s jaw tightened, and his grip on his beer shifted subtly. His arm stayed around Mara, but his posture straightened imperceptibly. Every muscle in his body was coiled, and his eyes flicked between us and the two guys like a predator sizing up a threat. He didn’t move immediately—couldn’t make it obvious—but the tension radiating from him was undeniable.

The new guy leaned in again, trying to press closer to me. I swayed back slightly, laughing nervously, my tipsy haze making it hard to think straight. “Uh… we’re kind of busy…” I stammered, barely coherent.

Gemma’s laughter bubbled out, unsteady, her cheeks flushed. “Yeah… busy… drinking!” she said, waving her cup vaguely as a flimsy excuse.

Mara huffed beside Gavin, clearly irritated, muttering something about him being too distracted again. He gave a quiet, controlled sigh, still pretending to focus on her while keeping his eyes on us.

Finally, Gavin’s gaze sharpened, his eyes locking on the two guys in a way that made them hesitate, sensing the silent warning in the way he held himself. He didn’t move yet—but the air shifted. Protective, tense, almost dangerous—but all under the guise of casual composure.

The too friendly stranger, noticing the hesitation, laughed lightly, trying to play it off. “Relax, guys. It’s all in good fun,” he said, his tone teasing but careful, glancing at Gavin for any reaction.

I took another unsteady sip of my drink, my heart pounding, aware that Gavin was watching, keeping his distance, but ready to step in if needed. The fire crackled, the music thumped, and the tension hung thick, making the party feel both intoxicating and dangerous.

Gavin straightened, jaw tight, eyes fixed on Mara. His voice was calm but carried a sharp edge.

“You should go home,” he said. “It’s late, and this party… it’s not for you tonight.”

Mara blinked, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before annoyance settled in. “Wait—what? I came here for you—”

Gavin cut her off, tone firm and final. “Go. You’ll feel better once you leave. I’m leaving too, but I need to walk Ari home first. She shouldn’t be out alone tonight.”

Mara’s frown deepened, disbelief and irritation mixing. “Wait, what? Why her?”

Gavin’s gaze flicked toward me briefly, then back to her. “Because she lives next door. That’s all you need to know. Now go.”

Mara huffed, muttering something under her breath, and finally turned toward the edge of the party, clearly frustrated but without further argument.

The path was quiet now, the roar of the party fading behind us, replaced by the soft rustle of leaves and the distant crash of waves. I shuffled along, feeling the lingering warmth of the fire and the tipsy haze making my steps a little unsteady.

Gavin matched my pace, his presence calm yet heavy, the kind of quiet awareness that made my chest tighten. He didn’t say much, just walked beside me, occasionally glancing toward the darkened corners of the path as if scanning for trouble—but always returning his gaze to me.

“Thanks for walking me,” I mumbled, voice a little higher than I meant, feeling my cheeks warm.

He didn’t answer right away, just gave a small nod, the corners of his mouth tugging slightly, almost like a hint of a smile—but it was subtle, restrained. “You shouldn’t be alone tonight,” he finally said, voice low, steady.

I swallowed, noticing the protective edge beneath his calm tone. “Yeah… I guess,” I replied, trying to keep my voice casual, though the tension in my chest betrayed me.

We walked in silence for a moment, the kind of silence that wasn’t uncomfortable but instead heavy with unspoken things. I could feel my heart beating faster, every small movement of his—his shoulders brushing mine slightly as we passed a narrow spot, the way he kept his steps perfectly in sync with mine—making me painfully aware of him.

“You okay?” he asked finally, eyes narrowing slightly, scanning me with a kind of concern that made my stomach flutter.

I nodded quickly, trying to shake off the tipsy nerves. “Yeah… I’m fine. Just… tired, I guess.”

Gavin’s gaze lingered for a beat longer than necessary, and then he shifted slightly closer on the path—not enough to be obvious, but enough to make me notice. My chest warmed, and I looked down at my feet, trying not to let him see just how flustered I was.

The streetlights cast long shadows, and the air smelled faintly of salt and wood smoke from the distant bonfire. For a moment, everything felt suspended—just the two of us walking side by side, the quiet night around us, and a tension that neither of us fully acknowledged but both of us felt.

I swallowed hard, stealing a glance at him. He was looking straight ahead, jaw set, calm on the surface—but I could see it in the way his hand twitched near his pocket, the subtle way he adjusted his stride to stay in step with me. Protective. Silent. Watchful.

And I couldn’t help but think—this was exactly why he was impossible to ignore.

By the time we reached the quieter streets near my house, the distant music and laughter from the party were just a hum behind us. I stumbled slightly on the uneven pavement, and Gavin’s hand shot out instinctively, brushing against my elbow—not touching, but enough to steady me.

I looked up at him, the tipsy haze making my words a little bolder than usual. “So… I’ve got a question,” I started, voice teasing but shaky. “You were kissing Mara earlier…” I let my words hang, watching his reaction, “…but your eyes were on me the whole night. Care to explain that?”

Gavin stiffened for a fraction of a second, jaw tightening. His eyes flicked toward mine, calm and controlled, but the faintest glimmer of something unreadable crossed his expression. “Ari…” he said slowly

, as if weighing his words carefully.