Miles From Kara Read Online Free

down the hall and close myself in the bathroom, my eyes shut tightly as I tried to keep my own tears from falling.
    Maybe working at Helping Hands wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Chapter Four
    I parked my car outside my apartment, opened the car door, and immediately jerked my head toward the clubhouse, which was teeming with music. It wasn’t unusual for Charleston Haven to have local bands play by the pool or DJs come in to spin at the clubhouse on the weekends.
    â€œKar!”
    I glanced up to see Olivia and Preston on the balcony of our apartment. “Hey! What are you doing?” I shouted.
    â€œThey’re having a water balloon fight at the pool. Want to go down?”
    I eyed the pool closest to us, and sure enough, there were countless brightly colored balloons being thrown around, followed by squeals and laughter as the balloons burst, usually on the girls. I cringed. I just wanted to go upstairs and take a shower and forget the petrified look on the face of the teen girl from Helping Hands.
    â€œWe’re coming down. Don’t move!” Olivia called.
    I sighed heavily and closed my car door, waiting for them to arrive, and that’s when my gaze landed on the red Jeep parked a few cars away, the University of Georgia sticker plastered on it for all to see.
    â€œHey,” Olivia said as they reached me.
    I grinned up at her. “Where is he?”
    She smiled, shaking her head. “You weren’t supposed to find out until you saw him. He’s at the pool. Act surprised.”
    I took off running toward the clubhouse, disappearing through the doors and down the steps to the outdoor pool closest to my apartment. My eyes raked over the crowd and then landed on a guy standing just outside the pool, his skin shimmering under water droplets, his hair falling in drenched waves around his face. I tried not to gawk at the tattoos that marked every bit of skin on his arms, or the six-pack that made me want to eat things off his stomach.
    Colt.
    I cringed as my thoughts sunk in. Ugh! What was wrong with me?
    â€œHey there,” a familiar voice said from behind me, followed by the feeling of warm arms wrapping around my waist.
    I jumped, and then catching my mistake, spun in Ethan’s arms and rose onto my toes. I kissed his lips, desperate to think and feel all things Ethan, so maybe I could stop thinking and feeling all things . . . Colt.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” I squealed.
    Ethan grinned. “Preston told me about that party at Sarah’s, so I decided to surprise you since I was going to be gone this weekend. You don’t mind that Colt came up with me, do you? He’s coming with me on the fishing trip, so I thought I’d ask him along for this part, too. That cool?”
    I plastered on the fakest smile I’ve ever faked in my life. “Of course! He can crash on the couch tonight.”
    Just then, Colt arrived beside us, his golden, wet skin glistening in the afternoon sun. I had to tell myself to breathe, breathe, breathe, because all the blood had rushed from my head—and had gone to other areas—at the sight of him. Thank God this was just an empty attraction and nothing more.
    â€œColt. Hey,” I said, hoping my voice sounded semi-even.
    â€œG’day,” he said, his voice low and rough. It was the sort of voice that caused a reaction without even trying to. He ran a hand through his hair. “I wouldn’t go in if I were you,” he said, nodding toward the pool. “That water’ll freeze the balls off a brass monkey.”
    I grinned. “Why do you sometimes sound Australian and other times American?” Immediately, I wished I could clamp my mouth shut and never speak again. I hadn’t spoken to Colt enough to know the way he talks at all. Saying this just let on how attuned I was to him.
    He stared at me for a moment, then looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. “Eh, what can I say?