It’s Friday night, and I’m spying into the backyard of Antony to see if Henley has arrived yet. I don’t want to get there before him, but the longer I stay here, the more nervous I become. The whole street seems to be there, but so far, no sighting of Henley. He better be coming; these come-fuck-me jeans cost me one hundred and twenty damn dollars.

Just as the salesgirl told me to, I’m wearing a boosty bra and white T-shirt. My hair is up, and I am trying my very best to be the fuckable girl next door.

Okay, I need to just go before I give myself a heart attack.

I grab my bottle of wine and the cheese platter that I made. “Wish me luck, Bazza.”

I make my way over, and the front door of their house is open. I can hear chatter coming from inside.

Shit.

Why am I here? I feel as awkward as all hell.

“Come in, come in,” I hear a deep voice call from the kitchen.

Antony meets me in the doorway. “You came.” He laughs as he pulls me into a hug.

“Thanks for inviting me.” I hold out my platter. “I brought cheese.”

“Excellent.” He takes the platter from me. “Everyone is out back, and the wineglasses are in the kitchen. Help yourself. I’ll put this out on the table.”

“Okay.”

“There you are,” a familiar voice says from behind me before kissing my cheek.

“Rebecca.” I smile. “Thank god, you’re here.”

She links arms with me, and we walk into the kitchen. “Of course I’m here. Had to come and watch tittsy Taryn make her move.” She gets out two wineglasses, and I open my bottle of wine.

“What do you mean?” I frown.

“Apparently she’s been tuning Henley all week.”

“Tuning . . . as in?”

“I don’t know, probably sucking his dick, knowing her.”

I stare at her, horrified. “Wait, has this actually happened or speculation?”

“Speculation, of course.” She rolls her eyes. “But who knows.”

I sip my wine as my mind races.

If he’s touched a single hair on her head . . . then that’s it.

I’ll go postal.

There are no words to tell you how postal I am going. And I’m also murdering him and burying him in my backyard.

Jail would be worth it.

I drain my glass. “Another one?” I put my glass on the table.

Rebecca’s eyes widen. “Thirsty?”

“Extremely.”

“Hi, girls,” a sexy voice purrs from behind us. We turn, and Taryn breezes in. Hair out, wearing a full face of makeup. She’s in a tight, stretchy pale-pink dress that leaves nothing to the imagination.

Damn it. She looks amazing, and why are her boobs so good?

Huge and perky.

My tight jeans suddenly feel very mom-like.

“Where are the boys?” Taryn asks as she looks out the back door. “Is everyone here? I’ve been so looking forward to tonight.”

Rebecca crosses her eyes as she sips her wine, and I bite my lip to hide my smile.

“We’re here,” Rebecca replies.

“But what about the fun people?” she asks, distracted, as she looks into the backyard.

“Rude,” Rebecca mouths as she flips off Taryn to her back, and I drop my head to stop myself from laughing out loud.

Could she be any more obvious?

“Ladies,” Henley’s sexy voice says from behind me.

My stomach flutters at the mere sound of his voice, and I turn toward him. He gives me a slow sexy smile, and I just want to hug him.

Is it possible to miss someone you hardly know?

“Henley,” Taryn gasps in an over-the-top way. She runs toward him and hugs him, doing exactly what I wanted to do. “I’m so glad you’re here, darling. It’s not a party without you,” she coos.

Henley smiles. “Taryn.” He unfolds himself out of her arms. “I’m heading out back.”

“I’ll come.” Taryn smiles as she links her arm through his. They disappear out the back door.

“Fuck you, Taryn,” Rebecca whispers. “Seriously, she’s a vulture. If he sleeps with her, I will never forgive him.”

That makes two of us.

“What’s going on there?” I ask in a whisper.

“I know she wants him. Word is that she left her husband for him.”

I stare at her, horrified. “So they have slept together?”

Rebecca shrugs. “I don’t know, surely not.”

“She is hot.” I sip my wine, distracted.

This is a disaster.

“She’s not as hot as you,” Rebecca whispers. “Make a move.”

“I already did,” I whisper back.

“What?”

“We slept together on the weekend.”

Rebecca’s eyes widen. “Oh my fuck, tell me everything.”

“Ladies,” a male voice says from behind us. We turn guiltily to see three of the military boys standing in the kitchen. Huge and overpowering the space.

“Hi,” I squeak.

“Hi, boys.” Rebecca smiles. “About time you finally came to something.”

They chuckle.

“This is Juliet. She just moved in next door,” Rebecca says as she gestures to me.

“I’m Mason. This is Austin and Scott.” He’s tall, with a buzz cut and muscles for miles. Not handsome and cultured like Henley, more like I’ll-fuck-you-through-a-brick-wall kind of hot.

“Everyone is in the backyard,” Rebecca tells them.

“Thanks.” The three giants walk out the back door as Rebecca and I stare after them.

“Carol tells me they’re gangbangers,” I whisper.

“God, I hope so,” Rebecca whispers. “Can you imagine taking the three of them at once?”

I get a vision of them using my body for their pleasure. “Don’t, it’s making me flutter,” I whisper.

Rebecca giggles. “You didn’t call me for that coffee yet.”

“I know. Let’s do it next week. Time got away from me. Did you say anything to John?”

“No, I’m hoping your car-valet theory is right.” She shrugs. “I don’t know what to think.”

“It will be okay.” I smile as I try to reassure her. “I’m sure it’s innocent.”

“Hope so. Come on, let’s go socialize.” I follow Rebecca out into the backyard. There’s a fire, and everyone is sitting around it. Some people are chatting in groups, and to the left, Henley is sitting with Taryn. She’s talking, and he’s listening intently.

Jealousy simmers in the pit of my stomach.

Rebecca begins to talk to John, and I’m standing to the side.

“So, Juliet,” Mason says as he walks over to me, “how are you liking the street?”

“I’m still settling in.” I smile. I glance up to see Henley’s eyes flick over to us. “How long have you lived here?”

“It’s been a year, but I was deployed for six months of that time.”

“Oh, really?” From my peripheral vision, I can see Henley watching us. “Where were you deployed to?”

“I’m a Navy SEAL, so I was at sea.”

“A Navy SEAL.” I smile, fascinated.

Hot.

Taryn laughs out loud like the attention seeker she is. “Oh, Henley, you’re a scream.”

Fuck off, Taryn.

Mason gestures to two chairs. “Do you want to sit down?”

I glance over to Henley, who is still talking to Taryn, and my blood boils.

“Sure thing.”