He takes my hand. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I know I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth. I don’t know what I’m trying to convince you of. I’m just saying how I feel, I guess.”
I nod, meeting his gaze. “Mmm-hmm.” I don’t know what else to say or do other than to hear him out and see where he’s going with this.
He stands up and paces. “Look. I’m not gonna lie. I’ve never thought I was a jealous guy. But I get jealous with you. I hate that Jack Massey’s helping you find a better job and that he offered you to stay with him.” He spits out the last part of his sentence. “I know guys are interested in you, and I know they’re gonna be asking you out. It makes me nuts to think about you going out with them. But I also can’t promise you anything with me. I know none of this is fair, and I’m not asking you for anything, I just…” He glances around the room like he’s looking for answers.
My heart races through my chest, because I’ve never known this kind of passion from a guy. I stand up and walk to him. He meets my gaze, his eyes intense.
I run my hands over his shoulders. “I can’t promise you anything either. But we can feel our way through this, if there is a this here?”
He stares at me. “I’m sorry I’m all over the place. I’ve never been this way.”
I smile at him. “I don’t know what the heck I’m doing either.”
He wraps his arms around me and brings me in for a hug, and we stand there like that, our hearts beating together for the longest time. We rock from side to side, almost like we’re dancing, but there’s no music playing except for the distant hum of the band.
The sound of footsteps on the dock outside, then a rattling on the door handle has us both looking that way.
“I think it’s unlocked,” comes a female voice I recognize, and I freeze as the door flies open and Bailey stands in the entryway.
“If there’s someone in there, kick their ass, Bailey!” comes a guy’s voice from behind her.
Brett’s stance tightens and he folds his arms over his chest. “What the—” he starts, but he cuts his own words off as Jack Massey appears in the doorway.
“Holy shit,” the guy I don’t know says through a laugh. “It’s Hargrove. How you doin’, man?”
Brett blinks the guy into recognition, then his posture drops. “Hey,” he says, holding his hand out to the guy, who ignores it and pulls Brett in for one of those guy hugs that approaches near-violent with hard slaps on the back.
“Fuck, what’s it been, two years?” the guy asks, looking Brett up and down.
“At least that. What are you doing here?”
“Vacation.” He backhands Brett on the chest. “I told Massey to call you but he gave me some bullshit story about thinking you were out of town for the weekend.” The guy tosses up his hands. “Fuck, this is awesome. Let’s have a beer.” He seems to notice me for the first time. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. We interrupted.”
“No,” Brett says, shaking his head, seeming to reorient himself. “This is Kylie. Kylie, this is Asher. He worked at the resort with us a few years back.”
Asher takes my hand and sort of bows down to me, kissing it. “Hello, lovely Kylie.” Damn. This guy’s got game.
The girl I don’t know smiles at Brett. “Hey, there.”
The two of them hug, and then he pulls back from her, inspecting her. “You decided to keep him around?”
She slides her arm around Asher’s waist. “He’s hard to shake once he weasels his way in.” She holds out her hand to me. “I’m Corinne. It’s so good to meet you.”
“Yes, same,” I say, her smile catching on. These two seem like newlyweds. I glance down at her left hand and see a rock. Memories of my own engagement ring flood in, making me feel like a phony. These two clearly have the real thing.
I catch Bailey’s gaze for the first time, and she’s smiling, but it’s not reaching her eyes. “Hey,” she says, giving me a loose hug. She pulls away, staring at me like she’s a mouse caught in a trap.
Jack meets Brett’s hard gaze. “Sure we’re not interrupting?” Jack asks, sounding sincere as he glances at me and then back to Brett.
“Nope,” Brett says, holding Jack’s gaze.
“Good. Let’s get a beer,” Jack says.
Asher puts one arm around Jack’s shoulder and the other around Brett’s. “The three dickheads, back in business,” he says with a huge grin. “Who wants a shot of spiced rum?” he asks, and I’m taken aback when both Jack and Brett break out in reluctant smiles. I think this is some kind of inside joke between the three of them.
Jack glances at Brett. “He’ll take two.”
Brett considers Jack, looking like he wants to respond but can’t bring himself to do it. Instead he walks to the fridge. “We’ve got IPA, sour beer, and some of those seltzer drinks.”
“Kylie,” Bailey says, and I turn to face her. “Come outside with me. I want to show you this awesome boat across the way.”
I follow her out the door, and she pulls me a few boats down and then faces me. “I just wanted to talk to you about why I’m here with Jack.”
“Okay,” I say with a shrug.
“I know that you’re living with Tori now, and I don’t want anything to be weird.”
“What would be weird?”
“It’s just that I’m not like here here with him. I mean…I’m not expecting anything. We work together and nothing can happen because of that. And, of course, because of Tori, too.” She gives me a significant look.
I raise my eyebrows, waiting for the rest of her story.
She lets out a sigh. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention that I came here with Jack.”
“Okay, but aren’t we all just having a drink together?”
“Yes, of course. That’s all it is,” she says as if she’s convincing herself.
I take her hand. “Hey, it’s fine.”
Bailey scratches her forehead, scrunching up her face. “I just wish I didn’t do this. I go for these unavailable guys who will never want me.”
“Is Jack unavailable?”
“For all intents and purposes, yes. He’s hung up on Tori. He’s been hung up on her ever since they broke up.”
“So, where does that put you?”
“It puts me in the same place I’ve been since the day I met him. The friend zone.”
“Would you rather be in the friend zone or completely off the playing field?”
She frowns. “I do want to stay on the playing field.”
“Then let’s just go in and have a drink.”
She smiles. “Cool.” She starts to walk away, but I stop her. “Hey, so what’s the story with Brett and Jack tonight? They seem to have put their differences on hold.”
“Who knows with boys? But if I had to guess, I’d say neither of them wants to look like they’re the immature one holding a grudge.”
“Neither wants to air their dirty laundry?” I ask.
“Exactly.”
I grin. “It’s fun to watch them squirm around each other.”
“I know, right? I can enjoy myself and settle in for the show now that you and I have talked. Thanks for being a good friend even though you don’t know me.”
“Thanks for trusting me.”
She smiles, and we head back to the boat.
“Who is this girl, by the way?” I ask.
“Just met her tonight. She’s with Asher.”
“Ah, then this was a double date.”
“No,” Bailey says, hesitating outside the door to the cabin. “I was kind of in the right place at the right time, I think. I was in Jack’s office talking when they came by to surprise him. Asher’s the one who asked me to come tonight, not Jack.”
For some reason, this makes me feel better about hiding the full details of the night from Tori. Not that she’ll even care or ask me about it. Something tells me Brett won’t want to rehash any of this with her either.
“However you got here, you’
re here,” I say. “Let’s go in and watch Brett and Jack act like they love each other.”
19
Brett
As much as I hate to admit it, I’m glad that Jack showed up. Things were getting out of hand with Kylie. I don’t know why I can’t seem to keep myself in check around her. She has this way of making me feel like things are going to be okay. There’s something about her that’s stabilizing in my world that’s constantly upended. As much as I want to get close to her, I like her too much for that. I can’t have a repeat of what happened with Madison.
“It’s your turn, Hargrove,” Jack says, looking me in the eye, daring me. Or fuck, maybe that’s just how he looks at people.
“I’m no good at this game. I’ve done everything.”
“I believe that,” Bailey says, winking at Kylie.
“I bet there’s plenty you haven’t done,” Jack says.
“If you’re referring to trips to Monte Carlo, then yeah, I’ve never done that shit.” I smile at Kylie. “I’ve never been to Aspen.” Everyone drinks except for Kylie and Jack, and I’m sorry I said it.
Kylie smiles at him. “You ski?”
“I’m the king of the bunny slope,” he says.
“Come on. I bet you’re at least a six or a seven,” she says.
He shrugs. “I can manage down a decent hill without breaking my neck. What about you?”
“I can ski past you down that same hill.”
This gets a robust reaction from the group, and I sip my beer, looking away. The last thing I need right now is to see the two of them bonding.
Asher puts his arm around Corinne. “Corinne’s a competitive ice skater.”
She rolls her eyes. “When I was little. I’d bust my ass hard if I tried that now.”
“Impressive,” Kylie says. “So you can spin and jump and all that?”
“She can,” Asher says. “She’s being modest.”
Corinne waves him off. “Never have I ever walked in on people having sex.”
Bailey drinks, and everyone laughs. “My parents, when I was fourteen. Scarred for life.”
“Anyone else?” Asher asks.
Kylie scratches an eyebrow, clearly uncomfortable.
“This is a stupid game,” I say. “Who wants another drink?”
“I’ll take one,” Corinne says.
I look at Kylie and she nods.
Jack asks Bailey, “You want another one?”
“Okay,” she says with that smile that conveys she really wishes we’d all leave her on the boat alone with Jack. That’d be fine with me.
I go over to the fridge, and Jack meets me there. “You had your chance to get rid of us,” he says in a low voice.
I give him a look. “Like it was that easy. It’s Asher. You could have given me a warning.”
“He and Corinne showed up at my office. I thought I was letting you off the hook by making up that shit about you being out of town…sparing you a night with me.”
“Look how that turned out for me.”
He lifts his chin. “You’ve got my number. Next time you want to bring a girl here, just text me and I’ll know not to come.”
I gauge him. “You’d probably race me here,” I say, but we both know I don’t really believe that.
He lets out a sigh. “Is it really that bad having to stomach me for a couple of hours? You used to spend time with me voluntarily.”
“Until you had to fuck it all up.”
He stares at me like he has shit to say but isn’t gonna. “Fuck it. Quit asking if anyone wants another drink, and I’ll get us out of here as soon as I see an opening, okay?”
“Fine,” I say. He starts to walk away, but I say, “So you and Bailey now?”
He stops and turns to me. “Are you laying claim on her, too? One at a time, Hargrove. That’s all I’m gonna let you have.” He winks at me like the fucker he is and then heads back over to where everyone is hanging on the floor.
When we rejoin the group, Corrine and Asher regale us with the story of how Asher proposed, and Bailey and Kylie ask questions about the wedding planning. I wonder if this is painful for Kylie. She did just plan a wedding, after all. As I listen, I try to imagine Kylie walking down the aisle with some strange guy waiting for her at the end. It’s almost inconceivable to me.
Jack stands up. “I’m over the whole boat thing. Let’s go get some food.” He gives me a contrite look, and I hate that I’m not despising him this evening.
“All right,” Asher says, pulling Corinne to him. “Come on, baby. I’ll get you some steak nachos.”
She lowers her chin. “With jalapenos and black olives?”
“With whatever you want on them, sweetness.” He stands and helps her up.
They all head for the door, and I meet Kylie’s gaze. It’s her move whether we stay or go. I don’t want to influence her, but I really want to stay.
She looks down at her can of seltzer drink, moving her finger around the rim.
Jack and Bailey are out the door, and Asher is guiding Corinne that way when he turns around and sees we’re not getting up.
He smiles at me, then holds up his hand. “Good to see you, man.”
“Yep,” I say.
“Nice to meet you, Kylie,” he says with a big smile.
“Nice to meet you both.”
Corinne nods with a smile as Asher ushers her off the boat and then shuts the door behind him.
Kylie meets my gaze. “Quick, lock it.”
I smile and then get up and walk over there, doing just that.
She giggles. “I was joking.”
“I’m not. I should have had it locked to begin with. I would have if I didn’t think it would creep you out.”
She stands up, straightening out the backs of her shorts. “I’m not creeped out by you, Brett.”
My name on her lips triggers my smile. “Good.”
“Besides, wouldn’t Jack have just unlocked the door and come right in? I assume he has a key, too.”
I let out a hard breath and put my hands on her hips. “Can we not talk about him tonight, or ever again?”
She gives me a knowing smile. “Come on, you didn’t hate him being here tonight nearly as much as you’d like to think you did.”
I just shake my head, glancing around.
“I watched you when he made jokes…a few inside ones, I’m guessing. You two were friends once.”
“Once,” I say.
“I think you stay mad at him out of loyalty to Tori.”
I don’t respond.
She smiles. “That’s sweet. Family first, right?”
I pull her closer to me. “Can we please change the subject now?”
“Sure thing. What subject would you like to discuss? The national debt? The ecosystem?”
I shut her up with a kiss, and the anticipation of the past couple of hours is instantly satisfied. As I run my hands up her back, she slides hers down to my ass, and her attitude about what she wants to happen on this boat tonight seems to have changed. She steps backwards, pulling us apart, and takes my hand, tugging me toward the bed. She glances at it. “Can we?”
“We can do whatever you want,” I say.
“I haven’t decided what I want yet. Is that okay?” she asks.
“Fine by me. I’ll be standing by.”
We climb onto the bed and start kissing again, this time with more intensity than I was expecting from her. She hikes her long leg over mine, and our bodies line up, mine lit up like a Roman candle.
My hands are in her hair and on her back, and I’m trying to respect her wishes and let her lead us, but I’m not at all used to this. Typically, when I lie down with a girl, we’re both all-in, and there’re no questions about where the night is going. But she’s made it clear she’s not ready to commit to anything in this bed, so I’m being as good as a choirboy.
She presses her pelvis against mine, and my cock can no longer stand down. She moves my hand from her lower back to her ass,
and I grab it, crushing her body against mine. She breathes against my mouth, letting out a moan that threatens to send me over the edge.
“Fuck, Kylie,” I whisper.
She directs my hand to her zipper, pressing it against her. “Touch me,” she says.
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I’m in her shorts in half a second, and my body sizzles when I touch her. She presses up against me, her face buried in my neck and her hand gripping my shoulder. She groans, blowing heat against my neck, and it’s all I can do to keep myself in check. She grips me harder, panting into my ear and then holding her breath until she finally lets out a wail that has me grinning with pride at how quick and easy it was to set her free like that.
She kisses my neck, making her way to my mouth, running her fingers through my hair. We’re both salty from sweat and the heat between us. She kisses me for a while, and it’s so right—slower than before since she’s let off some steam. I try to settle myself down, but my dick isn’t cooperating.
She undoes each of the buttons on my shirt as our mouths are occupied and then pushes it to either side of me, moving down, kissing my neck, my collarbone, my chest, my abs... I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but the way she’s moving, slowly down south, my heart rate spikes.
She undoes my button and zipper, pulling down my shorts, and then takes me into her mouth. I close my eyes, my body spiking with a heat surge as I settle into the sensations she’s giving me. I can usually think about something funky to make it last longer, but I don’t want to hold back with her. It feels too good.
The buildup is relentless, and it’s happening now, so I push her head away but she grips me, finishing me off. I stare at the ceiling, arm draped across my chest, catching my breath as she crawls up my body, finding a place beside me. I meet her gaze, my heartbeat slowly on the decline. “That was unexpected.”
“You’re welcome.”
I put my hand behind my head, and she drapes herself across me. With other girls, this kind of move would feel like suffocation. But right now, all I experience is contentment.
I run my hand over her back. “Is it weird for you hearing about Asher and Corinne’s wedding?”
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