He reached under the water and squeezed her hand, as if he could read her mind, which made her feel a little better.
“You’re a virgin?” Perry asked Savannah.
“Yeah,” Savannah said, and the way he looked at her—as if this disappointed him—made Courtney want to slap him. What had he expected? Savannah had just turned sixteen.
“Interesting,” he said, although he sounded like he thought it was anything but.
After that conversation, Perry’s body language shifted—previously he’d been angled toward Savannah, but now he was pointed toward Emily Nicole, who was on the other side of him. The shift was so visible that it made Courtney hurt—she couldn’t imagine how Savannah felt. Even Damien glared at Perry as if he were a piece of scum.
They continued around the circle, and finally it was Courtney’s turn. Perry was now blatantly flirting with Emily Nicole, and Savannah was so spaced out that it was like she wasn’t there anymore. Courtney had the sudden urge to say something that would shock everyone, and hopefully distract her sister. What better way to do that than one-upping Emily Nicole’s crazy stunt earlier?
“Never have I ever been naked in a hot tub in Aspen,” she blurted, which made everyone stop any side chat and stare at her. Her cheeks heated—had she really just said that? If she hadn’t poured her Sprite herself, she would have suspected someone had spiked it.
She was so shocked with herself that she didn’t pay attention to who put their finger down. She just knew Savannah wasn’t one of them.
“It’s clear what needs to happen now,” Perry said.
“What?” she asked.
“You need to get naked in the hot tub.”
Courtney did a double-take to see if he was serious. He was.
“No way.” She shook her head. “I said I’ve never done it. Not that I will do it.”
“No one would be able to see anything,” Emily Nicole said. “The jets are on, which would hide everything, and the lighting’s pretty dim.”
“Says the girl who’s already taken her top off.” Perry looked at Emily Nicole in approval. It was as if Savannah had disappeared off his radar.
“I have an idea,” Emily Nicole said. “Let’s say I do it, and Brett does it. Then would you do it, too?” With that, Emily Nicole pulled off her bottoms and tossed them into the pile with her top. “Just for thirty seconds—then put it back on. You can take it off while you’re still in the water. No one will be able to see anything.”
It was true—now that Emily Nicole was back in the water, it was impossible to tell she was naked. Plus, the way Perry was eyeing up Emily Nicole and acting like Savannah didn’t exist made Courtney so angry. She wanted to do something—anything—to get the attention away from Emily Nicole.
She also wanted to shock everyone.
“If Brett does it, I’ll do it.”
“Are you sure?” Brett watched her, concerned. “I don’t mind, but don’t feel pressured because of everyone else.”
“I don’t feel pressured,” Courtney insisted, because she didn’t. What she felt was...daring. Like someone else’s spirit was in her body. Which made her think of her twin. Her chest panged with the thought of Britney, and how she would never get to know her—this sister who would have had her face, but been a completely different person. If Britney were alive, would this be something she would do? Courtney’s gut told her that yes, it would be. Besides, she had the rest of her life to act mature and responsible. What was wrong with trying to live a little? “I’ll do it.”
“If Courtney does it, I’m doing it,” Brett said.
“I’ll time you.” Perry motioned to his watch. “Thirty seconds—no less—and then you can put your bathing suits back on. You ready?”
Courtney took a deep breath, trying not to overthink what she was about to do. “Yes.”
Which was how seconds later, Brett’s bathing suit and her bathing suit were on the ledge behind them, and they were both naked in the hot tub. Courtney sank lower in the water, so it came up to her chin. No one can see anything, she repeated to herself, although it didn’t make her feel any more comfortable. Maybe she should put it back on now, before the thirty seconds were up?
Perry stayed focused on his watch. “Fifteen seconds to go...” he said. Then he pushed himself out of the hot tub, grabbed Courtney’s, Brett’s, and Emily Nicole’s bathing suits, and ran up the stairs to his loft.
Courtney froze and wrapped her arms around herself, covering up even though the jets hid everything. She’d never felt more exposed in her life.
“Come on, man!” Brett yelled. “Not funny. Bring the bathing suits back down.”
“If you want them, come and get them!” Perry said over the balcony.
“That’s your friend,” Damien said to Noel, his dark gaze unwavering. “And you’re both here as guests. Get him to bring the bathing suits back down here—now.”
“Don’t get all worked up.” Emily Nicole laughed, slurring her words. How much had she had to drink? “If that’s how Perry wants to play it, fine by me. I’ll get them back myself.” And then, despite being naked, she stood up, got out of the hot tub and ran upstairs, dripping water behind her.
Minutes passed while they waited for Emily Nicole and Perry to return with the bathing suits. Courtney curled herself in a ball, clenching her teeth so hard that her jaw hurt. She didn’t want to move, she didn’t want to look at anyone and she didn’t want to be stuck here.
“They’re not coming back, are they?” she finally said.
“I’ll go see what’s going on.” Noel got out of the hot tub, grabbed his towel and hurried up the steps.
It didn’t take long for him to return. “Perry hid your bathing suits,” he said. “He’s up there with Emily Nicole, and they...” He glanced at Savannah, his eyes shining with pity. “They don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“What do you mean?” Savannah asked, her voice small. “Is Perry hooking up with Emily Nicole?”
“They’re...busy.” Noel shifted his feet and focused on the floor. “I know you fancied him. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she wiped her hand at her cheek, as if splashing water on her face would hide that she was crying. “I actually have a headache. I must have stayed in the hot tub for too long. I’m going to bed.”
Damien called at her to wait, but she didn’t listen, hurrying off to her room instead. Courtney stared at where she’d disappeared, wanting to follow her sister and talk to her. She wanted to tell her what a jerk Perry was, and that she deserved so much better than him.
But she couldn’t, because Perry had run off with her bathing suit, and if she got out of the hot tub, everyone would see her naked. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself. What had she been thinking by going along with all this?
“I’ll go talk to Savannah,” Evie said, pulling herself out of the hot tub.
“Thanks.” Courtney smiled at Evie, because if anyone could cheer up Savannah, it was Evie. She would probably do a better job at it than Courtney, actually.
“Do you want me to come, too?” Damien asked, lifting himself out of the hot tub.
“No.” Evie put out a hand to stop him. “It’s best if it’s just me. But don’t worry... Savannah and I have been best friends for years. I’ve got this.”
Damien frowned and settled back into his seat, his forehead creased. “All right,” he agreed. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“I will,” she promised.
“Evie,” Noel called after her, and she stopped to look at him, her eyes wide with hope. “I’m sorry about Perry. He gets rather...wild when he drinks. If I’d known what he was planning, I would have stopped him.”
“It’s not your fault,” she said. “I know that.”
/>
“Thanks.” He ran a hand through his already messy hair. “I’m glad.”
“Do you think you’ll still be out here later?”
“Most likely.” He glanced upstairs. “Since Perry seems...busy in our room. Why?”
“Because I didn’t have much to eat this afternoon,” she said, wringing her hands together. “So I’ll probably get hungry and grab some food later.”
He beamed. “Then you can count on me hanging around the kitchen for the rest of the night.”
Evie smiled back at him, and rushed up to the room where she was staying with Savannah. Once she shut the door, no one said a word.
This night certainly hadn’t turned out as anticipated.
“Perry’s really not going to give our bathing suits back, is he?” Courtney asked.
“It’s okay.” Brett wrapped his hand around hers, and then looked around at everyone else. “You’ll all give us space while we get our towels on, right?”
“Yeah.” Madison, surprisingly enough, was the first one out of the hot tub. “We’ll hang out in the kitchen while the two of you cover up.”
Everyone followed her there, and soon enough, Courtney and Brett were the only ones left. Naked. In the hot tub. Next to each other.
Courtney moved her hair over her shoulder, unable to look him in the eye.
“So.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I guess we should grab our towels?”
“Yeah, we should.” She lifted her eyes to meet his, and gasped at the fire that blazed within them. He rested his forehead on hers, his hand caressing her cheek, and she wanted so badly for him to kiss her, to run his hand over every inch of her body. But she couldn’t be thinking about this stuff right now. Not with everyone a room away, able to walk in at any second.
“Okay.” He swallowed. “I’ll turn around while you get yours first.”
“Okay.” Her heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe, and when he turned around, she hurried to grab her towel, wrapping it tightly around herself. “You can get out now,” she said. The water sloshed as he got out of the hot tub, and she studied the fireplace in an extreme effort to not turn around.
“All right,” Brett said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t I walk you to your room? I’ll make sure that no one tries pulling your towel down as a joke. I don’t think they would, but it can’t hurt, just to be safe.”
Courtney wanted to say “okay” again, but she’d said that over and over again, so she just nodded. They made their way back to her room in silence, dripping water on the floor, and he walked inside with her. Courtney shut the door and locked it.
She turned back to Brett, and his green eyes blazed with such intensity—such desire—that her heart leaped into her throat.
“Thanks for walking me back.” She pulled her towel tighter around herself. “I can’t believe I did that. I should have known someone would do something stupid...”
“It was a dick move,” Brett said. “I’m done with Perry for the rest of the trip. But no one saw anything—trust me, I never would have let anyone take advantage of what happened. I care about you too much for that.”
The next thing she knew, his lips crushed against hers, and he’d sandwiched her between the door and his body. She breathed him in, her head swimming with dizziness. It would be so easy to lose herself to him. But there was still one thing holding her back, and she broke the kiss, looking questioningly into his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” His thumb brushed against her cheek, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“This is all just new to me,” she said softly. “I care about you so much—more than I’ve ever told you—and I trust you with everything.”
“I care about you, too.” He paused, watching her closely. “It’s more than caring for you. I’m falling in love with you. I knew it from the moment I kissed you on the dance floor at the grand opening, but you were so unsure about us and I didn’t want to scare you away. But I’m done hiding it. I love you, Courtney Diamond, and it’s about time you knew it.”
Her breath caught, his words making her dizzy. This was the first time someone who wasn’t blood related to her had ever told her they loved her.
And it was absolutely perfect.
“I’m hoping you feel the same, but the way you’re leaving me hanging is making me nervous,” he said. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that... I love you, too,” she said, smiling. “And I’ve also known I was falling for you since that first week, but it got so confusing from there. I’m sorry for holding back. Since I’ve met you, you’re all I’ve been able to think about. Every moment when I’m not with you, I’m waiting for the next time we can be together again. It’s just that...”
“It’s just what?” His fingers grazed her lips, sending heat rushing through her body.
Courtney closed her eyes, unable to focus with him touching her like that. But she needed to get it out, so when she opened them again, she pulled back so she could think. “I couldn’t help comparing myself to everyone in the hot tub tonight,” she started. “And I’m a little...inexperienced. Very inexperienced. Our kiss this summer was my first.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible.” He smiled, as if he found her endearing. “Either those guys in California were blind to what they were missing, or you have very high standards.”
“When I said I didn’t have time for anything but school, work and homework, I meant it,” she said. “Whenever a guy was interested in me, I kept my distance. I couldn’t afford the distraction.”
He laughed. “And here I was hoping that you had high standards.”
“Well, that, too.”
“None of this changes how I feel about you,” he said. “I love you, Courtney Diamond, whether you’ve kissed one guy or fifty.”
“Fifty?” Her eyes widened. She couldn’t imagine having kissed that many guys. Although she knew it happened—Peyton had a friend who kissed thirty guys just in sophomore year. “I wouldn’t be me if I’d kissed fifty guys.”
“I know that,” he said. “And I like how picky you are about who you kiss. I’m glad that I was your first.”
“I am, too.” She swallowed. “And I know I wasn’t the first girl you’ve kissed. Or even the first girl you’ve dated. But when we were playing Never Have I Ever...you put a finger down for having had sex before.”
“I did.” He nodded.
“Who was it?” she asked softly. “Or if it was more than one person, who were they?”
“Only one other person,” he said, and she relaxed a little at knowing that. “My ex-girlfriend from my old school. At the time I thought I loved her, but knowing what I feel now for you, I didn’t.”
Courtney’s cheeks flushed. “What happened between you two?” she asked, taking his hands in hers.
“I’d had a crush on her since middle school,” he said, his eyes far off, as if seeing it all again. “I’d built her up to be someone she wasn’t. For the first few weeks we were together, she was fun and upbeat. Then her true self came out. She talked about her friends behind their backs, and was constantly judging people. She brought negativity with her everywhere she went. Eventually I had enough and ended things.”
“But not before losing your virginity to her.”
“You have to understand...it wasn’t bad between us all the time,” he said. “There were lots of times when we were happy together. But she liked reminding me how she could have her pick of so many guys, and she’d chosen me—as if I should have been so grateful for that. I thought having sex would bring us closer, and that it would get her to drop that attitude. But it didn’t. Maybe someday she’ll find someone who makes her want to be a better person, but that person wasn’t me. She wasn’t the right person for me. But you are. She’s in my past, and what I fel
t for her was nothing compared to what I feel for you. Because I love you, Courtney. So much more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person.”
Her heart swelled, and she kissed him again. The curves of their bodies fit perfectly together, as if they were made for each other. They traveled to the bed, and she pulled him down on top of her, pressing her hips against his. Only the towels were between them, and her body throbbed at the realization. She wanted the towels to be gone. She wanted to feel his skin against hers.
“We need to stop.” His breathing was heavy, and he pulled back to look into her eyes. “You’re driving me crazy, and I don’t want anything to happen between us that you’re not ready for.”
“I’m ready.” Her breath caught, and she kept her eyes locked on his. “I love you, I trust you and I want to be with you.”
“And I want to be with you,” he said. “More than anything. But I don’t want you to do anything you might regret.”
“I love you, Brett,” she said, strong and steady, tracing his cheekbone with her thumb. “And I want to show you how much. I want you to be my first. Here. Now.”
He kissed her again, slower this time. If a kiss could say I love you, this one would. Her heart raced so much that it felt about to burst. His hips pressed against hers, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, needing to be closer to him. This was the closest she’d ever been to anyone, and she wanted more.
“Courtney,” he murmured, burying his face in her neck, his lips caressing her skin. “I want to be with you, too. But I need to get protection first. And it’s in my room.”
Her cheeks heated. This was all new to her, and she’d never had this conversation with anyone. But this was Brett. She trusted him, and she could be up-front with him.
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