The Girl in the Mirror (Sand & Fog #3)

by Susan Ward

  Tall. Blond. Hooters and tan. A Madison clone, up at the net, setting the ball for Jacob.

  A bad set, out of his reach.

  Jacob dives, digging for the ball, hits it and misses.

  “Smack, that’s game point,” Madison jeers, smiling as she trots to the net. “And that’s the sound of me smacking down your ego, Jake.” She scoops up the ball and makes it dance on her fingertips. “Told you I was good.”

  He laughs—my insides shimmy—Jesus Christ, I’ve never heard him laugh before. He stares at Madison, exasperated. “Fine. You’re as good as you say you are.”

  Her fingers do a chalk-one-up gesture in the air. “You’re not bad yourself. Where’d you learn to play?”

  “The army. Not much to do in the desert when you’re deployed and not out on patrol. Got to do something to keep busy.”

  “Well, you’re good. You might be even good enough to play college ball. Want a rematch? Or have you had enough?”

  He smiles at his partner. “I’m ready for a rematch, if you are, Sierra.”

  She holds out her hand. “I’ve got lots more game in me—”

  My brows lift.

  Oh, you do, do you?

  “—and you haven’t seen my best moves. This time we bring out our A-game.”

  Madison’s eyes sparkle as she bites back a smirk, but no, Maddy, it’s not funny. I quickly assess Jacob and realize that went right past him and he didn’t hear that the way Maddy and I did—or how Sierra meant it.

  “Then can you lend me some? I have a feeling I’ll need it. They’re good.”

  Sierra studies him, flirty-eyed, and then flashes a too-white-teeth bright smile. “Come on. This game is ours. We’re not letting them win again.”

  “Hell no,” Jacob replies good-humoredly and they both laugh as he takes the clone’s hand and lets her pull him to his feet.

  He makes quick swipes at the sand on his sweat-glistening legs and then his chest as her eyes not-so-subtly follow the moves of his fingers.

  Then my vision is dragged from her face to Jacob, and it’s suddenly not a mystery why Sierra is staring and drooling.

  I can hardly take in air.

  I thought he’d be built—crap, where did the shorts come from and why isn’t he wearing a shirt?—but, oh damn, I never imagined under the boring clothes he wears to work he’d look like this.

  Jeez. Freaking. Louise.

  The muscles of his back, flexing and bronze, move with the acts of his hands, and his legs are long and strong, not muscled like a lifter and not lean like a runner. His glutes? No words for that—moving on—and his sculptured chest is a sun rich color with no ink, just him—gorgeous, cut, six-pack him.

  His fingers brush lower across his abs. A ridge of white flesh. A scar? I lock my gaze there because my heart is beating out of my chest but it doesn’t help.

  Even the scar is hot as hell on him.

  “Krystal!” I drag my eyes from Jacob to see Madison sprinting across the sand in her dorky, loose, long-limbed way she uses to be silly. “About time you got here, girl.”

  “Looks like you’re having a great time without me.”

  My cheeks flush.

  Damn, I didn’t mean to say that.

  Her eyes sharpen in that what’s up with you? expression, and noticing my preoccupation, or rather who I’m preoccupied with, she leans into me and whispers, “Sierra? Are you kidding me? Is that why you’re pissed?”

  “I’m not pissed.”

  “Don’t ruin this weekend with one of your moods. We were only killing time waiting for you.”

  “What? I didn’t say anything.”

  “You don’t have to. I know that look on your face.”

  That look on my face—oh crap, do I have that look on my face? Our gazes lock, her answering stare mocking, like I’m the one who’s wrong. Though really, how could I be the one wrong? She went and found my guy—my pretend guy, but she doesn’t know that—a date.

  “Let it go, Krystal.”

  “Nothing to let go,” I say quickly, wanting this conversation done because Jacob has crossed the beach to us.

  “I’m glad you’re back,” he murmurs.

  OK, is everyone taking happy pills?

  “Can we stop fighting now?” Jacob says, stepping close into me. “I’m sorry about last night. I’m sorry about everything. I hated sleeping on the patio and I want to move past it, babe.”

  His smile renders me mute.

  Out the corner of my eyes, I see Madison watching alertly, her face bright with that isn’t he sweet? look. When did she become Jacob’s best bud, and why do I feel like I don’t have a clue what’s going on here?

  “Stop being mad, Krystal,” Jacob orders affectionately. And before I can figure what this is about, he closes the gap between our lips and he’s kissing me.

  Chapter Seventeen

  My head tilts back before I can stop it as the play of his lips deepens against mine. Somewhere in the back of my consciousness I know this is an act we’re putting on for Madison et al but, damn, it doesn’t feel that way as Jacob’s hands lower to my butt cheeks and slowly bring me up against him.

  The sensation of him overlays me as I’m molded into that warm, firm, sweaty body. Jesus Christ, the guy may not know how to use his mouth to speak, but where the hell did he learn to kiss?

  Lightly, there’s a flutter against my lips—his finger—as if to tell me he’s about it ease back now, and out of nowhere I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anyone since I’ve never had a guy kiss me this way. Sweetly pressureless. It makes me melt more into him, desperate to open wider to him instead of closing up—

  Oh no, my lips are parting, and his eyes close with the quiet advance of his tongue. He lightly touches. A wave of sensation runs all the way down to my toes. Before I can stop myself, I’m pushing into him, and he deepens the contact and quickens the dance inside my mouth.

  In a sudden flash, so many things become instantly clear: all those months of him ignoring me; his extreme reaction over Daryl; how quickly he agreed to help me this weekend; and even how this could change in a blink from two people faking they’re involved to sharing something unmistakably real.

  Madison was right.

  Jacob does have feelings for me.

  A guy couldn’t kiss a girl this way if he wasn’t interested in her.

  Butterflies fill my stomach.

  I never expected this, not in a million years.

  We pull our mouths apart as his forehead comes to mine, and I breathe raggedly, eyes closed, trying to stop the pulse in my veins moving in time with the thumping of his heart against my chest.

  I don’t know what to say.

  How to react—or even if I should.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I wouldn’t have done that if it hadn’t seemed necessary. You’re right, Madison isn’t going to let up unless we sell her on this.”

  My lids shoot open and it’s like I’ve been kicked in the stomach.

  “We’re good, right?” he asks when I don’t answer him.

  I swallow hard and nod. “Of course, why wouldn’t we be?”

  Though in truth, I don’t know what I am: good, bad, disappointed, or angry. I’m completely discomposed by what just happened.

  He smiles, relieved, and steps back. “Sierra, come meet my girlfriend.”

  I turn toward the court, and startle when Jacob slips his arms around my waist. As I watch the clone’s bouncing trot across the sand, I catch a glimpse of Madison grinning widely as though all is right with the world.

  I need to pull it together quickly. He’s only doing what I asked him to. This was my idea, but I didn’t anticipate this. Having him close—why does he have to stand so close to me?—touching me and kissing me.

  Unnerving.

  No, I didn’t think this one through.

  Sierra’s sparkling eyes smile at him. “We already know each other, Jake.” Her
gaze shifts to me. “Last summer at Madison’s. The tournament. We were on the same team, remember?”

  My memory decides to function and I wish I could shut it off. Oh no, not her. How could I have not recognized her? But then, all Madison’s friends look exactly like Maddy. And of her friends to run into in Malibu, why did it have to be this one? The girl all the guys were salivating over. Even Daryl.

  “The other half of my killer sand duo,” Madison pipes up. “USA gold, here we come!”

  They slap hands high, sending a shockwave into the air with their laughter.

  “You’re kidding me, right?” Jacob says, surprised and impressed. “You’re going to the Olympics?”

  “Well, not yet,” Madison says. “They haven’t picked the team, but—”

  “We’re going to crush everyone who tries to get between us and our slot,” Sierra finishes confidentially.

  “You know it, sista. This year NCAA for Hawaii and next stop USA.”

  “Thank God we got into one college together.”

  “Well, if you hit the books more often, Sierra, instead of what you do instead, we would have gotten into more colleges. Now I have to go to Hawaii”—she says it exaggeratedly like it’s a sacrifice—“so we can continue training together.”

  “Boo hoo. Poor Maddy. Nick might be taken in by that, but I’m not.” Laughing, Sierra checks her watch. “I’ve got to run.” She points between us. “We up for later?”

  Madison nods enthusiastically. “You know it. Time to turn this party into a party.”

  They laugh and I tense. Party? No, Madison, no, not your friends. Not here. Not during my weekend. Say it isn’t so.

  “That’s OK with you, right, K-bell? Sierra is staying at Pepperdine with some of my Santa Barbara friends. I thought it would be fun. Low-key, I promise. Say it’s OK.”

  Her eyes widen hopefully.

  I hate it when she does this; puts me on the spot.

  “Whatever everyone wants is fine with me,” I say, fighting not to sound annoyed.

  “Yeah, that’s my girl,” Madison chimes happily. “You don’t have to worry. Nick and I will see to everything. You and Jake can chill out and do whatever while we get at it.”

  “See you later.” Sierra brushes past me to press up against Jacob in a half hug, half shoulder bump. “Maybe we’ll play some ball tomorrow?”

  He laughs. “I’m up for it, if you are.”

  Can she be any more obvious?

  Volleyball, my ass.

  So not subtle.

  The girl’s a prowler.

  “Great. Looking forward to it,” she answers before she leaves. We all turn to watch as Sierra disappears up the beach, and when I face Madison she’s beaming again.

  “I’m glad the two of you made up. It would have been awkward if you fought all weekend.”

  “Give us an hour to shower and junk, and we can head out for The Cove,” Nick says.

  “The Cove?” I repeat, surprised.

  “Yeah, I can’t believe Jake’s never been there,” Madison explains. “I thought it would be nice for lunch.”

  My mouth scrunches up as I shake my head. I hate The Cove and she knows that. A greasy dive on the water. What’s nice about that?

  Madison’s golden brows lower. “Why the pouty face?”

  “Because you don’t even ask me what I want to do. You just start setting up things.”

  She flushes. “I’m only trying to help. You know that, Krystal. We didn’t have plans for lunch. I didn’t think you’d care where we went. Lettuce is the same everywhere. Why are you pissed?”

  “I’m not,” I counter, annoyed, though I’m not really sure why because this is nothing new, I never care where we eat, and I’m used to Maddy taking over things.

  “Hey, we can go where you want, Krystal,” Jacob says quietly.

  “Stay out of it,” I snap. “No one asked for your vote.”

  An awful, heavy silence closes in from all directions.

  Crap, I didn’t mean to bite his head off.

  Jacob steps back from me. “Consider me out.” He grabs his shirt from the sand. “I’m going to go take a shower. Let me know what you guys work out. I’m good with anything you want to do.”

  Madison rakes me with her eyes as Jacob walks off.

  “Nick,” she murmurs firmly, not dropping her gaze from me, “can you give us a few?”

  “Sure, Legs. I’ll go get cleaned up, too.”

  He drops a kiss on her shoulder, leaving me alone with her. Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut?

  She plops down to sit on the sand, taking me with her. “What’s going on, Krystal?”

  “Nothing,” I say a little too quickly and defensively.

  “He’s a great guy. Don’t treat him badly.”

  “Don’t lecture me about Jacob. And since when are you two friends?”

  “Since about two hours ago when you were running.” She crinkles her nose. “I was kind of rotten over breakfast. Said some crap about you to see what his reaction would be, and I’m telling you Jake is in deep over you. Defended you like a SWAT team. He really cares about you. He’s a good guy. You shouldn’t be—”

  Her voice trails off without finishing that thought.

  “Be what?” I ask, though I don’t want to.

  Her brows lift. “Shouldn’t be the way you were with Daryl.”

  A harsh lump rises in my throat.

  “That’s so unfair, Maddy. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m not happy with how things went down with Daryl, but getting to know Jake I’m starting to understand it. I can see how you could fall for him so quickly. What I don’t understand is why you’re trying to wreck it. He’s a good guy. Open your eyes,” she says sadly.

  Why am I even trying to win this argument?

  I let out a ragged breath. “Fine, Maddy. I’ll try not to be so…overly nitpicky with him.”

  Madison makes a face. “The word I was thinking was hard. Try not to be so hard on him. The guy’s trying. This weekend can’t be easy for him. You know, with how you started out with Daryl and all, and how Nick is Daryl’s best friend. It’s got to be awkward for him, and I think he’s into you a lot more than you realize. You should hear how he talks about you, Krystal. I have a feeling this guy could be a really good thing for you if you let it be.”

  If you let it be—Madison the peacemaker with a single disarming dose of her father. Five words lifted from Grandpa Jack and I’m feeling terrible for being so snappy with Jacob and everyone else.

  “I’ll apologize to Jacob, Maddy. Can we consider this done?”

  “Good. This guy is the kind who’s sensitive and easy to break. Don’t break him, OK? Nick and I really like him.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  When I go into my bedroom the shower is running. Thank you, Jacob, for asking if you could use my bathroom.

  I sink down on the bed and stare at the partially closed door. I need to stop being petty. The guy needed a shower. What does it matter where he takes one?

  Plopping back on the pillow, I try not to listen to him as I wait. My gaze wanders around the room. There’s a duffel on the carpet outside the bathroom door.

  When did that get here?

  A brown leather case atop it.

  A gun?

  Scrunching my nose, I shake my head. That’s definitely got to go. Don’t like guns anywhere near me, not ever. The security guys are always strapped, but really, with how they’re built, why do they need them?

  Groaning, I cover my face with my hands. Not my type, but I can’t deny Jacob’s a gorgeous guy—a gorgeous guy I’ve got to let stay in my room with me.

  My leg starts to jiggle.

  Three days of this.

  Sharing a room with a guy who looks like that.

  Not good.

  I say my mantra in my head: No time. No want. No need.

  Vibration in my p
ocket and I pull out my phone, read the screen, and then grimace. I didn’t expect to hear from Daryl so soon.

  I hit the speaker button and say, “Hi.”

  “Is it true?” he accuses harshly.

  My scalp tingles then cold prickles run my body. Oh shit, he’s pissed, and by the tone of his voice I can tell either Maddy or Nick told him about my imaginary relationship with Jacob.

  “I’m sorry about what happened. Are you all right?”

  “No, I’m not all right, and fuck you for asking me that. Is it true? You’ve been seeing someone behind my back and he’s there with you now?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Then how is it, Krystal? Explain why some guy used my face as a punching bag, threatened me to stay away from you, and is with you for the rest of the weekend.”

  “I didn’t intend any of that. He’s one of the security guys—”

  “Security guy, huh? Who happens to be sleeping with you? Stop lying, Krystal. Two years and this is how you end it?”

  “I’m not lying.”

  Whistling comes from the bathroom and I realize the shower has turned off.

  “Is that him? Is he there with you now?”

  There’s no way to answer that and not make him angrier. No, never expected that. He’s always bland, such an even temperament. No highs, no lows. But oh, Krystal, that has changed since last night. He’s one jealous and furious male, and I need that to figure out how to defuse this quickly.

  “I care about you, Daryl. I always will. But I don’t want to get back together. And I don’t think talking about this will do either of us any good.”

  I end the call before he can respond.

  A few seconds later there’s a ding.

  Text.

  Daryl: Don’t you hang up on me again. We’re talking about this.

  Before I can turn off my phone, it rings. There’s no way I can manage Daryl going psycho, Madison watching every move I make, and Jacob in my universe all on the same day.

  I hit answer. “It’s over, Daryl. I don’t want to be with you anymore. Stop calling. Stop texting. You’re acting crazy.”

  “What’s going on? Are you OK?”

  You’ve got to be freaking kidding me. My life of sane order has become an unending stream of unexpected awful.