“We have to go.”
“What about our stuff?”
“Shit,” I whisper, forgetting about our study table. “I’ll go grab everything. Meet me outside by the fountain. I don’t think anyone saw us but they definitely heard the commotion. They’re going to be looking for suspicious people and, since you’re still ashamed of me, we don’t want them finding out who caused the scene.”
She pinches my rib. “I’m not ashamed of you, Kip. Don’t say it like that.” Even in the darkness, I can see her brows furrowed, her mouth pulling to the side.
I kiss her again, softer this time. “I’m just kidding, Sky. I get it, I do. I promise. Let’s just get out of here and back to my place.”
She nods and I kiss her once more before slipping out the door and toward our table. Gathering everything up, I quickly shove books and notes in our bags and jet toward the door. The girls at the end of the table appraise me as I leave and I give them a second glance, trying to determine if Skyler knows them or not. They don’t look familiar and I don’t run into the librarian again. I think we’re safe.
When I reach the fountain, Skyer is sitting on the side, her fingers lazily running the top of the water. She looks up and smiles when she hears me approaching and once again I admire how stunning she looks in the morning light. The sun reflects off her light brown hair, making it almost look gold in certain places, and even squinting her blue eyes shine bright.
She’s just so damn beautiful.
“Oh my God, I am going to scream if I don’t find a cute bathing suit before tomorrow.” I stop dead in my tracks as Ashlei walks up to Skyler, plopping down next to her. “I mean seriously, it’s Spring-freaking-Break! Why are all the stores sold out of the cute stuff?” She pauses, looking up at me. “Oh, hey Kip.”
“Hey.” I nod, smiling. I hold out Skyler’s bag. “You forgot this. See you bright and early in the morning.”
“I’ll be there with bells on,” Skyler says, grabbing the bag from my hand. She lets her fingers linger just a little longer than necessary and Ashlei’s brow shoots up, her eyes questioning us both. Before she has the chance to voice any questions out loud, I turn and walk in the direction of my apartment.
Damn it.
I tuck my hands in my jeans as I walk, trying to calm myself enough to think clearly. Eventually, even if it’s taking longer than I want, Skyler is going to be okay with people knowing we’re together. Eventually, things are going to get serious, if they aren’t already. And, eventually, I’ll be sitting across from her at a table in Vegas.
Fuck.
Sighing, I pull my phone from my pocket and find my dad’s contact. Hitting the call button, I breathe in deeply, trying to steady my nerves. There are no right words to say what I need to say to him. He might hate me, he will definitely yell, and regardless of that, I know I have to do this.
I have to call things off.
I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to figure that out. I should have called it off after the first night. I knew then that there was no turning back, there was no betraying Skyler. I don’t want to hurt her. I can’t hurt her. And if that means putting my dreams on the backburner for now, then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll figure out a way to go to UCLA on my own. Dad will be pissed, but he’s my dad, right? Eventually, he’ll have to forgive me. Hell, maybe I can convince him to play poker again himself after he retires. Whatever the future holds after this phone call ends, I don’t care. As long as I have Skyler.
And part of me knows that could change, too. I could give all this up, sacrifice my ride to my dream school along with my dad’s respect and she could leave me. She’s already done it once before. I shiver, remembering the way it felt to see her dead eyes reflecting mine as she told me there was no us.
My dad’s voicemail message pulls me back to the present. Frowning, I hang up, tucking the phone back in my pocket. Strange. I don’t think I’ve ever heard my dad’s voicemail. He always answers my call. I guess I’ll try again later tonight.
It’s crazy, the way making a decision can make you feel. Not just mentally, but physically. I already feel lighter on my feet, like I was carrying a backpack full of dirt and someone sliced the bottom of it. The dirt is pouring out, leaving a trail of dust behind me as my shoulders lift.
Things are about to change. I’m about to change.
I’m going to be with Skyler. Not yet, not fully, anyway – but soon.
I never thought I would risk my dreams, but now I wonder if maybe I’m not risking them at all.
Maybe my dreams have just changed, too.
“IT’S SPRING BREAK, BITCHES!” Kade slaps me hard on the back as he and a group of my brothers run past me toward the ramp to the boat. I smile as they ruffle my hair and punch me on the arm but press my finger harder against my open ear, trying to hear the ring of the phone in the other. Dad’s voicemail picks up again and I sigh, checking my watch. It’s two in the afternoon there, it doesn’t make sense why he wouldn’t be answering. Still.
I’ve tried calling more than a dozen times since Wednesday with no luck. I texted my mom last night and she said everything was fine, Dad was just busy, but it still doesn’t feel right to me. He’s been on my ass about Skyler all semester, it doesn’t make sense that he would just ignore my calls now.
“Hey Dad,” I say loudly, trying to talk over the growing noise of excited Spring Breakers around me. I haven’t left a voicemail yet, and I can’t tell him what I need to like this, but I need to at least know I said something. “Listen, we need to talk. It’s about Skyler, about… everything. I’m getting on the cruise now, so I won’t have service again until Tuesday. I’ll call you then.” I pause, not sure what else to say. For some reason, I end with “Love you.” It’s weird, but for some reason it just felt right to say.
I tuck my phone in the pocket of my board shorts and catch up to Kade and the guys. I saw Skyler during our test yesterday morning, but that’s all after our study session Wednesday. I tried to hang out with her after the test, but of course the girls all wanted to go get their nails and shit done for the cruise. Looking around the crowd trying to spot her brown hair piled messily on her head, I feel like I might really be an addict. Can’t even go twenty-four hours, anymore.
“Bro, I’m so excited for this week,” Kade says as we reach the deck floor of the boat. We all pile out of the elevator and make our way to the main pool. It’s already littered with hundreds of college students, drink in hand and barely a stitch of clothing on. The sun is warm and it’s in the high seventies with literally not one cloud in the sky. Flicking on my Ray Bans, I realize we couldn’t have asked for a better week for Spring Break. It’s only March seventh, but in Florida and the Bahamas, spring is already starting. “We’re official brothers now, midterms are done, there are half-naked girls ready to drink their dignity away and I’ve got my dad’s credit card.” He winks at a blonde in a hot pink bathing suit with leopard bottoms, turning a little to face her as we walk by. “This is going to be the best week of my life.”
I laugh, clapping him on the back and shaking my head. “If you even remember any of it, that is.”
Kade goes to respond when suddenly we’re both tackled from behind. A pair of long, tanned legs wraps around my torso and long brown hair tumbles down in front of my face. Kade stumbles a bit as Cassie pulls herself up higher on his back, throwing her hands in the air. “It’s Spring Break, bitches!” Apparently that’s our theme for the week. “Where’s our shots?!”
I look up and find Skyler attached to the legs wrapped around me, but I didn’t have to look to know it was her. I think I’d know her legs if they were masked by a ski suit. She smiles down at me, her blue eyes sparkling in the sun. “I’ve been on this boat for seven and a half minutes now and I still don’t have a frozen, fruity drink in my hand.” She pouts.
“Well, that sounds like a problem I can solve.” I grab her thighs and pull her up higher on my back before taking off fast toward the deck bar. She sq
ueals and squeezes her legs around me as I run, making flashbacks of her in my bed invade my thoughts. I drop her gently down onto a barstool and she laughs, swinging her hair over her shoulder.
“That might be my new favorite mode of transportation,” she says, eying me with a hunger in her eyes that I’ve grown too attached to. I feel myself instinctively leaning down to kiss her and stop short when I realize what I was about to do. Skyler bites her lip, her eyes catching my mistake. She smiles and I smile, too, because there’s nothing else we can do.
“Mine, too.”
We order our drinks along with the rest of the crew and then all gather around the pool, some kicking back in lounge chairs while others wade in the shallow end of the pool or hang their feet in. Skyler is sitting in a line on the edge of the pool with Erin, Cassie, Ashlei, and Jess. They all swing their feet absentmindedly and sip on their drinks, the condensation gathering and rolling down the glasses in the same way small beads of sweat slowly roll down Skyler’s neck and into the crevice between her breasts. The minute she took off the sundress covering her bathing suit I groaned internally, thankful for the sunglasses masking my reaction. But she made sure to do it nice and slow, smiling at me as she dropped the garment onto an empty lounge chair.
I can’t wait to get her alone.
When the captain announces we’re pulling away from port, everyone jumps out of the pool and starts gathering around the edges of the ship, waving to other boats and people dining at waterfront restaurants as we pull out to sea. With everyone distracted and buzzed at this point, I take advantage and grab Skyler’s wrist, tugging her with me in the opposite direction. I move quickly, making sure I avoid the areas where the Greeks from our school have gathered. Spying a private deck a bit higher than the one we’re on, I rush us up the stairs and we duck under a sign hanging on a chain that says VIP ONLY. When we reach the top, we’re alone. Ten empty lounge chairs shine in the sunlight, but no one is up here just yet. And, lucky for us, no one is patrolling the area yet, either.
“Finally,” she breathes, pulling me against her and sliding her hands into my hair as she presses her lips to mine. Her body moves against me like she can’t stand any sliver of space, like touching every part of me isn’t close enough. I wrap my arms around her and back her up to the railing, biting her lip softly and sliding my fingers under the strings of her bikini top before pulling back.
“I might upgrade to VIP if it means you’ll sneak up here with me every chance we get this week.”
She smiles, her long hair blowing wildly around her. “Oh yeah? You’d drop cash like that for me?”
“Depends.” I grin, turning her around to face the shore and wrapping my arms around her middle. Her skin is hot and smooth against mine, cool and rough in contrast. We’re polar opposites, it seems. Where she’s light, I’m dark. Where she’s innocent, I’m guilty. But then again, I can’t help but feel we’re exactly the same in so many ways. “What am I getting for my money? I’m a very strategic investor, Skyler Thorne.” I whisper the words on the skin right behind her ear and watch as tiny goose bumps spring to life and run rampant down the back of her neck.
She licks her lips and smiles, pressing her ass against my groin and leaning over the rail slightly as she waves to the people on the shore. I groan aloud this time, biting down on her neck softly as she inhales a stiff breath.
“I’m a risky investment,” she says, rolling her hips a little. “If you want the ultimate payout, you’re going to have to take the ultimate risk. You could double your money or you could end up losing everything you own.”
The feisty girl I met that first night at rush is back in full force and I fucking love it. For the past few weeks, things have been so strained between us. She was shy, then she was breaking me, then she was avoiding me, then we were friends, then I had her bent over my couch, and now we’re here, cruising to another part of the world together. My dad is still an issue and for her, Erin is just as much. We’ve both taken risks.
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take, if it means I might get you in the end.” The words fall out of my mouth faster than they process in my brain. It’s a serious statement, a stark contrast from the playful attitude we’ve had all week.
Skyler smiles, leaning her head back against my shoulder. “Be careful, Jackson. That almost sounded like you were falling for me.”
I swallow hard, tucking my hands a little tighter around her waist and resting my head on her shoulder. Her words float in the space around us and I don’t say anything else, letting them wash over me as I think of what they mean. What does it mean when you fall for someone? And when do you know if you’re just tripping or stumbling versus actually pummeling toward the cold hard ground? Love is a scary term, one I’m not sure I’m ready to say just yet. One I might never be able to use.
Then again, my dad always did warn me to never say never.
“Dude, if you spray your cologne one more time we’re going to need a fumigator in here.” I laugh, waving my hand to break up the cloud of Axe body spray.
“Ladies love this shit, man,” Kade says, pulling out the front of his boxers and giving a short spritz.
“Yeah yeah, just hurry up, will ya? You’re worse than the sorority girls on this ship when it comes to getting ready in less than five hours.” Kade checks himself one last time in the mirror and grabs his room key and phone, tucking them in his pocket. “Why are you even bringing your phone? We don’t have service.”
“Pictures, bro! Once the girls get wasted in the club, who knows what could happen. It’s Spring Break. Clothing is optional at a certain point.”
I shake my head and laugh as we close the door to our room behind us, heading down the narrow hallway to the main elevators. We all had dinner earlier and somehow Skyler and I ended up at the same table. Unfortunately, so did Erin and Adam. In fact, Adam wound up in the seat right next to Skyler. Even though she didn’t pay him much attention, he definitely had his eyes glued to her, which made me think he didn’t get her hint earlier this week that she wasn’t interested.
After dinner, everyone headed back to the rooms to get ready to go out for the night. Without our phones, I have no way to find out what Skyler’s plans are for the night, but Kade swears everyone will be at The Cove, one of the clubs onboard.
“So what’s going on with you and Skyler, man?”
I find the floor number for the club and click the coordinating button, shrugging as the doors close. “Nothing. We’re friends. She’s a cool girl.”
Kade rolls his eyes. “Seriously? She’s a cool girl? Come on, bro, this is me you’re talking to. I can see the way you two are looking at each other and if you don’t watch it, other people will start to catch on, too. It’s not over between you two, is it?”
Fuck. Kade is one of my best friends here, but he’s not exactly the brightest brother in our fraternity. If he’s catching on to me and Skyler, who knows who else has noticed.
“I don’t know. It’s complicated. We’re just laying low right now and figuring shit out. Don’t say anything to anyone, okay? Seriously.”
Kade throws his hands up, a shit-eating grin on his face. “My lips are sealed.” He’s quiet for a moment, but right as the doors open he speaks up again. “I’m just saying, I knew it wasn’t over. You two are like a fucking Rom Com, man. The drama is intense.”
I go to punch his arm but he dodges the hit, laughing and hopping around me as we make our way toward the club. We have to pass through the casino and I scan the tables, checking to see if I recognize any of the players sitting at the poker tables tonight. I’m sure if there are tournaments starting tomorrow, the pros are practicing tonight and probably making easy money off the amateur college students looking to “get lucky”. As my eyes scan the tables, I spot the same glittery dress Skyler wore to dinner. Surprisingly, though, she’s not at the poker table or even at a Blackjack one, but at Roulette, instead.
“Hey, I’ll catch up with you in a minute. I’m going t
o go try my hand at Blackjack,” I tell Kade.
His eyes follow mine and he sees Skyler, too. He laughs, cocking a brow. “Yeah, good luck with that game. See you later.”
Kade continues toward the club and I make my way to the table, watching Skyler as she sips her drink and leans forward, placing a bet on the table. She looks incredible tonight. Her long brown hair is curled and pulled into some sort of up-do with just a few loose curls hanging down. Her dress is a pinkish-orange and short in the front but long in the back, showing just enough of her killer legs. It’s mind blowing to me that this girl can look absolutely stunning in a fancy dress and yet still knock me on my ass in just sweatpants and a big t-shirt.
I walk up and stand behind her, assessing the bets on the table. “Why black number four?”
She smiles, keeping her eyes trained on the table but stepping back a little so that our bodies touch just slightly. “It’s a long story.”
“I’m in no rush. I’m actually on vacation, believe it or not.”
Skyler rolls her eyes, taking another sip of her drink as the other players place their bets. “My dad has this formula he uses to find out people’s lucky numbers. He used to do it all the time, sort of like his party trick, I guess.” She smiles, shaking her head. “Anyway, obviously he figured mine out the day I was born and it’s been drilled into my head ever since then that my lucky number is four. When I played little league sports, four was always my number. If anyone asks me to choose a number between one and ten, that’s my go-to – always. I have a tattoo with it, I purposefully buy scratch-offs that are the fourth ones on the roll, I mean literally anything involving numbers leads me straight to number four. And honestly, it really is lucky for me. I’ve won a lot of money by betting horses racing with number four and on the scratch-offs, too.” She pauses, turning to face me. “Except, something weird happens in poker. For whatever reason, anytime I’m dealt a black number four in poker, whether it’s spade or club, I lose the hand. No shit. Even if I have a pair of Aces in the hole, if a four comes up – I know I’m going to lose.” Skyler laughs a little. “Kind of ironic, isn’t it? My lucky number screws me in the game I need it most.”
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