All In

by Emma Tharp

  His face is etched with concern and his entire body tenses under me. “Amelia, please.”

  Jumping off him, I bend to pick up my shirt and tug it back over my head. “I’m sorry.”

  He’s up and standing next to me so fast, I barely have a second to register his nearness. My eyes point down and away from him. Grasping my chin and angling my face toward his, he says, “Don’t take this back. And quit apologizing. It’s okay. We can stop now, but don’t regret it. Tonight was perfect.” His tone is as smooth as velvet, wrapping around me, calming me.

  His arms sweep around me and I rest my head on his smooth, warm chest. As much as I don’t want them to, tears start to fall.

  How many bathing suits does a girl need on three-day trip to Mexico? Six, I pack six. Gone are my hopes of only needing a carry-on. A checked bag is going to be a necessity simply because I can’t make up my mind.

  Sundresses, sunscreen, sandals, heels, shorts, sneakers, toiletries, and bikinis. As I attempt to zip my suitcase shut, my cell phone rings.

  It’s Dora. I’ve done my best to avoid her at work the last few days, ducking out of meetings early and pretending I’m on a call when she stops by my office and telling her I’m too busy to go to lunch. She knows something is wrong, but I haven’t been ready for the confrontation, especially at work. I should’ve called her to hash things out; that would’ve been the adult thing to do about it, but I needed a cooling off period.

  “Hi, Dora.”

  “Thanks for answering. You’ve been avoiding me,” she says with slight snark to her tone.

  Taking a deep breath, I say, “You’re right. I have. I’m upset.”

  “With me? Why?”

  “Yes, with you. I spoke with Jackson. He told me that he stopped by the hospital to see me after the miscarriage. He said you turned him away. Is that true?”

  “Oh. He’s right,” she says.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice gets louder. She’s acting like she’s in the right.

  “Because you said you didn’t want him coming to see you. And since you were asleep, I told him it’d be better for him to leave. That’s what you wanted, right?”

  It isn’t a question, so I don’t answer it. “I’m not upset that you turned him away, but you could have at least told me that he showed up and brought me flowers. I didn’t even get the chance to thank him.”

  She lets out a small sigh. “I’m sorry. You sound upset and I wasn’t trying to make you mad. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time.”

  Dora sounds sincere, and there’s remorse in her tone. I don’t think she was trying to be malicious, but my guard is most definitely up. “I accept your apology. Please be honest with me, okay?”

  “Okay. I promise. And what about you and Jackson? How was your last get-together with him?”

  My cheeks heat at the memory. How do I even explain it? “It was awkward, but hot.”

  “What does that even mean?” She laughs.

  “Things got a bit heated after we opened up to each other. Except hooking up with him wasn’t like it was before. I was shy and awkward, but we were both turned on.”

  “Did you have sex?” she asks.

  “No. I wanted to, but it’s not time yet. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees me in my bikini in Mexico. He’s got no idea I’ll be there.”

  “You haven’t told him that the bachelorette party is going to be there too?”

  “Nope. And Will must not have mentioned it, because Jackson hasn’t brought it up.”

  “Well, be careful. Things could heat up fast there. Are you prepared?”

  It’s clear what she means. Am I emotionally ready? After this week’s visit with my counselor, I do think I’m ready. “I’m going to be fine.” Hopefully, better than fine. I’ve been cleared by my OB/GYN. It’s safe for me to have sex again and after my last night with Jackson, I’m ready to seal the deal.

  9

  Jackson

  “We made it!” Steven says, swatting me on the shoulder.

  Why did I drink so much last night? Will thought it’d be fun to go out the night before we flew to Mexico.

  Will and I, and his college buddies Steven, Markus, and David were all out toasting Will’s upcoming wedding and oiling up our engines for our long weekend in Mexico. Too many cheap tequila shots made the flight today almost intolerable.

  “The shuttle should be ready outside,” Markus says. He’s the oldest of the group and most responsible. “I emailed and they assured me it’d be set at noon.”

  Checking my watch, I see that it’s 11:50. “Let’s get our bags and get out of here.” My throat sounds like I’ve just gargled rocks. What I’d like to do is go to the hotel and sleep until tomorrow morning. No way in hell is Will going to go for that. The best I can hope for is a cat nap on the shuttle to the hotel.

  “You look green, buddy,” Will says in my ear as we make our way to the baggage claim area.

  “Dude, I can’t hang anymore,” I say.

  “You work too much. This weekend will be good for you.”

  “Thanks, Will.” I wish he were right. All I can think about is how much I’d rather be spending time with Amelia. After seeing her a few nights ago, I want more. Sure, things were a little different, but she’s as hot as ever. When she was riding me, it took all of my willpower to not rip off her pants. The last thing I should be doing is thinking about having sex with Amelia when her brother is standing next to me.

  The guys and I get our luggage and go outside to the curb. I’m hit immediately with sun and heat. Charlottesville has mild winters, but I am looking forward to warm weather. It’s only a few minutes before our ride shows up at the curb to take us to the resort.

  In the shuttle, the guys uncork a bottle of champagne. I tug my hat low over my eyes, tilt my head back, and fall asleep in seconds.

  Pulling up in front of the resort, I rub my eyes, feeling slightly better than I did before the ride. The check-in area is open, allowing salty fresh air to flow through. Huge potted plants with multi-colored flowers fill the reception room. A beautiful Mexican woman saunters in front of us carrying a tray full of blue drinks with little pink cocktail umbrellas hanging off the edge.

  “Looks good, senorita,” Steven says as he takes a drink off her tray.

  All the other guys grab a drink, except me. And I know they’re going to goad me about not drinking, but if I’m going to make it through the night, I’m going to have to take it slow.

  “What, Jax, you’re not drinking with us?” Steven chimes in.

  “Of course, I am, I just don’t want one of your girlie drinks.” Winking at them, I step away from the guys and go to the desk to check in.

  We all get our keys and a multi-seat golf cart takes us to our rooms. Will and I are in one room and Steven, David, and Markus are next door.

  “Shower and meet back here in a couple of hours for dinner. Then we’re going to hit it hard,” Will announces.

  “Sounds good,” David says. “Can’t wait for tacos and tequila.”

  Even hearing the word tequila churns my stomach. But the food sounds glorious.

  Our room is huge, with an enormous Jacuzzi tub in the center. The walls are tiled and the bedding is in floral bright colors. I’m thankful the room has two bedrooms. My best friend and I are tight, but the last thing I need is to hear him snoring all night.

  The shower does wonders for my mood. The warm water eases my tight muscles from the flight and wakes me up. I wear a pair of gray golf shorts and a black golf shirt.

  Will and I meet up with the guys and go to the Mexican buffet. I pound three plates full of tacos, with shredded pork, chicken, and beef all smothered in guacamole. Despite the fact that I overate, the last remnants of my hangover disappear with my last bite of food.

  “The dance club is right next door,” Will says as he finishes the last of his fajita and pats his flat stomach.

  “Let’s go party.” Steven jumps out of his ch
air and chugs his third Dos Equis of the meal. This guy is going to be out of control this weekend. Steven lacks an on/off switch; all-inclusive could spell disaster for him.

  “Yeah!” David agrees and he and Steven give each other a high-five. It’s as if we’re transported back to college, even though these two are both married and both have kids at home.

  We stroll into the dimly-lit club. There’s a song playing over the speakers with a heavy bass beat. Making our way to the bar, the bartender is whipping up something with fruit and alcohol in a blender. We place our order of five Mexican beers and the guys order shots of tequila, that I pleasantly decline.

  “Come on, man, you better not wuss out on us this weekend,” Steven says with a slight slur.

  “Don’t worry, man. We’re going to have a good time.” I raise my beer. “To Will’s bachelor party weekend.” We clink our bottles together to toast.

  We have a few beers and watch the drunken tourists grinding on the dance floor. Exhaustion tugs at my eyelids. Cramming more hours in at work this week has left little time for rest. I’d love to call it a night, but it’s Will’s weekend, so I’m going to make the most of it.

  As I’m placing an order for another beer, cool hands come up behind me and wrap over my eyes. “Are you going to be rude, or are you going to buy a girl a drink?” I can’t believe it; it’s Amelia’s sweet floral perfume and her sexy voice in my ear.

  Spinning around, I’m shocked. My jaw goes slack. Here she is, in the flesh in a short red V-neck sundress. The top plunges low, exposing the curve of her cleavage. Her long smooth legs and take-me-to-bed heels make me want to lift her up and kiss her. My hands twitch at my sides with wanting to touch her. But I don’t. Scanning the room, I see Julia and Will hugging and dancing along with a few of Julia’s bridesmaids. “You’re here.”

  Amelia bats her lashes at me and says, “Surprise.”

  “Wait, how long have you known you were coming?” Amelia never mentioned Mexico to me, and come to think of it, neither did Will.

  She just smirks at me, her hazel eyes sparkling with gold flecks in the dim light. She puts her thumb and pointer finger an inch apart. “For a little while.” She giggles and hiccups as she puts her hands on my chest.

  I give her a hug and take a step back. “Are you drunk?”

  Her cheeks have that tell-tale blush that she gets when she’s had a few drinks.

  “Maybe.”

  “You know your brother is here, right?” With her inhibitions lowered, it’s obvious she’s not thinking clearly. She keeps coming closer to me.

  “It’s fine. He knows we’re friends. Let’s dance, friend.” She grabs me by the collar of my shirt and leads me to the dance floor.

  She brings us to the corner and crushes her body against mine. Her arms come around my neck and the curves of her body fit perfectly against mine. My dick twitches in my pants as she grinds herself against me. “This feels so good, Jackson.”

  Does it ever. But we have to be careful. “Remember that your brother is right over there.” I point in his direction. “He doesn’t know about us, but he will soon if he sees us grinding over here.”

  “Take me to my room.” Her eyelids are barely open.

  “Are you sure about this?” Fuck. I’d love to run back to her room with her, but she’s pretty drunk. The last thing I want to do is take advantage of her and lose the ground we’ve gained.

  Her hands come down my back and squeeze my ass, pressing me as close as I can get to her sex. “Trust me, Jackson. I want you to take me back to my room now. Or else….”

  As much as I hate to do it, I move her hands. “Okay. Where is it? I’ll meet you there in ten minutes.”

  She whispers her room number in my ear and sucks my lobe in her mouth while placing a key card in my hand. My body aches to touch her, but I don’t want Will’s fist in my face. I take a step back. She blows me a kiss and turns to walk away. Her legs and ass are perfection. Deep breaths, dude.

  What am I going to tell Will? He’ll be pissed that I’m ducking out early. He and Julia are in a lip lock on the dance floor. Steven is sitting in a chair with his head in his hands and David and Markus are dancing with the bridesmaids.

  Nobody is going to miss me.

  I hustle in the direction of Amelia’s room, wondering the entire time if I’m making a mistake.

  Slipping the keycard in the door, I push it open. Peering into the room, it’s dark with the exception of a small light coming from her bedroom. My heart skips a few beats. “Amelia,” I say before turning the corner to her room.

  It’s quiet.

  “Amelia.”

  There’s a whimper coming from the bathroom.

  I rush to the door. “Is everything okay?”

  “Go away, Jackson,” she says. Her tone is weak.

  “What’s the matter?” I don’t like how she sounds. I push on the bathroom door and it opens. Good, she didn’t lock it.

  She’s lying on the floor, flat on her stomach, arms bent and tucked under her torso. Her head is pointed toward the door. “Are you okay?” I ask. It’s clear she’s not. When I move in closer, her face is pale and sweat dots her forehead.

  “No, I’m not. I don’t feel good. Can you make the room stop spinning, please,” she whines.

  Shit. She’s feeling about as good as I did last night. “Damn, babe. Do you want anything? Water?” Lifting her head and setting it on my lap, I wipe her damp hair off her forehead.

  “I don’t think anything is going to help me now.” Her eyes are sad and flutter closed while I stroke her hair.

  “Oh, no.” Her eyes fly open as she shifts her body toward the toilet, just in time to throw up.

  I get behind her and grab her thick hair in my hand. The poor girl. I know just how she feels. I rub her back until she’s finished.

  Turning her head toward me, she runs the back of her hand across her mouth. With tears in her eyes, she asks, “Could you please get me that water now?”

  “Of course.” Standing up, I go into the kitchenette and grab a bottled water from the refrigerator. Back in the bathroom, she’s resumed her position on the floor. “Hey, let me help you up. Let’s get you into bed.”

  “That sounds good.” She pushes herself up tentatively on one arm.

  I kneel down next to her and sling one of her arms over my shoulder. We take our time standing up together.

  “You okay?”

  Her knees are shaking as she says, “Give me a second.”

  We stay still and wait for her to get her balance. “Let’s get this off,” I say. In one quick motion, I pull her sundress up and over her head. She’s only got a strapless bra and thong on. Even though she’s sick, it’s nearly impossible to not take notice of her sexy body. Check yourself, Jackson.

  I duck down and lift her up under the knees to swing her body up to carry her to the bed. Easing her down, I try not make her world spin any more than it has been.

  With her eyes closed, but a grimace on her face, I touch her cheek. “This better than the floor?”

  “I think so.”

  “I’ll be right back.” I go back into the bathroom and run a washcloth under the cold water and wring it out. The water bottle is sitting on the floor where I left it, so I grab that too, and head back to her bed. Laying the cloth on her forehead, she lets out a contented sigh. “Want a sip of water?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Twisting off the top, I bring the bottle down to her dry lips. “Just a little.”

  Her full lips pucker up and she takes a drink. “That tastes good.” She tries to drink more, but I back it away.

  “Let’s take it slow. I don’t want you sick again, okay?”

  “Okay. Will you stay with me?” Her voice is small, tentative.

  “Of course. I’m not going anywhere.” I take the trash can from the bathroom and set it next to her side of the bed.

  “Thank you for taking care of me, Jackson.”

  Pulling my shirt and
shorts off, I ease into bed next to her and wrap my arm around her waist. She snuggles her head back to my chest, her warm body and backside against me. We fit so well together. I’m not happy she’s sick, but it’s been too long since I’ve held her this way. Sweeping her hair off her back, I kiss the soft skin of her shoulder. “Get some sleep.”

  My friends look how I felt yesterday morning. Bags under their eyes and gray skin, all reeking of stale beer and tequila. After the breakfast buffet, we make our way to the pool where there’s a session of water aerobics going on at one end. Middle-aged and elderly women bounce around, kicking and splashing, following the lead of a buff Mexican man leading the class.

  “Hey, thanks for giving me and Julia some privacy last night. I appreciate you getting another room. You really are the best man a guy could have.” He gives me a sly smile.

  “No problem at all.” This couldn’t have worked out any better. I thought he would be grilling me about where I was last night. Turns out he thinks I was doing him a favor. Perfect. “You didn’t know the girls were coming here?”

  “Yeah. Well, no. I knew they’d be in Riviera Maya, but not our resort. I guess theirs was shitty, so they decided to come to ours. You’re not pissed that they’re here, are you?”

  “No. If you’re happy, then so am I.” He does seem to be ecstatic that his fiancée is here. And any time I get to spend with Amelia is a bonus, even if there’s still some uncertainty with our relationship. And the fact that Will still has no idea that his sister and I have feelings for each other. Until Amelia and I are clear with where our relationship is headed, there’s no sense in upsetting Will. “Where are the ladies this morning?”

  “Julia is sleeping off her hangover. Not sure about everyone else.”

  I left Amelia early this morning before she woke up. I wanted to go back to my room before Will woke up, hoping he wouldn’t notice that I was gone all night. When I snuck in, he and Julia were curled up in his room, sleeping like babies, wrapped up in each other like Amelia and I were just minutes before.