He smiled broadly. “I’d really appreciate that. Thank you.”
“No problem,” I said and turned to Sela. “You know, I can touch-up your hair a little, as well. Even out some of those areas that Milan seems to have missed.”
Jesse pointed towards her head. “He did, look over to the right. She should really get that fixed.”
“My hair is fine,” snapped Sela, glaring at the both of us. “It is supposed to look like this.”
“Oh, of course,” I answered with a wide-eyed grin.
“I’m sure it’s all the rage in Paris,” smirked Jesse.
“It is,” said Sela, twirling her massive engagement ring around on her finger angrily. “Of course, we are usually ahead of you in regards to fashion and style.”
“Clearly,” said Mimi. “You look very lovely, dear.”
“Thank you,” replied Sela. “Obviously, you have great taste.”
Jesse and Reed talked about their careers during dinner while the rest of us sat silently. Then, as Gretchen served our main course of prime rib, Spinach Rockefeller, and some kind of delicious finger potatoes, Sela proved to be even more viscous.
“I’ll just have a little of the spinach,” said Sela, as Gretchen tried offering her some of the prime rib.
I stared down at my plate of food, which had healthy portions of everything.
What can I say? I like to eat.
Sela noticed my plate of food and sneered. “You should reconsider. Eating like that makes a girl fat.”
Before I could respond, Reed said, “Actually, Sela, you should consider eating more food. You’re getting much too thin. It isn’t healthy.”
She gave him a scathing look. “I’m a model. I can’t afford to look fat.”
I cleared my throat. “Actually, I should probably stick to smaller portions myself,” I said, thinking about the extra few pounds I’d put on in the last year. I still needed to lose those before I’d feel comfortable in any kind of bathing suit.
“Nonsense,” said Jesse. “You look great. You obviously know how to eat right.”
“Oh, I think we can all agree that Sinclair knows what she’s doing,” piped in Jack, his eyes glossy as he stepped back into the dining room, swaying slightly. “If she fills out a swimsuit as well as she does that dress…”
“Jack!” gasped Mimi.
“Oh, chill out, Mimi,” said Jack with a lopsided grin. “You still fill out your swimsuit nicely too, my dear.”
Mimi smiled, her cheeks pink. “Oh, Jack.”
“Speaking of swimsuits,” said Jesse. “Sin and I were thinking of leaving ours here and going for a little skinny-dip in the ocean around midnight. Anyone else game?”
“Seriously?” asked Reed, raising an eyebrow.
I shook my head vehemently. “No, he’s just kidding.”
“The hell I am,” spouted Jesse. “We’re going to that spot you used to bring all your women, Reed.”
Sela’s eyes narrowed. “Your women? When was that?”
“Don’t worry, it was long before you,” said Reed, patting her hand.
“I’d join you, but something tells me I’d get in trouble from the boss,” chuckled Jack as he nodded towards Mimi.
“Don’t you dare go skinny-dipping anywhere on the beach,” said Mimi with a look of horror. “None of you. I simply forbid it.”
Jesse waved his hand. “Oh, you’re so paranoid, mother.”
“Sounds like fun,” smiled Sela. “I love skinny-dipping.”
“And you’re French,” said Jesse. “You people love walking around nude, flaunting your bodies.”
“Because we know how to eat right and take care of them,” she said, again staring directly at me. “We have nothing to be ashamed of.”
I thought about drowning her in the ocean and wondered if skinny girls sank or floated in saltwater.
Mimi shook her head, still upset. “Goodness, I can’t believe any of you are actually considering this.”
“Mother, it’s in a spot where nobody will even notice us,” said Jesse.
“But it must be someone’s private property. What if they catch you?” asked Mimi.
“Then we’ll just have to ask them to join us,” joked Jesse.
“I don’t want to know anything more,” said Mimi. “The less I know, the better.”
“So, are you in or out, Reed?” asked Jesse.
“He is in,” replied Sela.
Jesse raised his wine glass. “Then here’s to swimming with the sharks. Hopefully none of our bobbers catch a bite.”
“Sharks?” I gasped.
Chapter Six
Reed
After dinner, Sela suddenly claimed to have developed a raging headache as I followed her back to the bedroom.
“It’s been a long day,” she said, sitting down at the edge of the bed. She closed her eyes. “You know, Reed, I think I would just like to take a bath and go to sleep. No swimming.”
I sat down next to her and began rubbing her slender, tan shoulders. “After a ten-hour flight, I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
She sighed. “Mm… yes.”
I kissed the back of her neck. “Why don’t I run you a bath and join you?”
She shook her head. “No. Not with this pain.” She raised her hands to her temples. “I think it’s turning into a migraine.”
“Take some aspirin.”
She turned around and looked at me like I was an idiot. “I need something stronger than that. It’s a migraine.”
“Right. Well, I’m sure my mother has something stronger,” I said, standing up. “I’ll go check with her.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
I went upstairs to my parents’ bedroom, and was about to knock when I heard them arguing on the other side.
“It was her, wasn’t it?” hollered my mother. “You’re still with her – don’t lie to me!”
“Mimi, I don’t have time for this,” snapped Jack. “I told you I stopped seeing her over a year ago.”
She laughed bitterly. “Why should I believe you?”
Backing away from the door, I turned around and left. It was the same old song and dance with my stepdad, Jack, not being able to keep his dick in his pants. I learned years ago to just stay the hell out of it. The worst thing was – she’d always known about his escapades, even before they were married, yet she remained with him. If she couldn’t see he’d never change, then that was her problem. I wasn’t about to get involved, I had enough on my plate with Sela’s emotional meltdowns.
When I arrived back at the room, she was lying against the pillows, talking on her cell phone.
“I have to go,” she murmured, looking up. “I’ll see you when I fly back.”
“Who was that?” I asked when she dropped the phone onto the bed.
She shrugged. “My agent.”
“Oh. Well, unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything stronger for that migraine. Do you have some kind of a prescription for those types of headaches?”
She scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up. “Not here. Don’t worry about it, Reed. Once I finish my bath and get some sleep, I’m sure I will feel better.”
I walked over and pulled her into my arms. “Are you sure you don’t want me to join you?”
Her cell phone began to vibrate.
She pushed me away, grabbed the phone, and read the message, her lips curling up in pleasure.
“What, did you win another free movie rental?” I asked dryly.
“No. Just my agent, again. She’s keeping me up-to-date on things.”
Her agent was a raging bitch named Delia LeFevre. She didn’t care much for me, and the feeling was mutual. Ever since I’d asked Sela to marry me, she’d been trying to talk her out of it. Claimed I was a player and would break her heart. But that was bullshit. I was a player, but that was before I’d slid my ring on Sela’s finger. Unlike my father, I was determined to be faithful and make our marriage work.
“Wonderful,” I m
uttered. “She’ll be bugging us all weekend, I’m sure.”
She studied me for a minute and then shoved the phone into her purse. “Reed, could you draw me a bath?” she asked, moving towards me. She slid her arms around my waist and rested her cheek against my chest. “Please?”
“Of course,” I said, rubbing her back.
“Thank you, my love.”
I raised my eyebrows. Love wasn’t in Sela’s vocabulary. The only time she ever mentioned the word was when I went down on her.
“Hey,” I said, tilting her chin up so I could stare into her eyes. I smiled. “I’ve really missed you.”
“Me too.”
Something about her response didn’t sit well. I wondered if she was still angry with me. “Is there anything wrong?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, why?”
“You just seemed a little distant.”
“It’s been a long day.”
“You’d tell me if there was anything wrong?”
She shrugged. “Of course.”
Staring into her eyes, I lowered my mouth and kissed her softly. As I slid my tongue between her lips, she pulled away. “Reed, please… the bath?”
I sighed. “Fine.”
She opened up a smaller suitcase and handed me a bottle of bubble bath. “Thanks.”
I went into the bathroom and began filling the tub, pouring some of the pink liquid into the water. I thought about her body, wet and glistening with suds, and decided to try one last time to persuade her into letting me wash her back. Putting the bottle down, I turned and walked back into the bedroom. “What in the hell are you doing?” I demanded, stopping in my tracks.
She lifted her face from the line of white powder and rubbed her nose. “What does it look like?”
I clenched my jaw. “You said you gave that shit up.”
“I did, but…”
“But what?”
She stared at me for a minute and sighed. “For God’s sake – what’s the big deal? I’m an adult. I shouldn’t have to explain this or answer to anyone.”
I grabbed the tray of coke and stormed back into the bathroom.
“Reed!” she hollered, moving behind me, trying to grab my arm. “Give that back. I wasn’t finished!”
“Oh,” I sneered,” yes, you were.”
“Reed!”
I shook my head. “No, Sela, absolutely not. Not this shit, not here and definitely, not you.”
“You can’t tell me what to do!” she cried.
I emptied it into the toilet and flushed it. “Bullshit,” I said, slamming the lid down. “You know how I feel about drugs. We talked about this many times before!”
“You talked about it,” she hollered back, walking out of the bathroom. “I never promised anything.”
I followed her. “Obviously I was the only one coherent during that particular conversation. Sela,” I said, grabbing her by the shoulders, “listen, I forbid you to even consider doing that shit again, or any drug for that matter. You got that?”
She tried pushing me away. “Let me go.”
“Look at me,” I demanded. “Promise me that you’ll stop.”
“No, I won’t,” she said. “I only do it once in a while and… it helps me concentrate.”
“Helps you concentrate? That’s bullshit! Sela, you know that shit is not allowed in my parents’ home or in our home, for that matter.”
“Well, then maybe we shouldn’t ever live together,” she said, glaring up at me.
Her words crushed me. I released her. “You’d honestly choose drugs over me?”
She raised her chin defiantly. “No, but what I do choose is my freedom to decide what I want to do. I’m not a child and nobody will tell me the way to live my life. Not you or anyone else.”
I was so pissed, I wanted to throttle her. Instead, I decided to get the fuck out before I did something I’d surely regret. As I moved towards the door, she called after me.
“What?” I snapped.
She smiled sadly. “You’re being unreasonable.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, just stop this, please.”
I sighed. “Sela…”
“Don’t leave me,” she pouted. “I don’t like being alone.”
“You’re not a child, huh? You’re certainly acting like one. You’d better think about your choices in life because I’m dead serious about the drugs, Sela. If you won’t give them up, then there is no way in hell it will work between us.”
She gave me a murderous look before she stormed back into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Chapter Seven
Sinclair
“I still can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” I said, zipping up my turquoise hoodie. “It wouldn’t have been so bad if it would have just been the two of us, but now…“
“Oh, relax,” said Jesse. “You have to let loose and live a little.”
“But, your brother is going to see me naked!”
“It will only be for a second,” he said. “All you have to do is strip and make a dash for the water.”
“Right,” I said, picturing how my boobs would be swaying back and forth in a most unflattering way.
“You know, that Sela is a total cunt,” said Jesse. “If I was a woman, I’d kick her bony ass back to France. I don’t understand why Reed has such a hard-on for her.”
“She’s certainly pretty enough,” I said. “He must just be totally enamored by her looks.”
He wrinkled his nose. “If you can see past that stone-cold bitchiness.”
“Well, she must have some hidden talents that keep Reed happy.”
“Girlfriend, pu-lease. Even if she sucks cock better than me, she’s still not worth the gas it took the cabbie to drop her ass off at our doorstep.”
I chuckled. “Well, she’s going to be your sister-in-law,” I said. “You’ll have to somehow learn to accept her.”
“No, I don’t, and you know why? Because she won’t be around long enough to bother,” he said. “Reed will come to his senses and kick her to the curb. I’ll give them six months.”
“That much?”
“Okay, three,” he said, tossing me a beach towel.
I stared down at it and sighed. “Why are we doing this again?”
“It’s liberating, exhilarating, and totally naughty,” he grinned wickedly. “You’ll love it.”
I didn’t know about that. Being naughty was his thing, not mine. “Let’s just get it over with,” I mumbled, following him out of my bedroom.
It turned out that all of my fears were for naught. We arrived at the private alcove just before midnight and there was no sign of Reed or Sela.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, staring at the low tide under the moonlight. It looked so tranquil, so peaceful. Now, that I was actually here, I was glad I’d been talked into coming.
“Spread out the towels and we’ll have a nightcap before we strip and run around naked.”
“I’ll need it.”
As we enjoyed the wine, Jesse stared towards the ocean, a wistful look on his face. “It seems like yesterday…”
I smiled. “What, that you were swept off your feet by that actor?”
He took a sip of wine. “Yes. I was so confused until that night, Sin,” he said, turning to me. “I mean, I tried, I really did, to be what everyone else wanted me to be. I even went out on a couple of dates with girls, but it always felt so wrong.”
“What, like kissing a brother or sister?”
He laughed. “Probably. I don’t know; I’ve never kissed Reed before.”
I hit him playfully in the shoulder. “You know what I mean, smartass.”
“Yeah. Anyway, I guess deep down I always knew I was gay.”
“Did you ever try talking to anyone about it?”
He sighed. “Once. My parents invited this couple over and they had a son, who was the same age as me, I think we were seventeen at the time. Anyway, I thought for sure he was gay and w
hen I broached the subject, he literally freaked out.”
“What happened?”
He smiled bitterly. “Called me a few names and then took a swing at me. He went completely berserk.”
“Why did he freak out so bad? Did you make a move on him or something?”
He rolled his eyes. “No. I just told him that I was confused about girls and whether or not they were for me. Then I asked him if he’d ever been with a guy before, and he acted like a total asshole.”
“That’s too bad.”
He nodded. “You know what the worst part is?”
I took a sip of wine. “What?”
“He came out of the closet.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You’re kidding.”
“Not at all. My parents mentioned it a couple of years ago. They were obviously flabbergasted about the entire thing.” He scowled. “My parents are so homophobic, it’s pathetic.”
“Well, I think that guy owes you an apology.”
He took a drink of his wine. “At the very least,” he said. “But really, I don’t care. He was obviously battling his own feelings at the time. Although, once an asshole, always an asshole. Speaking of…”
I turned to see where he was looking and felt a warm rush swirl around my insides.
Reed.
“Where’s Sela?” asked Jesse as he walked towards us through the cool sand. He’d also changed his clothing and now wore black lounge pants and a matching hooded sweatshirt.
Reed sighed. “She has a migraine.”
“You know, I hate to be the one to break it to you,” said Jesse, “but, your fiancée is an irritating bitch.”
He stuck his hands in his pockets and chuckled. “She definitely has her moments.”
I stared at Reed as he stood there looking towards the ocean and felt envious of Sela. With his eyes glittering in the moonlight and his hair blowing in the wind, he looked like a model, posing for a picture. If I were Sela and hadn’t seen him for a while, he wouldn’t have been out here with us. I would have tied him to the bed and had my way, several times over by now.
Of course, I’d never had a migraine so I shouldn’t judge.
Feeling a little loose-lipped because of the wine, I cleared my throat. “Would you like to join us? There’s plenty of wine.”
Fearing The Biker Page 24
