by Kierra Quinn
He pulled her up, and her eyes darted everywhere but him.
“Permission to ogle, seriously.”
She met his eye and took a deep breath. Then she let her gaze wander downward. He watched her face for a reaction. There was none. Her eyes were studying him, but he couldn’t see anything else there.
Finally he couldn’t stand it anymore. “What do you think?”
“It’s nice.”
“Seriously. That’s all you got?”
“Okay, it’s more than nice. I still don’t know how I’m supposed to not stare.”
He kissed her lightly on the lips. “You have permission to stare as much as you want.”
She shifted back and forth on her feet and looked up at him. She seemed to be debating something. He had no idea what.
“You want to ask me something. Whatever it is, just spit it out already.”
She held his gaze for several seconds before she finally asked, “Can I touch?”
He grinned. “Oh, yeah, of course.” He took a step back and took both of her hands in his and placed them on his chest. She gasped and pulled her hands away.
“You’re adorable, you know that, right? Seriously, touch all you want.”
She tentatively ran her fingers along his lower abdomen, and he hissed. That area was particularly sensitive, and her touch was just light enough that he might have to go take another cold shower.
She trailed her fingers up his abdomen and across his chest. She moved around to his back and lightly stroked his shoulders. Then she came back around, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her body up against his. She had to know what she had done to him. He was almost embarrassed about how much she turned him on, but before he could think much of it, she slid up on her tiptoes and kissed him long and deep.
When she pulled away, she said, “You have a very nice body.”
“Thanks,” he replied, a little breathless.
“I hope to see it quite frequently.”
She then untangled herself from him and danced to the table.
He took a couple of deep breaths and followed her. She put the bagels and bananas on a couple of plates.
“I see you found the plates. Did you have trouble finding anything you needed?”
She shook her head.
“How come you swim at the Maadi House when you have a private pool here?”
“Because it’s too damned cold in the winter. I had a heater put in last year, but it fried a month ago. I paid for a new one, but it hasn’t arrived yet. I’m glad it broke though.”
“Why?” she asked, taking a bite of her bagel.
“Because then I never would’ve met you.”
“True. That was fortunate.”
Octo bounded up the stairs. He came looking for a treat from the table. Conner scratched him behind the ears. Realizing that there was no food for him, Octo lay down under Conner’s chair.
“Does he like to swim?” asked Jessica.
Conner laughed. “Yeah, but only if I’m in there. He likes the sea better. I don’t usually travel with him because he hates airplanes, but when we go to the sea, he comes with.
“What does his name mean?”
“Eight.”
“That’s odd.”
“Yep, long story.”
“You know, you haven’t told me anything about your past. So why don’t you tell me this story?”
Conner took a bite, chewed, and swallowed.
“Have you ever heard of Omega Mu Alpha Fraternity?”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Rick tried every year to get recruited by them, but he never did. I was actually pretty grateful. They were the biggest pricks on campus.” Then she froze. “Did I just totally insult you?”
“Yup, that’s my frat. I’m surprised your ex thought he had a chance. We don’t normally take recruits that aren’t legacy.”
“Yeah, but it is also the frat that turns out more millionaires than any other in the U.S. Which was why he wanted in.”
“Exactly. There were ten of us in my group. We got Dobermans when all of us hit our first million. I was number eight, so my dog’s name is Octo.”
“Wow, I’m impressed. I’m also surprised that you were number eight. Usually oil is more lucrative than that.”
“I made a few bad investments, or I would’ve been number three. I lost everything and had to start over.”
“Oops.”
“You could say that. Lessons learned though.”
“Do you see the others often?” She’d never had close friends like that. It must be nice having a tight group.
“All of us meet up once a year on the Fourth of July. Dogs and all. Other than that, we don’t see each other much. But I’m actually meeting up for a weekend with one of my frat brothers in Prague in a few weeks. You wanna come?”
Jessica hesitated.
“Listen, you’ve already been on a trip with me, and you’re going to take more, so this one isn’t improper. It’s just a little farther,” he said, trying to head off her indecision.
“I don’t want to impose on your guys’ weekend.”
“Nonsense, Blake is bringing his girlfriend. They’ve been together for a while. He’s planning on popping the question while they are there.”
“Why’d he invite you if he’s planning on proposing to his girlfriend?”
“Because Blake never does anything halfway. He needs help with the set-up.”
Jessica laughed. “Sounds exciting.”
“And it’ll be more so if you’re there.” He smiled at her.
“Sure, why not.”
“That’s three weeks from now. What do you want to do for the next two weekends?”
Jessica paused. “Um, I’m not sure what there is to do.”
“We haven’t been out of town other than the trip to Luxor. I want to take you camping in the desert, and we should go diving.”
“Diving?”
“Yeah, have you ever been diving before?”
She shook her head. “I get pretty claustrophobic, so I’ve never dared.”
“Ah, yeah, that could be a problem. You could snorkel though. The Red Sea is gorgeous.”
“Okay. I’m down for both of those. I don’t care what order we do them.”
He reached over and grabbed her hand. “So that leaves us just chilling out this weekend. What movies do you want to watch?”
“We’ve got the rest of the day today and all day tomorrow. Something epic. Lord of the Rings. Harry Potter. Any of the Stephen King Miniseries.”
“I’m a Tolkien nerd, so you had me at Lord of the Rings.”
Her eyes went wide. “Really? I never would have guessed. I’ve got to get better at asking questions.”
He laughed and pulled her up from the table.
“Ask away, babe. I’m an open book.”
Downstairs, Jessica eyed the furniture in the living room.
“Your couch doesn’t look all that comfortable, though.”
Conner led her through the living room into his bedroom, and Octo followed them. “Come on in here.”
The bed was an enormous king, and the television on the wall was one of the biggest she’d seen.
“Your room, really?”
Conner laughed. “I don’t know where else we’d watch it. On your forty-inch? Certainly not on that couch out there, you’re right. It is uncomfortable. This is the best seat place in the house. I’m totally in love with these movies. I’m not going to make any moves.”
“Famous last words,” she said.
Conner couldn’t figure this girl out. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to seduce him or hold him at bay. He’d bet money that she didn’t know either. It’d been a while since he had a girl over watching a movie. He usually wore just his shorts, but he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. On the other hand they were going to watch nearly twelve hours of movies. He wanted to relax. She climbed into the bed, and Octo curled right up next to her. His breath caught, a
nd for a second he saw a future with her, and he liked it.
She fit right into his life. He was even excited to introduce her to Blake. He’d like her.
If she couldn’t handle him comfortable, then she probably wouldn’t stick around very long anyway. He already had his shirt off, so he grinned and looked over at her. She was staring at him. This time she didn’t look away. When he tugged at his shorts, though, she covered her eyes.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Getting comfortable. You can look. I’m still wearing my boxers.”
“Like that makes it any better.” She still hadn’t removed her hand from her eyes.
“I could go totally buff if you want.”
She peeked out between her fingers, and apparently satisfied with his state of dress, dropped her hand.
“No, you can’t. Not if you want me to stay. But it’s not fair. I didn’t exactly dress for movie watching.”
She tugged at the waistband of her shorts.
“No one is stopping you from getting comfortable too.”
She opened and closed her mouth.
He climbed on the bed and leaned over her. Her breath hitched, and he grinned, glad he had that effect on her.
“You know, I’ve seen you in your bathing suit. This isn’t that much different.”
She shoved against his chest and climbed out of the bed. “Yes, it is, and you know it.”
“You mean to tell me your bathing suit covers up more than your bra and underwear.”
She blushed, and he wondered exactly what kind of underwear she was wearing.
She crossed her arms. “Do you have a long t-shirt I can wear?”
He nodded. He was surprised she’d come up with such a practical solution. But he wasn’t letting her get away with this. Not totally.
He dug through his t-shirt drawer and found an old one that fit him a little snug. Not exactly long and the material was nearly see-through.
He handed it to her, and she snatched it from his hand, clearly irritated with him.
“Where can I change?”
“The closet is big enough, and it has a door.” He pointed to the closet and flipped on the light for her.
“This is bigger than my bedroom.”
Conner shrugged. It was excessive, but he hadn’t designed the apartment. He guessed a rich woman had lived here before him.
He’d thought about sending her in the bathroom, but then realized he didn’t want her to have a mirror.
She came out of the closet a few minutes later, and his breath caught. The t-shirt was a little small, and while it completely covered her front, he guessed if she were to turn around, it’d be a tad too short. He had to calm down. He promised to be good.
She hopped into the bed and shimmied under the covers. He turned on the movie and slid in next to her. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. She rested her hand on his thigh, and it took quite a bit of self-control for him to not move her hand a few inches higher. He had to get a grip.
Thankfully, these were his favorite movies, so it wasn’t long before they were both engrossed. After the first movie, he made popcorn, and she flipped over on her stomach, and try as she might, the shirt didn’t completely cover her.
He lay down next to her and couldn’t help himself.
“Sporting a thong?”
She blushed and nudged him.
“Why are you looking?”
“Why not? You’ve got a beautiful body.”
“Yeah, well, no touching.” Even as she said it, she scooted closer to him. “Yet, anyway.”
Conner rolled over on his side and pulled her close to him. “When, then? Do you think?”
She kissed his neck, and he was having trouble concentrating, but he did not want to get this wrong.
Finally she backed away and answered. “Our first kiss was pretty epic. Our first time should be too. But you pick the place this time.”
He thought for a second. “Do you want me to tell you or let it be a surprise?”
“Oh, I definitely need warning. Where are you thinking?”
“The White Desert, under the stars.”
“Isn’t that a little public?”
Conner shook his head. “No, there is no one out there. The stars go on for miles. It’s pretty amazing.”
“Sounds nice.”
They ordered pizza, and at some point in the middle of the second movie, Jessica fell asleep. Conner felt like the luckiest man alive. He was falling hard. Again.
Just before he fell asleep, his eye caught the calendar on his wall with the date June 1st starred. That was the night he and Nour would meet up. For the first time in several years, he wondered if he would really go.
Jessica let the sun soak into her skin. She had a book on her lap, but she wasn’t reading. She dug her toes into the bright white sand and looked over into the clear blue water. She had no idea that it was so utterly gorgeous here. Dahab was officially number one on her favorite beaches list. Who knew the Red Sea was so amazing?
She watched Conner and Octo play in the water. It was one of those rare moments when she saw him let his guard completely down. He held nothing back. Both he and Octo would be exhausted tonight. Jessica leaned over and grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler.
A strange man, American, flopped down in Conner’s empty chair. Jessica jumped and gripped her bottle of water like a weapon.
“That’s not your seat,” she growled.
“I know.” He grinned. His devastating smile had probably won over more than his fair share of women.
“It’s rude to steal seats.” She looked out to Conner, but he was oblivious, too busy chasing Octo around.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Jessica, but just so you know, that’s my boyfriend out there.” She pointed to the sea with a shaky finger. The man was extremely good looking and left her flustered.
The man winked at her. “I’m Jamie. I know that’s your boyfriend. I saw you two together earlier. He’s a friend of mine. Are you sure your name is Jessica?”
She looked at him confused. “Positive. What else would it be?”
Jamie shook his head. “Never mind. How long have you two been together?”
“A few weeks.”
“Is he happy?”
Jessica laughed. “What do you think? Look at him and Octo out there. I don’t know who’s enjoying that more.”
“I wish I could have brought Hexa with me, but big dogs don’t travel well on airplanes.”
“You’re one of his frat brothers.”
“Yeah. But Conner and I have a rocky past. I’m not sure he’ll talk to me.”
“Why?”
Jamie shrugged. “That’s not really my business to tell you. I’m glad he’s happy though. He deserves it.”
Conner came running toward them. His face changed when he recognized who was sitting next to her. Conner hovered over them dripping water.
“What are you doing here?” His lips formed a tight line.
“I’m diving. You know as well as I do that this is one of the best diving spots in the world.”
“Where’s home right now?”
“New York City, but I’m going back to Charleston in a month or so. I’ll be there for a while.”
Conner raised his eyebrows. Jessica could tell there were things that needed to be said and not in front of her.
“I’m not sure Octo is done playing in the water,” she said, trying to find a way to give them some space.
He’d dropped his frisbee right at Conner’s feet and was waiting eagerly. Jessica picked it up and led Octo back out into the water. She wouldn’t chase him, but she’d throw it for him.
Conner sat in the chair Jessica just vacated.
“You know, I had to ask her name. I didn’t believe her when she said Jessica. If you were anywhere else in the world, I wouldn’t believe it. But if Nour changed her name and stayed with you, there is no way you two would still be
in Egypt.”
Conner frowned. “Do you really want to fight?”
“No. But Conner, I’m the only one who calls you out on your shit. Right now, I have nothing to lose by telling you the truth. What are you going to do on the first?”
Jamie was also the only one who knew about his arrangement with Nour. He’d found out by accident three years ago when he came to stay and Conner was gone. When Conner arrived home the next day with a bottle of Vodka so he could dull the pain of losing her again, he and Jamie drank the whole thing, and Conner told him everything.
He hadn’t been prepared for Jamie’s reaction though. Jamie was angry with him for screwing another man’s wife and told him he had to stop. That resulted in an ugly fight where Conner broke Jamie’s nose, and Jamie knocked out one of his teeth. Since then, they’d only seen each other at the Fourth of July get-togethers with the other guys, but they avoided each other.
It might have passed, except that hadn’t been the only altercation he and Jamie had been in. When he and Nour had been dating, it was Jamie who told him he would get his heart broken. He was also the one who told him he’d lose all his money a year before he actually did. He hated that Jamie was always right.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do on the first. Jessica was a bit of a surprise.”
“She’s loyal to you. The first thing she said when I sat down by her was that she had a boyfriend.”
Conner didn’t realize she’d been thinking about him in that way already. He clenched the handle of his chair.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to give up Nour yet.”
He didn’t know what possessed him to say it out loud. He supposed that was something else that pissed him off. He always told Jamie exactly how he felt, even when he didn’t mean to.
Jamie clapped him on the shoulder. “You already know how I feel about this. I don’t want another broken nose, so I won’t say any more. But if you go on the first, remember that not only are you risking Nour’s marriage, you are also being unfaithful to that girl.” He pointed to where Jessica was trying to catch a very happy Octo. She was laughing, and Conner’s heart clenched.
“I know.”
Jamie nodded. “Listen, I’ll go check out and find another hotel, so we don’t have any more run-ins. Have a nice weekend.”
