Playing the Player: Falling for Best friend's sister. (The Hartford Brothers Book 2)

by JA Low

  “Are you okay?” Her frown turns from annoyance to concern.

  “I will be.” I give her a smirk. “I’m not meaning to take it out on you, Nell.”

  “I thought I did something wrong,” she says.

  “No,” I reply, reassuring her. “It’s all me.”

  “Is it about the shower thing?” she asks. Damn her. She knows me so well.

  “No.” I shake my head as panic floats over my body.

  “Because I was really sorry about that,” she starts. “We have to live together, and I don’t want things to be weird between us. Especially at the start of summer. I’m looking forward to hanging out with you.”

  “You are?” I ask, surprised.

  “Yeah. Of course. We always hang out during the summer doing horse stuff. Why would this one be any different?”

  Of course. What was I thinking? Nothing’s changed between us. It’s all in my mind. She still sees me as her brother’s best friend, nothing more. Obviously seeing my dick had no effect on her, and why would it? It’s not magical. I’m letting my hormones cloud my judgment. If Nell Garcia only sees me as a friend, then friends it will be.

  “Morning, all,” Nell says as she skips into the kitchen, all sunshine and rainbows. Her blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail, bobbing with each skip she takes. She’s wearing nothing but a pink tank top and black shorts that hardly cover her ass. Do not look, Remi. Damn it. I look and my dick throbs in appreciation. I need to control him when he’s around Nell, especially when her family is present. I’m being a creep and totally disrespecting Mr. and Mrs. Garcia and everything they have done for me, especially opening their home to me. What do I do in return? Lust after their daughter.

  “Hey, Remi,” Portia, the youngest of the Garcia clan, greets me before elbowing me in the ribs as she passes. I stare down at the little pipsqueak, wondering what she wants. “Close your mouth,” she says, giving me a toothy grin.

  My mouth automatically shuts, and I glare down at her. Shit. If she noticed my ogling her older sister, then Dom might notice too. I know I will never hear the end of it if he does. Portia skips away delighted with herself, takes a seat at the kitchen table, and starts filling her plate with stacks of pancakes.

  “You want a juice?” Dom calls out to me as he stares inside his fridge. His voice pulls me from my thoughts. Get it together, Remi, I chastise myself. You have an entire summer with this family; you need to put Nell Garcia back into the best friend’s little sister box along with Portia.

  “Yeah, man, that’d be great,” I say, finally finding my words and walking over to where the buffet of breakfast foods is laid out on the kitchen counter.

  “Want some bacon?” Nell asks me as she’s waving the crispy strips at me.

  “Sure,” I answer. My words come out croakily like they used to do when my voice was breaking. Dom gives me a weird look as he hands me a glass of OJ. His brown eyes narrow on me as he looks at me then his sister. Anger flares behind his eyes and I know I’m busted. He’s going to rip me a new one when we are alone next.

  “I’ll see you boys in the stables in twenty,” Mr. Garcia warns us as he places his dishes in the sink before walking out the door and leaving us kids alone to eat breakfast.

  “Keep your eyes off my sister,” Dom erupts, silencing the room. Nell drops her fork on her plate, and the sound echoes through the kitchen. Portia giggles as she keeps shoveling pancakes into her mouth.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say to him, playing dumb.

  “Dom, what the hell?” Nell demands.

  “I don’t like the way he’s looking at you,” he says. Those brown eyes narrow on me, and I know he will take it out on me this morning when we practice.

  “Dom, you’ve lost your mind this morning. Remi has done nothing wrong. I think you’re the only one seeing something there that isn’t,” Nell says crisply.

  Dom looks between Nell and me and doesn’t seem convinced.

  “Remi thinks Nell’s gross,” Portia adds dryly.

  “Never touch my fucking sister. You hear me?” Dom warns harshly.

  I throw my hands up in the air, promising I won’t. He mumbles something before storming out of the kitchen, Portia hot on his tail.

  “What has gotten into him this morning?” Nell asks awkwardly.

  I shrug my shoulders because, if I’m honest, I’m shell-shocked by what just happened.

  “You did nothing.”

  Other than check her ass out, no, nothing at all.

  “I’m sorry my brother was a dick to you,” she says, giving me a small smile. “I’ll talk to him. Tell him he’s being insane, that there is nothing and never will be anything between us. We’re just friends, right?” she asks warily.

  “Yeah, friends,” I say, agreeing quickly. It’s for the best, especially with the way Dominic’s reacted over me being around Nell. Imagine if he knew I’ve already flashed her. He would kill me.

  “I’ve lost my appetite, anyway. I might as well sort my brother out.” She sighs. “Don’t worry, it’s all a giant misunderstanding.” Nell gives me another small smile and disappears out of the kitchen too, leaving me standing alone, bewildered over how my morning has started.

  3

  Nell

  “I think Remi is purposefully ignoring me, Sparkles,” I say, grumbling to my horse as I brush her down. She gives me a grunt of understanding. “I don’t blame him, especially after the way Dom reacted the other day at breakfast,” I explain to her. “He got all upset when he thought Remi was checking me out. He wasn’t. I mean, I don’t think he was. Why would he? Look at me?” I ask Sparkles.

  She turns her head and gives me a gentle nudge, making me smile. Remi’s going to be eighteen soon. The last thing he is going to be thinking about is hooking up with a sixteen-year-old; he’s probably going to go after some college girl or even a MILF. There are plenty of other guys out there for me, closer to my age. Thinking anything will happen between us is stupid. He wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize his friendship with my brother or his place on the polo team by starting up something with me.

  “I’ve never seen a naked guy before, Sparkles,” I confess to my horse. “I’ve done things with guys, but that’s usually been with our clothes on, never you know… the full show,” I tell her. Brushing my horse is therapy for me. Sparkles is used to me coming in and dropping my deepest and darkest secrets to her. She has given me some excellent advice in the past, and at least I know I can trust her not to open her trap to anyone. “Seeing Remi naked shouldn’t change things, should it?” I question Sparkles. She gives me a gentle nudge, which makes me laugh. “Now I understand why girls find him attractive.” I let out a heavy sigh as I continue the long strokes across Sparkles. “I don’t want to find him attractive though, Sparkles. I can’t find him attractive. There’s no point torturing myself like that. Nothing will ever happen.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  I scream so loud hearing Remi’s voice that I spook Sparkles and she rears up and knocks me over.

  “Shit, Nell.” Remi races toward me where I lay in the hay with Sparkles huffing beside me frantically. Her wet nose nudges me, checking to see if I’m okay after scaring her.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I say rubbing her nose, reassuring her it wasn’t her fault that I screamed hearing the boy I was talking to my horse about had just heard my entire conversation. I’m mortified. I’d wished Sparkles had knocked me out so I could have amnesia and forget any of this happened.

  “Are you okay?” Remi asks. His green eyes looking over me, checking to see if I’ve broken anything.

  “I’m fine. No thanks to you!” I yell at him as I push myself up off the barn floor, shaking off bits of hay stuck to me. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  Remi stands there, dumbstruck by my question.

  “I’m so sorry, my sweetheart,” I whisper into Sparkle’s ear. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before going back to he
r feed.

  Turning around, I push my way past Remi and out of the stall, away from his imposing presence. I’m waiting for the ground to swallow me up whole because I’m never going to recover from this embarrassment.

  “Nell,” Remi calls after me. I ignore him. He is the last person I want to see or hear from. “Nell, please,” he calls after me again. Nope, not today, Satan. As my feet take off in a run and I head toward the woods, I’m hoping he doesn’t follow me. “Nell, come on!” Remi screams, but I push my legs harder, every muscle aching with exertion, and I think at any moment they are going to give out from under me. Then Remi’s hand wraps around my arm and halts me. I twirl around, and we both take a moment to gather our breaths. “What the hell, Nell?” Remi asks as he doubles over and catches his breath. “Why did you run?”

  “Why do you think?” I ask him. Is he dense? “How much did you hear?”

  Remi’s hand reaches behind him, and he scratches his neck, a nervous tell, but he doesn’t answer me, and his eyes can’t meet mine. They seem to have found something interesting in the dirt at his feet. I call his name again.

  “Remi?”

  “What do you want me to say, Nell? You’re already embarrassed.” Those green eyes settle on me, turning my insides to liquid. Heat crawls over my skin as I shuffle my feet from side to side nervously.

  “Then say nothing!” I yell at him. “Forget everything you heard and leave me alone.” Tears prick my eyes, but I refuse to cry in front of him.

  “But I can’t, Nell, that’s the thing,” he says, rubbing his chin. “I can’t seem to stop thinking about you.”

  Oh. Everything inside me stills. Did I just hear him correctly?

  “I shouldn’t be here in the woods alone with you,” he tells me. “Your brother would kill me. He already suspects that I have a thing for you.”

  Did Remi just say he has a thing for me? Heat blossoms inside my chest. “A thing for me?” I ask awkwardly, the words tumbling from my lips before I realize what I am asking.

  Remi takes a couple of steps closer to me, those green eyes swirling with flecks of gold, as they never leave me. My mouth is dry as I try to swallow the nerves down my stubborn throat.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you, Nell.”

  My mouth forms an O in surprise at his confession. Tingles lace my body as heat pumps through my veins.

  “It’s wrong, I know, but…” He reaches out and pushes my hair behind my ear. “I can’t stop it.” I lick my lips nervously as his hungry eyes devour me. “Dom would kill me if he knew I was here.”

  Oh yes, he would, and so would my father, but I don’t care. My insides are doing somersaults as Remi steps closer to me. Is he going to kiss me? Do I want him to kiss me? His hand cups my face and this is it. This is the moment that I feel what it’s like to kiss Remington Hartford. My eyes flutter shut for the barest of moments waiting for the pressure of his lips against mine, but it doesn’t come. Why is he not kissing me? Opening my eyes, I see Remi is frowning. Oh, did I read this all wrong? Was he just being nice? Humiliation quickly replaces the heat traveling over my body, and I take a step away from him.

  “I’m sorry, Nell. I can’t.”

  His words sting like a wasp. “Screw you,” I spit back at him. “Screw you, Remington Hartford.” I push against his chest, making him stumble back a couple of steps. “Leave me alone!” I scream. The first trickles of tears fall across my cheeks. Remi’s face softens, and I can see the anguish my tears are causing him. Well, screw him. “Please, leave me alone,” I beg.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Nell,” he says.

  “Well, you have.” I sob helplessly. He gives me another frown, and I can see he’s torn between doing as I ask and trying to make things right. I turn my back to him not wanting to see his handsome face anymore, and wrap my arms around myself tightly and cry. This will be the only time I will ever cry about a boy like him ever again.

  4

  Nell

  “It’s your birthday, bitch!” Rainn says, squealing and hauling me into her arms as she arrives at my home for the weekend to celebrate my sixteenth birthday.

  “Happy birthday, boo,” Audrey adds as she hugs me too.

  “I am so happy to see you both,” I tell them, grinning from ear to ear. It feels good to have the girls back together again. I’ve missed them so much during these holidays, especially since I have seen little of Remi since that fateful day in the woods—not that I want to see him. “We have so much to catch up on. Come on, let’s go to my room.”

  The girls grab their bags and follow me up the grand staircase to the top level where my bedroom is. I flop onto my bed, and the girls throw their bags to the floor, but before Audrey locks the door, Portia is standing there grinning at us all.

  “Portia, go away!” I yell at my little sister, who precedes to poke her tongue out at me. She’s so annoying. “Portia, I’m telling Mom.”

  “Whatever. You’re just going to moan about Remi not liking you,” Portia says, grumbling as she makes gagging sounds at me.

  “Get out!” I scream while throwing a pillow at her, which makes her laugh louder. Thankfully, Audrey shuts the door, locking her out of my room. Doesn’t she have friends of her own?

  “What was that all about?” Rainn asks while taking a seat on my swing chair and folding her long, tanned legs up underneath her as she sways back and forth. I hadn’t told my friends about my humiliation because I wanted to strike it from my mind.

  “Remi and I had a moment in the woods…” I say. They both stare at me. “I thought he was going to kiss me, but he didn’t. Actually, he said he couldn’t, and left me hanging. I’ve never been so humiliated before, guys,” I explain to them.

  “Oh, babe, I’m so sorry,” Audrey says comfortingly as she takes a seat beside me on the bed.

  “You realize there are going to be a ton of hot guys at your party tonight?” Rainn says, smiling. “By the end of the night you are going to forget who Remington Hartford is.” Wishful thinking, but maybe she’s right.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t run into anyone up here yet. Everyone from school is here for the summer,” Audrey says.

  “I’ve been in a funk and mainly just hung out with my horses for the last couple of weeks,” I explain quietly to them.

  “This will not do at all.” Rainn huffs. “Nell Garcia doesn’t pine after a guy. None of us do. They are the ones who are supposed to be pining after us.” She jumps up off the swing chair and leaps into action. “What are you wearing tonight?” she asks.

  “Um…” I get up from the bed, walk into my closet, and bring out a pink dress Mom picked for me and show them.

  “No,” Rainn says with disapproval. She shakes her head, looking at the offending garment.

  “What’s wrong with it?” I ask, wondering what is wrong with the dress. I thought it was cute.

  “It looks like something Portia would wear,” Rainn says dryly.

  “I think it’s cute,” Audrey adds, always the peacemaker.

  “Exactly, cute. She’s sixteen. She needs something sexy. Something that is going to knock the boys out when they see her arrive at the party.”

  Rainn comes from a family who is all in touch with their sexuality and bodies. They openly talk about sex and pleasure over dinner—talk about awkward—but that is not my family. As progressive as my dad is, he is still a Latin dad, and his baby girl will not go out dressed like a hoochie momma under his watch. His words not mine.

  “You’re forgetting one important step in that plan. My dad.”

  Rainn frowns, then realization kicks in and she nods in understanding. “You did the traditional dress last year for your quinceañera. But I promise we will find something Daddy approved.”

  “Why did she make that sound sexual?” I say, turning to look at Audrey.

  After a quick trip to the shops to get my new sweet sixteen dress, we arrive home to the entire house taken over by the event planners and caterers. People are r
unning here, there, and everywhere through the house.

  “Where the hell have you girls been?” Mom snaps irritably. “Hair and make-up have been waiting nearly an hour for you girls to show up. Get upstairs and get ready, please.”

  Oops, we lost track of time while we were out, but thankfully it looks like Mom went first so we haven’t wasted too much of their time.

  Hours later, we are done, and all that’s left is for me to get dressed and be the belle of the ball. I’ve been getting tags and messages all day from people following us online. Thankfully, they have all wished me many happy returns, and I have had no hate messages yet. Since my social media profile has started to grow, the trolls and mean girls have increased, especially when I am excited about something they usually like to try and knock me down with their hateful comments. It’s hard. I try to ignore them, but sometimes a comment will slip through my defenses.

  “Hurry up and get dressed. We need to take photos before you go downstairs,” Rainn says impatiently.

  “Okay, I’m going.” I rush into my walk-in closet, grab the dress hanging up in there, and head on into my bathroom to get dressed. It is a little out there for me, some might say a little pageant-like, but I feel grown up when I put it on. With its pastel pink sequins and feathers on the hem, a deep V showing off my growing assets, and a deep dip in the back. My father is going to die, but I felt beautiful in the dress when I tried it on, and I guess that’s all that matters when it comes to clothes. I step back out into my bedroom and look over at my friends’ faces to gauge their reactions. Silence fills the room. Oh no. I look like shit, don’t I? I look down and smooth out the sequins, wondering if I have time to rush back into my closet and get changed back into the original dress.

  “You look breathtaking, Nell.” Audrey gasps as her hands press against her lips in awe.

  “You’re a goddess,” Rainn adds.