My eyes narrow at her. Answering a question with a question doesn’t bode well with me. Nate won’t need to kill me if I hurt her, I’ll do it myself.
“They don’t.” It’s not the full truth. They sting a little, but it’s the good kind of sting.
“That’s how much these hurt,” she tells me, pointing at the bruises on her thighs. Her voice drops to nearly a whisper I’m not sure I’m supposed to hear when she adds, “They’re just little reminders of how good last night was.”
Despite the conversation at hand, I smirk. Just a little. “You thought it was good, huh?”
With a roll of her eyes, a toe is suddenly pressed into my stomach, pushing me away. “You know it was. Don’t make me say it.”
Grabbing hold of her ankle, I run my hand up the length of her calf to the underside of her knee. I’m rewarded when she blesses me with a full body shiver and doesn’t try to pull her leg away. Damage control may not have been as bad as I thought.
“Tell me how good.”
Her chin juts out as she looks away, over my head and beyond, probably looking at the pool deck to check and see if anyone we know is around. I’d be shocked if Nate and Savanna left the lazy river any time soon with the way they looked so relaxed in the pool floaties.
“C’mon,” I goad, her legs parting of their own accord to allow me to step between them. The move feels as natural as breathing, and it brings her attention back to me. “I don’t generally talk to the women I sleep with afterwards. Tell me.”
“You know, saying shit like that would get you kicked in the balls by a lot of women,” she tells me, her legs fluttering through the water.
“You know me though. You know how I operate, and you’ve never had a problem with it before. Is it aproblem now?” I raise an eyebrow at her.
There’s a hesitation in her that I didn’t expect. Her throat moves as she swallows, and once again she won’t meet my eyes. Finally, with a sigh she says, “No. I knew it was a one night thing.”
There’s a dejection in the way her shoulders fall. I saw it last night in the lobby bar more than once, and I hate that. I hate that I took away her sadness last night, only to be the cause of it today. I don’t want to be the reason for any misery when it comes to Jordan. I’ve always been her rock. The one to pick her up on the days she was feeling down. The one to make her smile when every other man, sans Nate, made her world a darker place.
And yet, that other man should stop me in my tracks from thinking that one night wasn’t enough with Jordan. That I would love to throw my own rules out the window and spend another night showing her how fucking perfect she is. But he doesn’t. Nate, as much as I love him like a brother, doesn’t factor in. Not for me.
“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We’re not going home until Sunday,” I hedge, letting the implication hang between us.
Exhaling a deep breath, she shakes her head. “What happened last night should stay with last night.”
The disappointment smacks me in the center of the chest. It’s a feeling I’m not accustomed to, nor do I enjoy. One more reason sticking with one-night stands is a far better option. There’s no disappointment, no frustration, no suffering. One night is one night.
I should have seen this answer coming before I made the mistake of throwing the option out there. Jordan disappeared for god’s sake. This morning, and when I showed up at the pool. Of course she doesn’t want another night with me.
“Yeah, of course. You’re totally right,” I tell her, rubbing my chest uncomfortably. At least I have the memories of last night thatI can add to my spank bank.
When I take a step back, she hooks a foot around my back, stopping me from going further. Not that I couldn’t easily keep moving, but a glimmer of hope eases the dull ache sitting mid-mass in my body.
“Do you know why Nate forbids me from dating any of his friends?” she asks, resting her hands on the ledge as she leans forward.
My head tilts to the side, and I frown. “Forbids you? I didn’t know he forbid you.”
Jordan laughs. “Seriously? Why did you think I didn’t pursue you when I was younger and single? You were the hottest guy I’d ever laid eyes on.”
That makes me feel both confusion and pride. Pride wins out for a moment, my chest inflating just like my ego as a grin slides across my face. Then my ego gets checked and my face falls. “Were?”
She laughs but her eyes roll again. “Yes! I don’t need to make your head any bigger than it already is. It’s huge. Almost too big for anyone else to be around you.”
Jerking my hand out, I tickle under her knee for that remark, causing her to splash and squirm, laughing as she tries to get away from my small assault. It does nothing but land her in the water between me and the wall of the pool where I continue to tickle her sides.
“Okay! I take it back! You’re still the hottest!” Jordan squeals with laughter.
Only then do I stop my attack, grinning from ear to ear as my hands still on her waist. Her giggles slowly die off while her fingertips trace along a line of scratches on my chest, her eyes following the movement. We both sober, growing quiet togetherfor a moment.
I wait for her to tell me more, but when she doesn’t, I kiss the top of her head. “I would have pursued you the second I saw you if he hadn’t told me I wasn’t allowed to touch his baby sister. Still remember that day like it was yesterday. Memorial Day weekend, and it was a scorcher.”
A chuckle rumbles deep in my chest. “You had your hair in these adorable braids on each side of your head. And a little bluey-green bikini top and a pair of jean shorts that Nate thought were way too short, but fuck did I enjoy them.”
