Jaylah fans herself. Disgust still etched all over her face. “I need a shower. It smelled like an alley in there.”
Danielle is replaying the video for the third time when I look up and see a familiar group of guys coming up the steps and approaching our VIP section.
“Looks like we came to the right place after all,” Gavin shouts. Carina’s face drops, and if looks could kill, every single one of those men would be on the floor, gagging.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she quips, standing. Her drink is still clutched in her hand.
“The Cove was boring, so we came here.”
Othello, Gavin, and the rest of the men take seats in our section. Todd immediately starts to fix himself something to drink from the liquor and juice set out on the glowing table. He gives Carina an accusatory look. “You know, I’m tired of you planning all this boring shit for the fellas, and all the fun for you and your girls.”
As if Carina’s scowl couldn’t get any deeper, she frowns, and her neck snaps back. “Everything planned this week is a good time. You guys didn’t enjoy the Cove?”
“Hell no!” Vernon chimes in.
Othello takes a seat next to me, squeezing my thigh.
“You having fun?” He asks in my ear.
A fierce, electric heat spikes from between my legs and straight up my spine.
“Yeah,” I answer breathlessly.
His hand doesn’t move. Just stays there, his thumb rubbing against my bare thigh.
“Gavin, do you have a problem with the itinerary?” Carina asks.
Gavin looks like he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“Stand ten toes down, my dude. Let her know,” Todd bursts.
Gavin is sitting next to Carina now, his hand around her shoulders. “I mean, it could use some sprucing up.”
“Well, I only did it because you don’t necessarily have abest manstepping up to do hisbest manduties.” She cuts her eyes at Othello.
“Listen, man,” James says to Othello, taking a seat on the opposite side of him. “No offense, but I need you to plan something for the guys.”
“Real talk,” Todd adds. “‘Cause what the fuck was that shit we did this morning?”
“You’re only trippin about the sandcastle contest, cause you lost,” Gavin shoots out. This makes Todd sit back, a scowl on his tan face.
“But I mean, he’s right. Can we please do something that doesn’t feel like it was planned by Martha Stewart?” Vernon groans. “If I have to do one more event where I’m dipping baby biscuits in a teacup, I’m gonna lose my shit.”
Gavin rolls his eyes. “They’re called crumpets, Vern.”
Vernon gives him a look that says he doesn’t care one way or the other.
“The activities stay in place,” Carina insists. “I’d like Gavin to meet me at the altar with his dignity intact.”
“Clearly,” James snarled.
“Hey, hey, that’s enough of giving my lady a hard time,” Gavin snaps playfully.
Carina snuggles into him, and he quickly changes the subject.
“What have y’all been up to?”
“Having more fun than us, I’m sure,” Todd grumbles.
