AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I wandered from the bar and stood in the shade, only the tips of my toes in the sun.
“It should be illegal to look that good.” Matt’s deep rumble spoke near my right ear.
A shiver ran down my spine. I turned my head and inhaled the scent of his cologne, my skin prickling at his proximity. “There you are,” I said.
“Here I am,” he said.
He didn’t have to touch me, but god, I wanted him to. What if we just skipped the whole party and went right on up to his room now?
What is wrong with you? This is Emilia’s party!
“You missed me,” he said.
I hated that it was a statement, but he was just that damn cocky and always had been. How could I blame him for it when he was all I’d thought about since last night? “Eh, not really.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” I readjusted my over-the-shoulder clutch, and it bumped against my waist.
Matt stepped up next to me, his arm brushing mine, and I pressed my lips together to keep from moaning out loud. Why was he so damn perfect? This was bullshit. I shouldn’t have been alive with anticipation just from a couple seconds of contact.
“How long do you think this thing will last?” he asked.
“Why?”
“I bet you know why.”
My pulse raced. “I don’t know how long it will last, but I’ll be ready when you are.”
“Are you ready now?” he asked and touched his hand to the small of my back.
I swallowed, throbbing for him already, even though touching properly was totally out of the question. “Yes,” I said.
“We could sneak off,” he replied. “You know, just before it starts.”
“Emmy will be down here soon.” I stepped away from him, trying to retain some sense of sanity in all the madness. “We should do the right thing by her.”
“Right. Of course.” He cleared his throat and turned away from the others gathering out beneath the white-topped cabanas, seating themselves at tables. He adjusted himself downstairs, and my throat dried up.
He was hard for me again. This was so easy. A few glances, and we were both dripping wet for each other.
That was the magic of this. It would be short-lived. We’d get all the glory of ripped bedsheets without the hassle of the long-term fights that came with a relationship. Keep telling yourself that.
“Need a drink?” he asked.
I shook my head, lifting my glass. “I’m good.”
“I’ll see you out there.” His dark-eyed gaze skated down the front of my dress then back up to my face, a sexy smirk on his lips. Matt walked off and left me weak in the knees.
Get it together, woman. He’s just the guy you’ve been hankering to touch for the last twelve years.
So not true. I’d practically forgotten he’d existed. Man, he’s right. I’m a terrible liar. I can’t even lie to myself.
I distracted myself from Matt by walking out toward the beach. A quick wash of my toes in the surf would cool me off, and then I’d head back and take a seat at the main table, right next to Matt.
There were tablecloths. Long white ones. They swept to the floor and would hide anything we did underneath them.
God, I was a sick, sick woman.
I splashed through the water. It was cool on my feet and my ankles, and I took another sip of my pink lemonade, winding my way farther down the beach toward the same palm tree-strewn area we’d kissed in a few nights ago.
“Hey!” A woman approached, and my stomach dropped.
It was Pamela.
Now, if that didn’t douse the flames of my passion, nothing would. What did she want now? To talk to me about ho-bags and sluts? Or about Matt again? God, I hadn’t even told her anything last night, and she still wanted details.
“Hey girl,” Pamela said, looping her arm through mine before I could protest. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Just, you know, getting ready to head back to the party.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait. It’s going to be great,” Pamela said. “But before we go, there’s something we need to talk about.” She pulled a face. “I did a bad thing.”
“OK?”
“I slept with Matt last night.”
My eyes widened.
Crap. Absolute bullshit. There’s no way. She’s lying.
“And I really need to talk to you about it.”
“I, uh—”
“Let’s talk over here, m’kay?” She guided me toward the palm trees, her grip tightening on my arm.
What the hell was this woman’s deal? She most definitely hadn’t slept with Matt last night. I’d known him practically my entire childhood and teenage years, and he wasn’t a dirty dog like that.
He did leave the day after he took your virginity.
The doubt was miniscule, and I squashed it instantly, but she’d put me in enough of a daze that she guided me right under the palm trees, out of sight of the cabanas.
