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“I’ll help you, Palmer.” Blakely starts swimming in my direction, so I slow my advance on Rushton to give her time to get here.
“Ready?”
“Yeah. I’ll dunk him for you.” She latches her little arms around Rushton’s neck, and he falls under the water as if she weighs a thousand pounds.
“High-five, my friend.” I hold my hand up for Blakely, and she slaps at my hand much harder than needed but not hard enough to hurt.
“Oh, now you’re both going to get it.” I don’t know how he manages to do it, but Rushton grabs each of us under one arm and pulls all three of us under the water. When I emerge, Ramsey is there helping us gang up on him.
That’s pretty much how the next hour goes. Just playing and goofing off in the water. The entire time I can feel his stare, but I pretend like I don’t notice. I don’t know if our agreement was a one-time thing, but regardless, it’s a secret, and I intend for it to stay that way. If this little deal of ours extends to more than one time, I don’t want their pity when it eventually ends.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Brooks
She won’t look at me. I’ve been watching her all afternoon, and not once has she looked my way. I felt her gaze when we first walked outside, but since then, nothing. She has no issue letting my brother toss her around in the pool, laughing and living it up like they’re the best of friends. I want to punch him and tell him that she’s mine, but she’s not mine.
She wants this to be a secret, and I’m fine with that. But I need to add a rule of my own. One time wasn’t enough for me so, while we’re doing this, whatever this might be, there is no one else. Not for me and not for her. That also means she needs to not let Rush toss her around like she’s a ragdoll in the water. Okay, fine, he’s being easy with her. I’m just jealous as hell that it’s not me gripping those slender hips and feeling that soft wet skin. It could be, but I can’t get past the fact that if I touch her, I won’t be able to hide that I’ve seen her naked. I’m barely maintaining control as it is.
I’ve wanted to reach out to her so many times this week, but work was hell. I worked Monday through Wednesday and then picked up eight-hour shifts both Thursday and Friday for a coworker who has a sick kid. Another coworker took the other four hours of each shift. Together we got her covered, but it was draining. We were slammed every day due to the emergency room in Harris being on diversion. One of their doctors was out sick, and another on vacation, and they’ve barely been able to keep their heads above water. Luckily, we’re fully staffed, but the extra load kept us all hopping the entire shift. There is no downtime. Hell, there’s hardly time to stop and use the bathroom.
Anyway, when I got home, by the time I showered and ate, I was crashing. It was a long-ass week, but I still thought about her. Every single time I lay in my bed, I thought about having her here with me. Even at work, there was a woman her age who came in for a cut on her hand from cooking, and she made me think of Palmer. Every fucking thing makes me think of her.
I thought that we would get our fill of one another. Get a taste, expel some of the chemistry between us, and my thoughts would be my own once again.
I was wrong.
In fact, I’ve never been more wrong in my entire life. It’s as if my mind is no longer my own. It’s the Palmer show, and I’m just a spectator.
“Jade just pulled in,” Orrin says.
“Oh, I’ll go greet her.” Palmer is already swimming to the edge of the pool and climbing out.
I watch as the water slides down her body just before she’s wrapping a towel around herself and hiding from me. Fuck me. She’s beautiful.
“Don’t hog all of her time!” Orrin calls out.
Palmer laughs. “Relax, O I need to grab myself a drink while I’m in there too. I’m parched. Does anyone else want anything?”
Everyone passes, and she’s off, disappearing into the house. I count to one hundred slowly in my head five times before I move from my perch on the side of the pool and head for the steps. “I’ll be back. I gotta take a—” I suddenly remember my niece is here, and I try to clean up my mouth when she’s around. “I have to use the restroom,” I amend. “Anyone need anything?” I offer just as Palmer did before me.
“Uncle Brooks, I’m thirsty,” Blakely calls out.
I point at her. “I’ve got you covered.” She smiles a smile that melts my heart. Grabbing my towel from one of the lounge chairs, I dry off and wrap it around my waist, much like Palmer did, and casually head inside. I take my time when all I want to do is run to her. As soon as I reach the door, Jade is there.
“Hey, Brooks.” She waves.
“Hey. It’s a good thing you’re going out there,” I tell her. “Orrin already threatened Palmer not to steal all of your time.”
She grins and shakes her head. “He’s ridiculous.”
“Nah, he’s just in love.” Her face pinks, and it’s cute as hell, but that’s not the blush I want to see. I close the door behind her and go off in search of Palmer.
I hear the water running in the bathroom, so I post up outside the door waiting for her to exit. When she does, she gasps, and her hand covers her heart.
“You scared me.”
I take a step toward her. “I’m sorry.” I push her wet hair back off her face and take another step closer. “Do you know how hard it is to watch you out there? Laughing and having fun with my brothers, and know that I can’t touch you?”
