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“That’s because he dislikes me,” I said. “Which I told Karen, but she said that Cassius was ‘very nice’ and I probably just ‘misunderstood.’”
“He is pretty nice,” Diana agreed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him glare at someone quite like he’s doing to you right now, though. He’s usually the levelheaded one of the bunch.”
I chanced a look into the ocean to see everyone but him get out and head toward the dock, where there were fresh beers and seats.
I chose to take that opening as I could and finished off my margarita before heading for the water. “Let’s go see, shall we? Y’all watch, and see how he treats me.”
Dutch clapped. “Ten dollars says he’s nice.”
I snorted past the brain freeze as I sat the glass on the table. “Bet.”
I didn’t miss the look the three women exchanged as I left. Nor did I miss the near-silent words that Matilda shared. “This isn’t going to go well. Mark my words.”
Then I walked toward the water.
Cassius marked me the moment I stood up. I’d noticed his gaze fall on me and freeze, watching as I downed my margarita.
When I got to the edge of the water, I stripped off my cover-up.
It wasn’t anything special.
Just a black lace-like cover-up I’d bought at Walmart when the season ended a few years ago. It was short, about halfway up my thighs, but since I’d purchased it, I’d noticed that each time I washed it, the damn thing shrunk.
Now, it was just barely covering my butt.
Tossing it onto a chair I’d noticed holding everyone’s towels, shirts, and cover-ups, I headed toward the water.
I purposefully avoided the man that I could feel glaring holes through me.
Instead, I walked out until my ass was covered and sighed.
I loved the water.
One day, when I had nothing better to do, I’d spend the entire damn day at the beach, my ass in the sand, with the waves licking at my toes. I’d have a good book in my hands and a Dr. Pepper at my side, with a rotisserie chicken in my lap to pick off of.
“Why are you looking like that?”
Cassius’s voice had me glancing to my side.
I was even with him in the water now.
“I was thinking about rotisserie chicken,” I admitted. “I was thinking about how nice it would be to eat one while I was here doing absolutely nothing.”
He looked at me curiously, then he grinned. “You and a good friend of my buddy’s would like each other.”
My brows rose. “Why?”
“Because she broke up with her last boyfriend because she was so bored during sex that all she could think about was the rotisserie chicken in her car,” he said, that grin falling when my eyes came to rest on him.
“She’s a sweet person. So far, I really like her,” I admitted. “I think Diana is still warming up to me.”
“Diana will,” he paused. “If you come around more.”
That sounded an awful lot like ‘please don’t come around here more.’
I looked at him curiously then, tilting my head slightly to the side as I said, “What did…”
I felt a hot lash against my thigh, and I looked down.
Then cursed.
“Jellyfish!”
Another lash against my inner breast, where I’d somehow submerged myself up to my chin.
Another at the back of my arm and my lower right ankle.
I was roughly hauled out of the water until I was standing, then let go as if I was infected.
I followed Cassius out, and my eyes widened.
I got to the shoreline and knew without even looking down that I was covered.
“Oh, fuck,” I heard Cassius say behind me.
I turned to look at him exiting the water right behind me and winced.
He looked rough. Just like I was sure I did.
“There were no signs of jellyfish being in the area today,” I told him.
“No,” he agreed.
Because then neither freakin’ one of us would’ve been in that water.
“I could try peeing on you,” I offered.
That was a myth and we both freakin’ knew it.
He flipped me off. “You damn well know that doesn’t work.”
I did. I just wanted to see if he’d let me. Apparently, he wasn’t gullible in the least.
“What do we do now? I’ve never had this many before,” I grumbled, finally getting the courage to look down at my body.
My black suit stood out starkly against my skin. But what stood out even better? The dozens of lash marks over every single bit of my exposed skin.
I looked like someone had taken a whip to my belly and legs.
“Does the back look as bad as the front?” I asked Cassius.
I should’ve never jumped in that water to entice him. Had I controlled the compulsion to piss him off, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now.
“Looks worse,” he sounded winded.
I looked at him over my shoulder to see his gaze going from my ass to my face.
