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“What? Lining up for your turn?” Clay isn’t convinced.
“I guess there must be benefits,” Russell says. He touches the brim of his cap, tugging it a little lower against the sun. “More people to share the work of a home. More breadwinners. More support.”
He doesn’t meet my eyes, but I feel a thread of connection between us. A subtle shift in the air when he reveals his practical thoughts about relationships. I like that his first thought isn’t about the practicalities of sex but the practicalities of life. “That’s what Dawn says.”
“Are we ready to swim?” Stefan calls out. His back is to the ocean and his arms are outspread, revealing the perfect muscular form that makes up his upper body.
I have a million other things to do right now, but a swim in the cool ocean will clear my head and cool my raging hormones.
“I am,” I say, strolling to the water's edge and not hesitating when the frigid foam laps over my bare feet.
As the rest of the group follows, I decide to break into a run before anyone can dunk me under. A feeling washes over me that getting through the rest of this week is going to be way more taxing than I could have imagined.
13
GABE
Allie listened to the audio from last night. It’s written all over her pretty flushed face. It’s in every slightly awkward glance she’s made in my direction today and she’s not just looking at me that way, but at every man staying in this house.
She knows what we were discussing, and she isn't angry about it. If anything, she’s jittery, and that says a lot. Theron has a theory that I’m not sure I agree with yet. He reckons she’s a frustrated virgin, not one who’s looking to maintain her innocence.
I don’t see how that could be the case. She might blame her status on being busy, but there’s more behind that statement. She’s too sweet and interesting and beautiful to have found it difficult to find a man. Hell, a lot of men would fuck between the cushions of their couch if they were horny enough. Men aren't discerning. It’s the reason human beings haven’t died out, even during famine and war. Babies continue to be born through times of great hardship because men will seek a release and not worry about the consequences.
Theron thinks she’s shy, but I don’t get that either. She’s confident enough to be comfortable talking to ten strangers about the most intimate subject matter.
But Theron isn’t an idiot. He’s better than most at sizing people up. It’s why he runs such a successful building firm. If he has a bad feeling about a customer, he won’t work for them. We have a much lower rate of taking on problem clients who don’t pay for the work than most of our friends in the same business. It’s like he has a sixth sense.
Allie’s up to her neck in the water by the time I get close. She holds her nose and ducks under, emerging with slick dark hair and her eyelashes peppered with water droplets that shine like diamonds until she swipes them away with her hands.
“Wow. It’s cold,” she gasps, jumping so a wave doesn’t rush over her head.
“It’s good,” I say. “Better than a cold shower!”
“I wouldn’t know,” she says. “I have mine steaming hot.”
Now my mind has moved from poetic thoughts about her eyelashes, to her body slick and naked in a steaming shower cubicle. I swear, this week is going to be the end of me.
“Hey, Allie,” Theron says, bounding over to us, his arms pumping. “What did you think of the audio from last night? Did you get everything you needed?”
Her lips part, and despite the cold, a flush blooms on her cheeks. “You all answered the questions with what felt like a lot of honesty,” she says quickly, but her attempt to dismiss the true reason behind his question is obvious. He’s right. She did listen.
“And the conversation we had when you weren’t in the room? What did you think of that part?”
I want to punch my cousin for being such an asshole today. I know he thinks he’s doing Allie a service by pushing her out of the comfort zones she’s holding herself captive in, but shit, he could be a little more tactful. Allie’s eyes lower and she folds her lips in, licking the salt water from them.
“You certainly had a lot of nice things to say about me.” She addresses the swelling ocean in front of her as though she’s lost the confidence to look any of us in the eye. My hand itches to reach out to her, to let her know that despite all of Theron’s bravado, that none of us would ever put any pressure on her, but she doesn’t know me well enough to believe the innocence of my intentions.
“And they were all true,” I say softly, wanting to soothe her before she finds an excuse to walk away, and we lose this chance to keep a connection with her.
“And the other part?” Theron rubs his hand over his beard as the rest of the group gather around, sensing something in the air that requires their attention.
Her eyes flick up to meet his gaze, surprising me. I didn’t think she’d have it in her to challenge him this way…not about this.
“The proposal,” he says.
“I don’t think you fully outlined that part.” The bite of sass in her tone will be like a red rag to a bull. Theron likes his women to have fire as well as ice.
“And he doesn’t have to now,” Oliver says, stepping forward. I don’t know what this dude’s problem is, but he needs to realize that he’s not the boss of us, despite being one of the oldest here. In fact, he probably is close to my dad’s age because my parents had me stupidly young, but that’s beside the point. He doesn’t get to decide for any of us, certainly not Allie.
