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My gaze flicks across the hot tub where Felicia is sitting way closer to Cole than I’m comfortable with. He hasn’t put his arm around her like he did Anya. Which is a good thing, because I’d hate to make the housekeeping staff fish his body parts out of the water.
“If you’re trying to get back at me, this isn’t the way to do it. You’re about to bite off more than you can chew.”
“Not everything is about you, Van Koch.” Her voice is whisper-soft, but the fake smile remains plastered across her face. Anyone who looking at us won’t have any idea that we’re in the middle of an argument.
“I’ve already apologized and I’m willing to do it again, as many more times as you need to hear it,” I reply easily, but there is a note of steel in my voice. “But if you want to see me at my worst, keep pushing.”
“No one is worried about you.”
My hand drifts to the curve of her neck, resting there without squeezing. Not precisely a threat, but definitely a promise. “You’re playing with fire, sweetheart.”
“We haven’t spoken to each other in almost a week. Forgive me for not realizing I’m supposed to ask your permission for things I want to do.” She reaches for my half-full glass of champagne and takes a healthy swig, likely just to annoy me. “Felicia is going to be fine I’m keeping an eye on her. Thanks for the vote of confidence. But I guess I already know how much you trust me.”
I don’t know how the conversation shifted from her bringing Felicia here to the issues between us.
Switching tactics, my fingers shift to her shoulder and lightly graze the damp skin. “It sounds like someone wants a little attention.”
A shiver runs over her I’m sure she hopes I don’t notice. “Nope. I’ve just been enjoying the funeral party.”
“Sounds like it,” I drawl. “But I could probably make time for you later.”
“Sorry, but I’ve already got a full schedule. The girls and I are going to sit around in our pajamas and braid each other’s hair.”
The thought of my sister letting Gigi anywhere near her hair is enough to make me laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“I’m not your beck-and-call girl, Van Koch. You can’t expect me to come running just because you crook your little finger in my general direction. Find another one. I see plenty of girls around here drunk enough to go for it. I’ve got to make sure that Felicia gets back to the room okay.”
I glance at Anya, who takes a careful sip from her glass. Thinking back, I can’t think of a single time that I’ve seen her wasted, even when everyone else at a party was practically passed out. “Felicia will be fine.”
Gigi casts me an odd look. “What’s with the sudden change of heart?”
“I’m smart enough to know how to choose my battles.” My fingers slide across her shoulder with barely any pleasure, and she leans toward me before catching herself. “You’ve got my undivided attention, by the way.”
She glares at me under lowered lashes, a war waging in her gaze. “If you’d been paying any attention, then you’d know that I’m not interested.”
“You want to talk about it?” Maybe it’s the alcohol making everything seem less important or her proximity after spending a week apart. But the only thing I care about right now is removing her bikini with my teeth. “Or maybe we could move on to something else.”
My hand slips below the surface of the water and traces the curve of her waist.
Gigi abruptly stands, sending a wave of water crashing into Nolan’s face.
“What the hell?” he splutters, momentarily roused from his alcohol-induced stupor.
She doesn’t look at me as she scrambles out of the pool. “It’s getting hot in here and some of us need to cool off.”
The hot tub is barely above room temperature, but no one challenges her. Felicia looks like she wants to follow, but I subtly shake my head when she glances at me. If my sister is going to be out here, then she isn’t leaving my sight.
Felicia frowns but doesn’t move. At least one woman in my life isn’t driving me up the damn wall.
Cole and Anya are animatedly talking about God knows what. If either of them noticed the tension, they don’t acknowledge it. Vaughn is turned completely away, his phone resting on the edge of the hot tub while he scrolls through his Facebook feed. Nolan’s eyes are already closed as he leans back into the jets.
My gaze follows Evangeline as she pads across the concrete towards the pool. Her bikini bottoms ride up slightly on the sides, revealing the luscious curves of her ass. She sways her hips like she knows I’m watching, obviously making the point that I can look, but she won’t let me touch.
A group of guys lounging on pool chairs watch her walk by, likely noticing the same thing I am. Her head turns to flash them a smile and then she glances back to meet my gaze, a challenge in her eyes.
I guess she does want to play games.
Settling back against the side of the hot tub, I let the jets work away the tension in my shoulders. This is my fault, after all. All this playing Mr. Nice Guy was inevitably going to backfire in my face. Gigi didn’t fall in love with the dude who lets her give him the silent treatment or respects her boundaries even when they’re a transparent power play.
