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Wes grins as he walks away, shaking his head as he goes, and I can’t take my eyes off his ass. His red shorts against his tan skin make it impossible to focus on anything else. I’m like a moth to a flame and—
Summer slaps me on the back as she steps up beside me, laughing as soon as he’s out of earshot. I’ll put every last dollar I have on her knowing exactly where I’m looking.
“Am I allowed to be happy?” she asks, suddenly serious. I only have to think about it for a second before giving her a giddy nod. Despite my reservations, there’s a slight buzz of excitement coursing through me at the thought of seeing Wes again, and it’s been a while since I’ve felt that.
“Oh, thank God,” she says, releasing a breath. “So you’ve been keeping secrets?” She bumps her shoulder into mine as the hint of a smile returns.
I can’t help but laugh again at her back and forth emotions, knowing how badly she wants to see me happy. “Yeah, so I kind of kissed Wes.”
“Kind of?” she repeats as we collect our things, silently agreeing that we’re done with the pool. When I look her way, the knowing smirk tells me she sees right through my bullshit.
“Okay, I did. I kissed Wes.” I bite my lip and cringe as I remember back to that day on the beach. And how out of character I’d acted.
“But you didn’t know who he was?” Summer asks, confusion flashing across her face.
“Not at the time. I ran up to him at the beach and begged him to kiss me a month or so ago.”God, it sounds so bad now that I’m explaining it.
“You what? Why?” she says midlaugh.
“Stupidity,” I say, and it’s at least half true.
Summer stops midstep, forcing me to halt and look back at her as she shakes her head. “There is nothing stupid about kissingthat man. I mean, I think the image of him getting out of the water will forever be ingrained in my mind. I love your brother, obviously, but damn.”
“I, for one, am happy to hear you love me, even if you are fawning over another guy,” Dylan says, his voice coming from behind us.
“Dylan!”
I turn to see him approaching as Summer drops her things and runs, leaping into his arms. “You’re here!” she cries as he catches her easily and laughs.
“Hey you,” he smiles, his eyes locked tight on hers.
I sense a moment coming—they don’t get to see each other as often as they’d like—so I try to sneak away to give them some much-needed alone time.Andmaybe to avoid Dylan’s interrogation. Picking up my pace as I near our door, I’m so close to freedom when he calls out, “Don’t go too far. We havethat manto discuss.”Dammit.
Chapter Two
Wes
She’shere.Thegirlthat’s been fucking with my head for weeks is here.Within reach.And I walked away without a backward glance…because I was cold. I. Was. Cold.What the fuck, Wes?
I’m like a fish out of water when it comes to this stuff. For the past decade, football has been my only focus, as it should be, but one random kiss from a stranger and my focus drifts. Okay, that’s not entirely true. Nothing will ever completely pull my focus, but the mystery brunette who I now know isLucyhas definitely been giving it a red-hot go. She’s been on my mind since the second her lips touched mine, and she’s completely shifted my thoughts. Why? It was just a kiss. I’ve kissed women before…plural. What’s different about her? Nothing, right? Well, nothing should have been, and yet, seeing her again today had my heart sprinting as fast as it does during a workout.Fuck!
I’m almost to my room when I decide it’s best if I’m not alone right now. Having time to think about Lucy’s perfect ass, or the curve of her hips in her high-waisted bikini, or the way her crystal-blue eyes shine…Jesus…I’m tryingnotto think about any of this. Especially the way she flinched. I’m not even sure why I felt the need to touch her, but I wanted my hands on her so badly I had to clench my fists to keep them away. I’m not an idiot; she clearly didn’t want to be touched by a stranger. And despite the fact that I can still remember the feel of her tongue in my mouth, I am just that…a stranger.
Bypassing my room, I lightly tap on the door adjacent to mine in the hotel, and wait patiently for a response. With the towel still wrapped around my waist, I grab a tee out of my bag and pull it over my head, knowing I’ll get a smart-ass comment if I don’t. It’s another minute before the door handle rattles, and when it does, I knock again now that I know she’s there, because it drives her crazy.
“Come on, open up. Jesus, woman,” I joke, laughing at the visual of her shaking her head.
“Don’t you ‘Jesus’ me, young man. For that you can stay outside,” she says with a lightness to her tone.
“My sincere apologies; please open the door.”
Gran pulls the door open and waves for me to enter. “Have at it then,” she says as I walk inside. “Did you come straight from the pool? Could you not have at least stopped for pants?”
“I could have, but I was desperate to see you. Don’t worry, I’m mostly dry.”
She pinches my cheeks and raises an eyebrow. “If you didn’t take such good care of me, you’d be off the Christmas card list.”
“Nope, not even then. You love me.”
