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He laughs and waves over the stewardess, whispering in her ear. She quickly returns with a Jenga box, and a couple of packs of cards. "Jenga? Really?"
Nick grins, "The pilots are great, but being in the air adds a layer of complexity. You never know when you'll hit an air pocket and knock the damned thing over."
"You know, most billionaires probably fill their planes with drugs and booze... and women. Definitely women. You guys have Jenga?"
He snorts as he dumps the blocks on the table. "We've done that. The first flight on our first private jet was wild. Jonas spent the whole time wearing massive headphones and glaring at us." He shrugs and carefully starts stacking the blocks. I should help, shouldn't I? But I don't, content to sip my fancy wine and watch his strong capable hands build the tower. "The novelty wore off pretty quickly. Now when we fly, we're usually doing it for work...though this plane is different."
"Different how?" I ask, glancing around at the opulence around me. When Cara described the plane, it was smaller, but still really luxurious. And she said it was white leather, not black.
"It's bigger. It has a bedroom. We upgraded just recently."
Well, that answers that question. "Because you wanted to join the Mile High Club?"
Snickering, he carefully stacks another row of blocks. "No, though, with the right person, that would be fun." He meets my gaze, face serious. "Our family is growing. We needed more space for everyone. And the babies are going to need a quieter place to rest on longer flights."
Now my heart is breaking and being knit together, all at the same time. Growing, because of course these guys would buy a new jet for the babies. They're all about family. But imagining Nick and all the babies he might have in the future hurts more than I thought it would. "You're telling me that you guys bought this very massive plane for the babies?"
"And the women. All of you factored into it a lot. After what happened to Cara and Declan, we decided having a plane large enough to hold everyone was important."
"The way you say that 'after what happened' is funny. Like Colton didn't deliberately manipulate the two of them into getting stranded at that motel."
He grins, rolling a block between his fingers, eyes lit with laughter. "Yeah, he was playing matchmaker. I can't say I agree with his method, but you can't argue with the outcome, can you?"
Like it was planned for this perfect moment, a low moan comes from the bedroom, followed by some muffled voices. "Still sleeping," Declan yells.
I cover my face with my hands, the champagne glass still clutched in my fingers. "Oh my God." I'm not jealous, not really. Ok, maybe I am. I miss being touched. I miss that connection you only have with a boyfriend. But everything else that comes with it, I'm not ready for. Just because I'm not ready for sex doesn't mean I should cockblock my sister. Nick apparently has other ideas.
Leaving his half built tower on the table, he rises with a wicked grin, and moves to the bedroom door. "Hey sleepyheads," he yells through the door. "There's plenty of room out here for one of you to stretch out. Dec, want to nap on the couch and give Cara a little peace?"
My tough as nails sister doesn't disappoint. Her words, laced with sugar and steel, carry easily through the door. "He's fine right where he is, Nick. And if you don't get away from that door within the next five seconds, you're going to learn way more about me than you ever wanted to know. Like how I sound when I—“
Nick howls and slaps his hands over his ears. He spins, eyes closed so tightly his cheeks touch his eyebrows, and he stumbles back to the table, knocking his blocks over as he falls facedown across his seat, ass in the air. It's an incredibly biteable ass. Maybe it's the champagne, or maybe it's the fact that Nick isn't looking, but I let myself stare at his marvelous backside, visions of all the naughty things I'd like to do to it flowing through my mind.
"They're behind a closed door dude. You could have kept your eyes open!" I say, clutching my stomach as giggles roll through me.
His eyes slit open. "Right. Yep. I knew that. It was instinct." His eyes crinkle up and he laughs, a low, rich chuckle that dances up my spine. Another thing to go on the list of my favorite things about Nick. He can laugh at himself, never seeming to take offense.
"This weekend is going to be a lot of fun." I murmur.
6
NICK
As I walk out of the ocean with Declan, water dripping from my skin, I catch Bree staring right at me. She's good, she hides it pretty well. But I feel her gaze like the tip of a feather trailing along my skin. I wonder if she feels the same thing when I look at her? That phantom skin tingling sensation?
I rub my towel through my wet hair and drop it back onto my lounge chair, feeling her gaze intensify. My fingers twitch; I want to touch her. I want to know what she's thinking. Does she want me as much as I want her? The depth and breadth of my wanting leaves me stunned most days, but today, looking at her in that sporty blue bikini, it feels totally appropriate.
The woman is a knockout, lush curves, tanned skin. My mind immediately goes to all the ways I want to explore those curves. All the places I want to taste. I have to turn away and stare at the expanse of blue water, cresting with white, foamy waves. There's something about that sound, the waves crashing against the shore in a soft whisper that makes my shoulders loosen. It's better than any white noise I've ever heard.
My body under control again, I tug my way too short swim trunks down, and turn back to the women, only to find Declan laid out on top of Cara, locked in a scorching kiss. Grinning at Bree, I drop to sit next to her on the lounger, deliberately pushing into her space so she has to stay pressed against me or risk falling off.
"I bet if I started filming now, I could blackmail him into buying me this house," Bree murmurs, watching her sister and Dec with a mixture of amusement, sadness and longing.
Desperate to make her smile, to take her mind away from any horrible memories chasing her, I lean back against her raised knee. "Nah, that would earn you an entire island, at least. He won't want anyone hearing him make those noises." Glancing at Bree, I make the most obnoxious making out noises. And thankfully, a wide smile breaks over beautiful Bree's face, and she joins in, pursing those lush lips as she makes kissy noises.
Cara and Declan break apart, laughing. Declan shoots us a glare, but can't hide his smile. "They're both smartasses," he mutters, lowering his head to whisper in Cara's ear.
"Care Bear," Bree says, sounding happy, and carefree. "Let's go build a sandcastle. Like we used to."
