Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Only to find another reminder of last night.
Marc, the sous chef, is in the kitchen, setting out croissants and fresh fruit while watching pancakes on a large griddle.
If Zion were here, my humiliation would be complete, but he’s a bartender, so he won’t be working until later.
I take a deep breath and hold my head high. No reason to be embarrassed. We are all consenting adults, after all. But it isn’t the act that bothers me—it’s how abruptly they both left me last night. They couldn’t get out fast enough. Said they had early morning duties, which is clearly true for Marc. But Zion?
Whatever...
“Good morning!” Marc turns from the griddle, a sly smile playing on his lips. “I bet you’re hungry after that workout last night.”
I glance around, relieved to find we are alone. Marc chose his words carefully, but his tone drips with innuendo.
“Good morning.” I force a smile.
The buttery aroma of pancakes, usually comforting, makes me feel kind of sick. I walk to the counter where Marc has set out a platter of fresh fruit and pick up a slice of ripe papaya, avoiding his gaze.
“Would you like some pancakes, Ariel?” Marc asks, flipping one in the air with practiced ease.
“No thanks, Marc.” I try to keep my voice steady, but my heart is pounding like the bass drum at the county fair. I take another slice of papaya, pretending to be engrossed in its juicy texture.
Relief washes over me as Heather and June enter the kitchen.
“Morning, sunshine!” June grabs a plate and piles it high with fruit.
“Pancakes, ladies?” Marc offers, a hint of mischief still in his voice.
“God, no,” June says. “After that huge cook-off meal last night, I’m off carbs for the next few days. Fruits and veggies only for me.”
“I’ll take some,” Heather says, shooting Marc a curious look as she takes a seat at the table.
I grab a cup of coffee and sit across from Heather.
June takes a seat and stares at me. “Ariel, what’s with the tension? Something happen last night?”
My cheeks warm. “Nope. Anything happen with you?”
June giggles. “Heather and I had some fun.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know,” June says. “Since the guys seemed to be otherwise occupied.”
Heather laughs. “You’re such a sweet Southern belle.”
Really? Are we going there again? So they fooled around. So what? So did Ginger and Rachel the first night. Maybe Heather and June would like to know I fucked two men last night.
If Mama were here, she’d tell me to count to ten.
Instead I say nothing and rise. “I’m going for a swim.”
“Mind if I join you?”
Alex’s deep voice reverberates through the kitchen. My cheeks are on fire now, and my heart? No longer a bass drum. This time it’s the whole darned percussion section.
“Of course not.” The words come out more breathless than I would like. “I mean, yeah...Sure.” I manage to give him a small smile, even though my insides are churning like a hurricane.
We exit the kitchen together, Marc’s sly smile and Heather’s teasing words melting away behind us. The soft morning sun bathes the courtyard, and I walk toward the pool house.
“Oh,” Alex says. “I thought you meant a swim in the ocean.”
I turn. “The ocean? Yeah, sure. The ocean’s fine.”
He laughs, sliding his hands through his hair. “You can swim in a pool anytime, Ariel. Here we’ve got the ocean right outside the house.”
Should I tell him that I don’t like getting sand in my ass?
Nah. That would probably ruin the mood.
Alex removes his T-shit, revealing his sun-bronzed chest rippled with lean muscle. I swallow hard, my pulse throbbing in my throat. He catches me staring and grins—a slow, sexy smirk that sends shivers skittering down my spine.
“The water’s probably a little cold this early,” he says.
“Yeah.” I kick off my flip-flops.
“You look great in that dress,” he says. “Great color on you.”
“Thanks,” I say. “Evangeline has been dressing me in teal, and I really wanted something different. Even if it is a little neon.”
He laughs. “You’re so adorable. Let’s go.”
He grabs my hand again. The sand is cool under my bare feet as we jog together toward the sea. He doesn’t stop when we reach the water’s edge, just plunges in with a fearless laugh.
I pause at the shoreline. Alex is waiting, treading water a few feet out, watching me with those gorgeous eyes.
I take a deep breath and break into a run, launching myself into the surf.
“You coming in?”
I pull the dress over my head and—
Uh oh.
I drop my gaze to the bandage on my leg. Yeah, I’m an idiot. I was so desperate to get out of the kitchen with Marc, June, and Heather that I said I was going for a swim...but I can’t. Then Alex asked to join, and I...
“I feel like a dope,” I say. “I forgot about my bandage. I can’t go in the water.”