Chapter Thirty-Five RHETT

We’re all sitting out by the pool before lunch, staying out of the way as the event planner and her staff show up to set up for the birthday party. I feel like I shouldn’t be here because of it and I even told Rowan that right after breakfast, but he reassured me we can stay. It’ll give him someone to hang out with versus having to spend time with a bunch of squealing pre-teens.

Considering the girls are turning thirteen, that means they’re actually teenagers, but I don’t bother pointing that out to him. He already knows.

Not gonna lie, I’m still pissed about what happened with Willow last night, though my anger has simmered down some. I don’t know what she meant by everything she said, but she put me straight on the defensive, and it was like my overstimulated brain and exhausted body shut down. I couldn’t talk about it with her anymore.

This morning at breakfast though, she looked hotter than straight fire, which made my brain scramble just staring at her. The black dress she wore fit tight around her tits, and I swear I saw the hard beads of her nipples poking against the fabric. No bra?

Shocking.

Made me instantly regret I didn’t feel her up more last night. Not sure if I’m going to get a chance today either.

Damn.

I could see the worry on her pretty face. Her eyes looked haunted and I caught her staring at me with longing a few times. At least, that’s what it looked like. The feeling was mutual. I’m not going to be mad at her just for anger’s sake. I’m sure she’ll apologize. And I’ll apologize too for being a gruff asshole. Hopefully that’ll make everything better.

Iris may as well have showed up to breakfast naked. Her off-white dress clung to her like a second skin and it was obvious she wore nothing underneath it. Pretty sure Brooks got a stiffy considering he didn’t budge from his seat at the dining table for a long time. Iris knew what she was doing too. That evil smile on her face said all that I needed to know.

I might be upset still with Willow, but I definitely made the right choice when it comes to the Lancaster girls. Iris is just too much for me. I don’t know how Brooks does it.

“Do we really have to hang out at this party?” Iris’s little brother Vaughn whines to us. He’s currently sitting on a giant white swan floaty and wearing a pair of classic Wayfarer Ray-Ban sunglasses, drifting across the pool with his toes dragging in the water.

“Give me a break. You’re dying to go to this party and check out the chicks.” This is from Row, who’s sitting on a lounge chair and soaking up the late summer sun.

It’s not that warm out here, but the sun is shining upon us and it feels good. Plus, the pool is heated, so it won’t be that rough jumping in.

“That’s my plan,” Beau adds. He’s Row and Willow’s little brother, and he is the spitting image of his dad. Even more so than Rowan. “You know there has to be a couple of hotties showing up.

Row makes a face, exchanging a look with my brother. “Have fun with your jailbait options.”

“Says the dude who’s also jailbait,” I mutter, slipping my glasses over my eyes. Now this is the fucking life. Lounging by the pool and relaxing on a warm Saturday. Servants at our every beck and call, and enough food to keep us fed for the next month. I thought we grew up spoiled—our childhood was nothing compared to this.

I can feel Row glaring at me. “You know what I mean.”

“I do, I do.” I lower my sunglasses to study him. He looks put out but not really. “Where’s Brooks?”

“Said he had to use the bathroom,” Row answers.

“That was twenty minutes ago,” Vaughn adds.

Row and I share a look before I push my sunglasses back into place. He’s most likely hooking up with Iris.

Hi, guys.

I swivel my head in the direction of that sweet voice greeting us, seeing Willow approach. Her thick hair is piled into a bun on top of her head and she’s wearing a short black tank dress that hits about mid-thigh, designer slides on her feet, her toenails painted a vivid red. There are at least four gold necklaces in varying lengths around her neck and diamond studs winking in her ears.

This girl screams money and I had no idea I was so attracted to wealthy girls before, but here I am, lusting after her even though she pissed me off last night.

I make no sense.

When no one responds, she drops the plush white towel she’s clutching under one arm onto the nearest lounge chair, unrolling it and placing it carefully across the cushions before she kicks off her slides. My temperature rises when she reaches for the sides of her cover up, pausing when she realizes she has an audience.

Me.

Beau, Vaughn and Row are too busy chatting to notice what she’s doing and besides, they don’t care. She’s family. Their sister, their cousin. While I’m sitting over here remembering what it felt like to have her in my arms last night. The sweet sighs and low moans that sounded deep in her throat when I kissed the shit out of her.

If she’s trying to get under my skin by showing up poolside, it’s working.

Her gaze meets mine and her mouth curves downward. I’m sure she doesn’t love it that I have sunglasses on, but they give me the benefit of looking at her wherever and whenever I want and she can’t tell. There’s an internal war that seems to be happening within her from the expression I see on her face, and she finally gives in, grabbing the dress and yanking it up and over her head.

Leaving me stunned.

She’s wearing a bright green bikini that’s not covering much. Her tits are barely contained by the flimsy fabric and yep, those are definitely her hard nipples I see. Her stomach is flat and her waist is tiny, her hips wide and the perfect place for someone to plant his hands.

Me. I’m that someone.

Willow also has good legs and I stare hard at the scrap of fabric that’s covering the motherland. I don’t even know why I referred to her pussy like that but I’m suddenly dying to see it. Slip my fingers inside it. See if she’s wet.

Fuck, now I feel like Brooks. No wonder the guy snuck off with Iris. He’s probably fucking her in a closet at this very moment while I sit out here, silently suffering.

Lucky fucker.

“Why isn’t anyone in the water?” Willow asks no one in particular.

“I’m in the pool,” Vaughn says, still gliding around on the swan.

“But you’re not in the water. Swimming.” Willow rests her hands on her hips, studying her cousin before she glances over her shoulder, her gaze scanning all of us. Landing on me. “You guys are no fun.”

I lift a brow in silent challenge but she doesn’t respond, turning to face the pool once more.

She wants fun? I can show her fun.

She’s also giving me a perfect view of her ass and it is juicy. I sound like a dick even in my own head. Objectifying her every body part, but it feels like she’s putting on a show just for me and I can’t help but notice. I’m an eighteen-year-old male in the prime of my life. Sue me.

Without warning, she dives into the water, barely breaking the surface, it’s so smooth. She swims across the pool, popping up in front of Vaughn’s swan, wearing a big grin and the water dripping down her face as she tips the swan over, sending Vaughn sputtering into the water.

Row laughs. So does Beau. And so does Willow.

Me? I’m quiet, enjoying this playful side Will is showing me. I don’t see this version of her at school. She always seems stressed and serious. Worried. In this moment, she’s carefree and I like it.

“That sucked,” Vaughn declares when he resurfaces. He cuts his hand through the water, splashing Willow. “Why did you push me off the swan?”

“You looked like you needed to cool off.” She shrugs, shrieking when Vaughn lunges for her and she swims away hurriedly.

Beau jumps into the water, ready to harass his sister, which he does. They’re all splashing each other and laughing in the pool while Row and I stay on the loungers. Row is too busy paying attention to his phone, which means I can leisurely watch Willow without any questions or judgment.

She’s currently struggling to climb onto the swan, Beau choosing this moment to shove her right off, and when she falls into the water with a big splash, I can’t help but laugh. She reappears in an instant, grabbing hold of the swan and swimming away with it, pushing the giant floaty in front of her, the boys yelling at her.

Damn it, I can’t stay mad at her. Not when she’s awkwardly trying to get back on the swan, laughing the entire time. Eventually Vaughn holds the front of the swan to stabilize it for her and she gets what she wants. Sitting on top of the swan, straddling the swan’s neck, lifting her right arm in triumph while Vaughn swims to the back of it and pushes her around the pool. They pass by me and she smiles, her eyes glowing, the look on her face just for me. Silently communicating that she remembers what we shared last night too, and do I want to do it again?

That’s the message I’m taking from that look. And my response is yes. Yes, fucking please let’s do it again.

“Hey.” Brooks magically appears, clad in a pair of pale pink swim trunks and wearing a hideous Hawaiian print shirt he left unbuttoned. He falls onto the lounger next to mine and stretches out his big frame, tilting his face toward the sun. “What did I miss?”

“The question we really should ask is where were you?”

He pulls a pair of sunglasses out of the front pocket of his shirt and slips them on, shading his eyes. “Went to check out my room and change. I’m right next door to you.”

Thank God we’re not sharing a room. He’d probably kick me out and entertain Iris in it all night.

“Check out your room, huh? That’s what we’re calling it?”

Brooks remains as cool as ever, seemingly unfazed. “This place is like a damn hotel.”

“With free services?” He finally turns his head in my direction. “Come clean, my friend. Where were you really?”

He glances back at Row before turning to face me, his voice going low. “With Iris.”

“Doing what?”

“You know.”

“Chatting her up?” My tone, my face is pure innocence.

“Sure.” His voice is smooth, his gaze shifting down and to the left.

I remember reading somewhere recently that’s how you know someone is lying. When they look down and to the left.

“Chatting her up while your dick was inside her?” I ask, keeping it casual.

A strangled sound leaves Brooks, causing him to immediately start coughing, and I just sit there and watch him while he has a complete attack. They even go quiet in the pool, all of them not moving while they wait for Brooks to finish.

“Are you okay?” Willow asks when he’s finally done, her voice full of concern.

“I’m fine,” he manages to utter, his voice strangled. He keeps clearing his throat, and I have to admit to myself I don’t even feel bad for making that happen.

“Must’ve nailed it,” I say only when they all start swimming around again, their constant chatter background noise to our conversation. “Or maybe I should say, you must’ve been nailing her.”

“Look, I don’t want it getting around, especially to her family.” Brooks casts a worried glance toward the pool before he meets my gaze again. “She’d prefer to keep this a secret.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” I say solemnly, meaning every word I say. I won’t break Brooks’s trust. He’s my best friend at this school. I won’t put that at risk.

“Good.” He sits up, turning to sit on the side of the lounger facing me, his bare feet planted on the ground. “I think I’m in love with her.”

Now I’m the one coughing, choking on my own saliva because damn, that’s a big statement. “Seriously?”

Brooks nods, his face gravely serious. “I can’t stop thinking about her. She’s all I want to see, to do, to talk to. She keeps pushing me away and that only makes me want her more. It’s bad, but I never want the feeling to stop.”

“Sounds like you’re obsessed.”

“That’s it. That’s the perfect word to describe how I feel about her.” He leans forward and so do I, sensing he’s going to say something important. “We just fucked for the last thirty minutes in my room. I came twice. I don’t know how she does it.”

I’m envious. I wish I was the one fucking for thirty minutes straight and it was good enough that I’m coming twice. “Sounds fun.”

“It was fun. It’s like, life-transforming. What this girl makes me feel …” His voice drifts, and he shakes his head. “Like I said, I think I love her.”

“Do you think she loves you?”

“Not at all.” He doesn’t even hesitate with that response.

I frown. “That sucks.”

“It is what it is.” He shrugs. “She has a hard time showing her feelings. While all I want to do is express my undying love for her every time we’re together. It’s not a good mix.”

As if conjured up by his mere words, Iris appears, clad in the skimpiest black bikini I’ve ever seen in my life, her ass cheeks hanging out as she runs toward the pool and jumps in the middle of it. Her perfect cannonball causes giant waves to ripple through the pool and Willow and the boys are yelling at her when her head pops out of the water.

“Look at her. She makes a splash wherever she goes,” Brooks says, a dazed look on his face as he stares at the love of his life.

That was the corniest shit ever, but I can see he’s gone over her.

“You’ve got to play it cool.”

“What?” Brooks swivels his head in my direction, frowning. “Play it cool?”

He says the words like it’s an unfathomable concept.

“With her.” I nod, waving a hand in the pool’s direction. “She knows how you feel. She’s leading you around by your dick and you’re letting her.”

“Yeah. She’s really good at it.” He doesn’t sound mad about it at all.

“Right. So she’s got you where she wants you, and you’re letting it happen. She’s taken complete control of the situation. She’s in charge of your relationship.”

“I’m cool with it.” He shrugs.

“You won’t be when she tells you she can’t be with you like that.”

Brooks goes completely still, his gaze back on the pool. On Iris. “She wouldn’t do that to me.”

“She already is.”

His frown is deep. “I’ll talk to her tonight about it.”

“Really?” I sound doubtful. I am doubtful. My friend doesn’t want to mess up a good thing. And I suppose I can’t blame him. Why make waves when he’s getting everything he could want? A beautiful girl letting him fuck her every which way he can, whenever he wants for the most part.

But isn’t there more to life than just constant sex with no feelings involved? Or in Brooks’s case, one-sided feelings? I’d hate to be in his position.

My gaze drifts to the swan. Now Iris is somehow sitting on it too, directly behind Willow. Her arms are around her waist, her cheek pressed against Willow’s shoulder and they’re laughing. Iris’s gaze meets mine and her arms tighten around Willow, a smirk appearing on her face. She’s sending me a message. Not sure how I know this, I just do.

You want her—you better treat her right.

That’s what she’s telling me without saying a word, and I realize …

I need to talk to Willow as soon as possible. I can’t let Brooks and Iris be the only ones having a good time behind closed doors this weekend.