Chapter Two: Jensen

Chapter Two

LUST AT FIRST SIGHT

JENSEN

The hot Florida sun beats down on the crowded pool area, cooking the bodies standing around or splashing in the pool without mercy. Not that anyone present is sober enough to care. I take a sip of my beer, set my bottle down, stretch my arms over my head, and relax against my lounge chair with a yawn.

“Hey, none of that,” Tyler says. “We're on vacation. Be excited.”

I glance over at the lounge chair next to mine, where my hulking brother is sprawled out. He's not looking at me, and for all I know, he's falling asleep behind those dark sunglasses of his.

“Vacation can mean resting,” I insist. “You could actually use a nap. You've been a grumpy asshole since we got here.”

Tyler turns his head and looks at me. I tilt my sunglasses down to stare back at him. My brother and I could be twins, with our dark shaggy hair and blue eyes, except he’s three years older and built like a truck. I’m not little by any means, but Tyler is a behemoth, his 6’4” height overwhelming my 6 foot even. It’s fine, though. I’m fine with not being quite the giant he is. I don’t have to hold the defensive line for the Boulder Wildcats, after all.

With a huff, Tyler lets his head fall back onto the cushions of his chair and says, “Yeah, I know. Sorry. Just stressed. There have been rumors of trade negotiations…”

“Dude, relax,” I sigh. “You had a killer first year. They’re not going to trade you. It’s going to be some other rookie. Now, come on. We haven’t seen each other in months. We’re supposed to be having fun and chilling. Okay?”

“Yeah, all right,” he grumbles.

“Besides.” I grin. “I thought your biggest concern was getting recognized and having the whole trip ruined. Doesn’t seem like that’s been a problem so far.”

He scoffs. “I’m going to be recognized way more than you when you go pro. Way more football fans than hockey fans in the world.”

I roll my eyes. “Right. You keep on thinking that.”

At that moment, two girls in skimpy bikinis walk by and eye us up and down. One of them gives me a wink and a little finger wave. I respond with a half-smile and chin jerk, but that’s it. I let her continue right on by.

“What was wrong with her?” Tyler asks, once the girls are out of earshot.

“What do you mean?”

He sits up and swings his feet around so he’s facing me fully.

“That girl was clearly flirting with you,” he says. “And she was hot, but you didn’t even look twice at her. What’s wrong with you?”

“Why are you getting on my ass about this?” I demand to know before shrugging. “Yeah, she was hot, but so what? Look around, dude. There are tons of hot girls here. What about that one girl stands out?”

Tyler rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Are you a monk? What has college done to you? I knew you should’ve gone to the same school as me. Northshore Michigan is going to make you a priest at this rate.”

“I’m still interested in women,” I assure him. “Don’t be dramatic. I’m just not going to ditch you on our vacation together for just any girl, all right?”

Tyler clasps his hands to his chest and speaks in a too-sweet voice. “Aw! Baby brother! I’m so touched. You’d give up sex with a hot bikini girl for me?”

“Don’t let it go to your head,” I warn him.

He chuckles and reaches out a hand to give my knee a firm pat.

“It is kind of cool of you to prioritize me,” he says. A moment of silence falls between us and Tyler’s eyes dart around for a bit before landing back on me. He suddenly looks nervous, which puts me on edge immediately.

“What?” I urge when he continues to maintain his infuriating silence.

He hesitates a moment more, before finally saying, “Have you… talked to Dad lately?”

My jaw clenches at the mere mention of our father.

“Not since our last fight,” I say. “And I don’t plan on talking to him anytime soon.”

Tyler nods, a flash of understanding crossing his gaze.

“I know,” he murmurs. “I wish he wasn’t being such a dick about you playing hockey. He didn’t give me nearly so much grief when I wanted to pursue football. I don’t know what his deal is with you.”

“If you figure it out, let me know,” I growl. “Because I have no fucking idea.”

Our dad, Francis Reece, is a no-nonsense real estate mogul who has always pushed us to be the very best at everything we do. Growing up, mediocrity was not tolerated in our household, and that included our chosen sports. However, he’s not so keen on me pursuing hockey as an actual career, and wants me to pursue what he deems a more practical career path. He thinks I’m wasting my time and isn’t afraid to tell me so, which really, really sucks.

“I don’t want to talk about him,” I say with a huff. “I just want to relax and enjoy myself and not think about how much of a disappointment Dad thinks I am.”

“You’re not a disappointment,” Tyler tries to assure me, but I don’t believe him. He remembers how our dad was before our mom died, and Tyler believes he’s still that same man deep down: patient, fun-loving, affectionate, and understanding. I was too young to remember any of that, so I only know the cold, aloof, driven, and success-focused man he’s been ever since.

“Whatever.” I shrug. “I don’t really care what he thinks, anyway.”

A blatant lie, but I cling to it like a lifeline.

“Right,” Tyler replies, clearly not buying what I’m trying to sell him. “You’re right, though. We should just sit back and relax and not think about it. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“It’s fine,” I assure him, though now that I’m thinking about our dad and our fight, I’m not sure it’ll be all that easy to relax again. I wish Tyler hadn’t even mentioned the stupid fight, though I know he’s worried about me. Still, now I’m worked up and annoyed. After a few moments, my irritation has only increased and I decide I don’t want to be around all these drunk idiots who don’t seem to have a care in the world as they laugh and party and take up space.

I move to get up off my lounge chair and Tyler asks, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going back to the room. I’m tired, and…”

My words trail off when I suddenly lock eyes with a gorgeous brunette standing on the other side of the pool. Her gaze is as blue as the ocean, and her shy, tentative smile makes my heart race. She’s wearing a bikini that matches her eyes and shows off her slim figure and smooth pale skin. Her dark hair is pulled back into a ponytail, but I can still see streaks of golden highlights when she moves her head and makes her hair sway behind her.

Suddenly, I don’t care about the fight I had with my dad. My irritation drains away and is replaced by the urgent need to meet this girl. I can’t say for certain what it is about her that makes her stand out among the sea of attractive and scantily clad figures around us, but I have to know who she is. I’m not the type of guy who believes in ridiculous concepts like love at first sight, but I definitely believe in lust at first sight, and I’m not one to deny myself when I see something or someone I want.

And I want this girl. I want her bad, and given the way she can’t seem to take her eyes off me, I think that she wants me just as badly.