Episode 18
EPISODE 18
FIGHTING WORDS
Sienna
“You’re kidding,” Alex says after I tell him our clothing has been washed away in the tide.
So much for the mood.
Our From Here to Eternity fantasy went the same way as my expensive gold dress—right out to sea.
“I wish I were,” I reply.
He rolls off me. “Damn. This isn’t how this night was supposed to go.”
“You think?” I eye his erection when he sits up. Neither of us got the release we craved. And now? We have to walk back to the mansion naked.
If only the beach were quicksand, and I could be swallowed up…
The hottest man on the island chose me tonight. Me . And fate—by way of the ocean—stepped in to ruin it.
Alex stands, his cock still hard and ready. I want to tell him we can finish. He can at least climax, and then we’ll deal with the clothes issue.
But the moment has passed.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“For what?” He pulls me to my feet. “You didn’t make the tide come in. If anything, it’s my fault. I should have seen this coming. I mean, the water knocked us off our feet earlier.”
“I don’t mean it’s my fault.” I blow out a breath, images of wallflowers and strippers invading my mind. “It’s just…how my life seems to go.”
“We’ll get more chances, Sienna.” He cups my cheek. “Tomorrow’s another day.”
Interesting. He’s not suggesting we return to the mansion and go to his room or mine.
I attempt a smile. “Yes. Tomorrow’s another day.”
He takes my hand. I drop my gaze for a moment. His dick is only semi-erect now. Yeah, the moment has definitely passed.
“I suppose we should go back.”
“Yeah. But this isn’t over, Sienna. I—” Alex stops mid-sentence. “What’s going on over there?”
In the distance along the shore are three figures in the moonlight. The silvery glow of the stars accentuates a blond head. “Whoever it is, she’s blond. The woman, I mean.”
Alex takes my hand and we walk toward the figures until they come into better view.
“It’s River,” Alex says. “And Sebastian.”
“And Misty,” I add, recognition dawning on me.
Misty Holmes somehow got herself a threesome. Respect. Not that I want a threesome, but in Misty’s circles, it’s no doubt a common occurrence.
As we walk closer, Misty jumps into River’s arms.
“Damn,” Alex says.
I stop and pull on his arm. “We should turn the other way.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
We turn, moving away from the tide, and walk toward the concrete pathway.
“Alex!” a deep voice calls.
Alex turns back to the ocean with seemingly no thought to his nudity. I’m feeling a little exposed, though. Should I cross my arms over my chest? Or should I cover my crotch? There’s really no good answer.
“Seb?” Alex calls.
“Yeah. It’s me. Come here.”
Still holding my hand, Alex begins walking toward the three others.
I yank my hand away. “I don’t think so.”
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. But in case you’ve forgotten, I’m— we’re —naked.”
“So are they, from the looks of it.”
“True. But?—”
He smiles and kisses my cheek. “It’s okay. We’ll go back to the house if you want.”
“I’d prefer that, if you don’t mind.”
He turns and waves to Sebastian, and then?—
“Damn, Alex! Come here!”
“Later!” Alex yells back.
“This is important!”
“Fuck,” he mutters.
“Go ahead,” I say. “I can get back alone.”
“No. I don’t want you walking alone in the dark. Especially while you’re naked.”
“Alex, there’s no one else on this island. I’ll be fine. The pathway is well lit.”
“You’re more important than whatever he wants.”
His words warm me.
“They can wait,” he continues. “But I should talk to him instead of yelling back and forth. Come on.”
Oh, what the hell? We’re all naked. It’s not like anyone will care. I walk along with Alex, still holding his hand, until we get to the water where Misty has climbed out of River’s arms.
“What’s all this?” Alex asks.
“What’s it look like?” Misty says with a wink.
Yeah, I’m wishing for that quicksand again…
“We need to talk to you,” Sebastian says to Alex. “Brett too.”
“All right. Sienna and I were just heading back to the mansion.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Sebastian raises his eyebrows and points to their underwear on the sand.
“Funny story.” Alex rubs his jawline. “Seems the tide washed our clothes away.”
Misty bursts into laughter, but Sebastian and River remain stone-faced. Strange. The story, while embarrassing, is pretty funny.
“Where’s Brett?” River asks.
Alex shakes his head. “Do I look like I’d know? I’m standing here naked with a beautiful woman. I haven’t been thinking about Brett.”
Misty retrieves a pink thong from the sand and walks to me. “Come on, Sienna. These guys clearly want to be alone.” She grabs my hand, and before I know it, I’m being pulled away from the three men and toward the concrete pathway.
I turn to look over my shoulder at Alex, but he’s already huddled up with the other two.
Sadness spears into my gut.
Tonight is for you, if you’ll have me.
So much for Alex’s declaration. He spins words for a living, and that’s all his statement was—mere words. Words with no meaning.
“He’s a hottie,” Misty says. “Tell me. Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
She giggles as we reach the concrete. Lucky her. She has a dress to cover herself with. She steps into it and pulls it over her hips and breasts. “That Alex has a big dick.”
“Uh…you just saw him naked.”
“Yeah, and he looked pretty impressive, but you know very well what I mean. Is it true that he’s massive when he’s erect?”
My jaw drops as I remember Ginger’s prediction. “Who told you that ?”
“One of my besties in LA. She had a one-nighter with him when he was in town for one of his premieres.”
At Misty’s words, my heart sinks to my stomach. Alex is smart, rich, and freaking gorgeous. Of course women fall all over him. This shouldn’t be news to me.
“So…?” Misty prods.
“I wouldn’t know.”
“The two of you are naked.”
“I won’t be naked much longer.” I grab one of the shirts—it’s black, so I think it’s River’s—lying on the concrete and put it on. It covers my ass nicely. Good. Now I don’t have to walk into the mansion unclothed. Sebastian or River can go shirtless no problem. And Alex? Screw him anyway.
“Come on, Sienna. Dish.”
“I don’t dish.” I resume walking toward the mansion.
Misty huffs. “Have it your way. It might interest you to know that Sebastian and River are both huge .”
“That doesn’t particularly interest me.”
“Not at all?”
“There’s more to a man than his cock size, Misty.”
She steps in front of me, blocking my path. “I’m going to marry River, so back off.”
I lift my eyebrows at her audacity. First, we all have the same chance. Second, I didn’t peg Misty for going for River. I figured Brett or Sebastian would be more her type. Sebastian because he’s a celebrity, and Brett because he looks like one.
“If you want River, why were you naked with Sebastian?” I ask.
“That’s for me to know.”
I shake my head. “Fine by me.”
“But…if I can’t have River, Alex is my second choice.”
Oh hell no. Those are fighting words.
Something inside me roars to life. The wallflower becomes a scrappy weed that survives against all odds. I may not have men falling over me in real life as much as Misty or any of the others do—I was in a relationship for the last four years, after all—but Alex chose me . So he had a one-nighter with a pal of Misty’s. He hasn’t been with Misty . If he had, she’d surely be rubbing my nose in it.
She can spew at me all she wants. I won’t be knocked out of this race just yet.
I smile sweetly. “We’ll see how things work out.” Then, more to myself than to Misty, “Why do you think the three of them are talking?”
“How would I know?” she asks, her tone dripping with innocence.
Feigned innocence.
I’ve learned from the courtroom to spot it a mile away.
Misty Holmes is up to something. I don’t know what it is—and I don’t really care—but she’s not fooling anyone with this act. I walk ahead of her, and when I pass the pool area, chattering voices drift toward me.
“Hey, Sienna!” Ginger calls. “Hey, Misty!”
I walk through the screen door into the pool area. Ginger, Rachel, and Emily are splashing in the hot tub. What time is it? We leave at ten tomorrow morning for the party on the catamaran. It’s got to be after midnight by now.
Misty follows me, shedding her dress yet again. “Hey, ladies!” She steps into the tub.
“Come on, Sienna.” Emily smiles. “Join us.”
Who are we missing? June, Heather, and Ariel. One—or all—of them could be with Brett.
“Is that River’s shirt?” Rachel asks, her tone a bit off.
“It’s either his or Sebastian’s. Long story.”
Ginger laughs. “We want to hear it. Come into the tub.”
What the hell? I’m clearly not getting any tonight. Misty’s already had hers, but the others? They seem to be in my boat.
I step into the tub. The warm bubbling water feels like heaven on my un-sated flesh.
“So,” Emily begins. “Just where have the two of you been all evening?”
I don’t have to worry about answering because Misty can’t keep her mouth shut for a minute. “You wouldn’t believe what I found out.”
“What?” Rachel asks.
“Apparently Sebastian and River both have huge dicks,” I say dryly.
Emily launches an eyebrow. “Oh?”
I glance at Misty. “According to her, anyway. Tell them, Misty.”
“Start talking, hon.” Ginger takes a sip of water from her bottle that sits on the edge of the tub.
“Yeah, dish ,” I say, not even attempting to hide the sarcasm in my tone.
Misty sends me a glare.
Since when am I a mean girl? I shoot her an apologetic glance, but that’s all she’s getting.
“Well”—Misty darts her gaze to each of us in turn—“it seems one of them has already made his choice. And the lucky lady is in this hot tub.”