Chapter 16
THE ONLY SNACK I WANT IS YOU
brAD
When we eventually return to my party, I’m on cloud nine.
For the first time, it feels like Shari is truly in this relationship with me.
It’s felt like she had one foot out the door for so long, I’m almost scared to trust it.
Am I counting my chickens before they’re hatched?
Just got to make sure I don't give her any reasons to backtrack now.
The day passes in a blur of surfing, beach volleyball, stolen kisses, beer and BBQ, and now sitting by the bonfire as it happily roars away, with Shari between my legs, leaning back against me, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday.
Dave is playing guitar whilst Max calls out song requests and demands Shari sing along with her.
Jaime, Trey, Hettie and Cassie seem to be in a lively debate about how to make the best s’more.
And Torbyn is relentlessly hitting on Elle – although Shari thinks she's enjoying the attention so doesn't want to intervene.
Shari turns her head and presses her lips against mine for half a beat before pulling back to look into my eyes, a soft smile on her gorgeous face. “I’m just popping to the loo, do you want me to bring any more drinks or snacks out?”
I grin, grabbing the back of her neck so she can’t pull too far away. “The only snack I want is you.” Her cheeks flush slightly in the glow of the fire and I press forward for another taste of her before letting her go, her lashes fluttering.
I’m feeling particularly smug watching her walk up to the cabin, Jaime jogging after her, when I feel a presence take a seat next to me. I’m fully expecting to see Trey or one of the guys when I turn, but my stomach clenches in time with my jaw when I see that it’s Keeley.
Her eyes are glazed and her smile is somehow both sharp and sloppy at the same time. “Brad,” she sings, “I feel like I haven’t spent any time with you today.” She pushes out her bottom lip in a childish pout.
I hum in lieu of a real response, because I orchestrated it that way.
Any time she came close, I moved away, put more bodies between us, retreated to find Shari.
She still seemed to find a way to rub against me, or touch me somehow.
But on the occasions I called her out on it, she just giggled and said oops!
Easier to avoid her completely. It was exhausting not being able to fully relax and just enjoy my birthday with the people I wanted to invite, but Torbyn’s family were kind enough to let us have full run of the beach and cabins this weekend.
I couldn’t exactly veto the small number of guests he wanted to bring.
I just hate they were all part of the Triple B’s.
Clearly unhappy with being ignored, Keeley leans closer, the sour smell of vodka and orange juice fermenting together on her breath. “We could always go somewhere now to spend some quality time together. Alone.” She bats her eyelashes, an attempt at allure. A failed attempt.
I lean away, but she darts her arm around my shoulders, stroking my neck as she tries to pull me towards her. The fine hairs at my nape stand on end, like my body knows a predator has entered the chat.
“Keeley, you’ve clearly had too much to drink. You and your little friends should probably call it a night.” I’m only being polite because I have the distinct feeling that she’ll lash out somehow if I shove her away. And it might not be me she aims for.
I’m about to stand up so I can walk away when she suddenly jumps up, a sly smile on her face.
“Ok! I’ll wait for you in my room, then.
You know which one it is,” she announces loudly before sauntering off, still only wearing that pathetic excuse for a bikini.
I’ve seen more material in a shoestring.
I can’t figure out the calculating look in her eye as she looks back over her shoulder at me.
What I’m assuming is meant to be a sultry smile plastered across her face.
But it sharpens when her eyes flick towards something over my shoulder.
“Is she for fuckin’ real?” Jaime bellows behind me. “Does that fuckwit honestly think that ridiculous ploy will work?”
I’m on my feet in an instant, praying that Shari won’t have read that wrong, and sees it exactly the way Jaime does. As a ploy. A manipulation. The act of a desperate brat who hates not getting her own way.
Our eyes clash, magnets drawn to one another.
She hesitantly steps forward, and I hate that she seems unsure.
That her confidence has taken a hit. This woman is a queen, and she doesn’t even know it!
Her confidence should be in the stratosphere.
I close the distance between us and wrap her in my arms. She automatically tucks her face into the crook of my neck and sucks in a deep breath.
“Are you sniffing me, Blaze?” One corner of my mouth curls up as I tilt my head to look her in the eye.
“And what if I am? You smell delicious.”
“Then let it be known I sniff you all the time too,” I nip her earlobe playfully, happy to see the hint of mischief in her gaze.
“Why does that sound so filthy when you say it?” she laughs, pinching my bum.
Instead of answering, I pick her up bridal style and sit back down on the sand, draping her across my lap to the beautiful sound of her laughter.
The sun has long set, but the sky has put on her navy blue evening gown encrusted with glittering diamonds, and the only sight more beautiful is the pregnant woman in front of me. I trace mindless patterns on her exposed belly, and watch in fascination as her skin puckers at my touch.
“Are you cold, love?” I murmur against the delicate curve of her ear. She shivers at the contact, and my eyes follow the path of another wave of goosebumps as it travels down her arm.
She turns her head to look at me, our lips barely an inch apart. “A little, actually. These September nights are starting to get chilly.”
I steal a quick kiss, because I can, and tell her, “I’ll go and grab you my hoodie.” She tries to protest and insist on getting it herself, but I placate her with the assurance that I need to take a piss anyways.
After using the loo, I grab my white hoodie – that I only brought because I know how much Shari loves to wear it – when I hear the whisper of the sliding glass door opening.
Smiling to myself, because I assume Shari ended up following me to the house, I round the corner ready to drag her back to our room, but stop short when I see it isn't her.
“Keeley. What are you doing in here? You're not staying in this cabin.”
I don't like the sly grin that takes over her face as she prowls towards me, so I start side-stepping to keep the kitchen peninsula between us. Unfortunately, it does mean I don't really have anywhere to go when she rounds the breakfast bar with surprising speed.
“Brad. My dear, sweet, Brad. I think it's time you were honest with me, don't you?” She takes another step closer, so I take another step away.
“Honest with you about what, exactly?” I eye her warily. I’m getting really tired of feeling like stalked prey.
Another step forward, another step back.
“Come on, Brad, don't play dumb. I saw you watching me all day.”
“I was keeping an eye on you so I could make sure to be as far away from you as possible at all times, Keeley! I don’t know what deluded story you’ve created in your mind but that’s all it was,” my heart rate kicks up. In panic. In anger.
“See, you’re still not be honest with me about your feelings! About Shari. About us. Why didn’t you come to my room like you said you would?”
“What? Keeley, there is no us. There never has been. And I've been nothing but honest about my feelings for Shari.” Not even touching that room comment.
She pauses for a split second as something flickers over her face, but it's gone before I can decipher it and she's stepping towards me once more.
Fingers trailing over the worktop as she saunters forward.
I take another step back, but she's effectively cornered me, and I have nowhere to go unless I forcefully shove past her.
“Don't be daft, Brad. Of course there's an us. That night we shared was magical, I know you felt it too!” her voice slices through my eardrums with the sheer pitch of her delusion.
What the fuck is happening right now? “Keeley, we slept together once. Three years ago! I told you I wasn’t interested in a repeat. I meant it then and I mean it even more now.”
She scoffs and follows it up with a chuckle, shaking her head like she can’t believe how silly I am. “Look, I’ve let you have your little dalliances, but we're inevitable. We're end game, you and I,” she singsongs as she walks her fingers up my chest. “Like we always planned.”
“You’ve let me? Like we pla…what?” I am so stunned by this bizarre declaration that I'm not ready to evade her when she wraps her hand around the back of my neck and yanks my head down to hers.
I try to pull back, but her grip is surprisingly strong, and when she licks the seam of mouth, I'm so disgusted that I end up shoving her away hard enough for her nails to scratch my neck from the force.
I'm about to erupt at Keeley for violating me, when I notice movement behind her. Shari.
“Shari! Blaze, wait, that wasn't what you think! I know that sounds so cliché, but it really wasn’t!”
“Brad! Where the hell are you going?!” I hear Keeley screech behind me.
Shari's already made it down the stairs and is trying to run towards the sea, but she keeps slipping on the sand. I manage to catch up to her before she slips a third time, but the look on her face kills me. Tears are streaming down her beautiful cheeks and she just looks...broken.
“Blaze, I swear, I would never, ever do that to you! She kissed me and I was trying to push her off, but she had too strong a grip on my neck. I think she might have drawn blood when I finally managed to throw her off.” I turn my head for her to see what I'm assuming are raised and raw scratch marks.