Chapter 6 #3
There were now more people in the pool, although it was more like a Sunday gathering with water than a pool party. Even the younger guests were behaving themselves.
The presence of adults made me feel better, as it meant that trouble was less likely.
Storm had sold the event as a mixer for her Daddy’s next campaign.
I glanced over to where she was still standing with her father by her side.
It looked like Storm was drinking one of those alcoholic smoothies that got you hammered fast. They were usually as strong as fuck, and before you realized it wasn’t just blended fruit, it was too damn late.
I remembered that it was one of those smoothies that had finished me off at Nash Straker’s party last year.
“So, you’re a junior now?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s that going for you?” Cash asked as we walked by the poolside. Molly and Hudson had gotten to the group before us, and they were all making space for each other.
“It’s OK. How’s college?”
“The new coach hates me, and college football is so much harder than high school. I got a busted knee during week one, but yeah, it’s OK. Bit of a girl drought though.”
“You’re saying there are no pretty girls at Epic Heights? I find that hard to believe.”
“Trust me, there are none as pretty as you,” he husked as we joined the others. “Fuck, how corny did that sound?”
“Not at all. I think it’s sweet.” And I did, no one ever talked to me that way.
He smiled and let go of my hand, but before I could reply, Josh Sanderson bumped Cash out of the way with his shoulder. My bag fell into my hand, and I placed it beside one of the loungers.
“Alright dickhead, give the girl room to breathe.”
And then it happened. For the first time in my life, I felt like the center of attention. Cash, Josh, and a guy they introduced as Michael Dexter flirted wildly with me, and I loved it.
Thoughts of swimming were shelved for the moment. Hudson had Molly lying between his strong thighs, her back to his chest, and they were whispering about something.
After around half an hour, Josh, Michael, and Verity went to get more drinks. I attempted to order another rum and Coke, but Hudson called over to say that wasn’t happening. Fucking party pooper. I asked for water in the end, too much of a headache.
And then, Cash asked if I fancied a swim, and I said yes.
Moving towards the spare lounger between Molly’s and Verity’s, I started to take my clothes off. I could feel several eyes watching me. Some were shaded with sunglasses, but their heads were turned my way. This must have been what it felt like to be popular. My confidence was growing all the time.
Molly had sat up and turned so she was sitting in Hudson’s lap with her legs thrown over his.
I pulled my tank top off over my head and then removed my denim shorts.
As I slid them down my thighs, I caught Molly’s eye.
She gave me a giddy look. As I stepped out of my bottoms, Hudson’s eyes popped open, and his face dropped.
He went to sit up, but his girlfriend twisted and placed her finger over his lips.
A silent message to tell him to shut the fuck up.
He leaned back with a huff and muttered.
“I really hate that suit.” And of course he did.
I remember how he had acted when Molly wore it to the beach last year.
“Are you guys coming in?” I called over, and Hudson grimaced further at my words.
“Hard pass to that Baby Sawyer.”
Fine. After ensuring the gold bikini covered what it should, I turned toward Cash, who had just removed his shoes and everything else from the pockets of his shorts.
“Enjoy,” Molly said with a cheeky wave.
At her words, Cash lifted his head, and a million thoughts must have been scrambling through his mind. I knew he liked what he saw.
“Hellfire, you’re so hot,” he panted, stepping forward. I watched the tanned column of his throat as he swallowed.
“I heard that,” Hudson said with raised eyebrows.
“Alright, grandpa. Calm down,” Cash said with a grin. “Let’s leave the boring couples to it and go get wet, baby.”
“What was that?” Hudson volleyed back, unimpressed.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Cash chuckled, taking my arm. “I did, really,” he whispered in my ear.
Hudson said something about Cash keeping his chub in his pants, and I was mortified.
Luckily, he just smirked and flipped Hudson off before leading us towards the water.
At that moment, I felt like a million bucks.
As Cash jumped down into the shallow end, he raised his hand to help me into the pool. As I was lowering myself into the water, my eyes caught Storm’s. She was standing with Reed and Phoenix!
BOOM, Nix! Was it wrong that I hadn’t thought about him for the last thirty minutes? My stomach flip-flopped. I wondered how long he’d been there.
And then Storm smiled and slowly nodded her head, like she approved of me somehow, and my joy spiked. I felt validated. My school nemesis was looking at me with a genuine expression that said GO GIRL!
I smiled back and gave her a little wave. This earned me a nod of acknowledgement. Maybe she had changed?
The water felt amazing.
Phoenix’s broad back was facing me, and he turned around, glancing at the pool to see who or what had Storm’s attention. Our eyes tangled, and a zoo of butterflies kicked off in my belly. I purposefully glanced away.
Ignoring that feeling of his gaze burning holes in my skin, I leaned against the side of the pool with my handsome pool partner and continued to ride my buzz.
I tried to refrain from making eye contact again with Phoenix for as long as possible, as I knew he wouldn’t approve.
Even though Cash was Hudson’s closest friend now, and Phoenix’s gym buddy.
You clearly warned off the wrong guys, I thought as Verity kindly delivered our drinks to the poolside.
Cash was extremely touchy-feely, and I liked that.
“I always liked you, you know. At school, I mean. But you were so young,” he said, after chugging his beer.
He was so naturally sexy as he cupped some water from the pool and splashed his body.
“Fuck, it's hot.” The way the rivulets of water ran down his pecs almost made my mouth foam.
I nearly agreed, but I would have been referring to the view.
I screwed the bottle back on my water. “I thought you fancied Molly?” We were standing in the shallow end, and the water line fell under my gold-encased breasts.
Cash glanced over to where the loving couple was. Hudson was massaging Molly’s shoulders. The girl had that boy's balls in the palm of her hand, and she didn’t even know it. “Nah, not really. I flirted with her to piss off my ex at the time.”
Well, that made sense. “Tate Parker.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah. She wasn’t getting the message. But it was you I liked.”
I tilted my head and looked up into his baby blue eyes. “Really? You noticed me?”
Cash placed his bottle on the poolside, his fingers caressing his chest with his thumb.
My tummy fluttered. “Yep. I tried to speak to you a few times, but you always shot me down. Plus, I had to be careful around Hudson. You know what he’s like when he loses his shit. ” Yep, like a category four hurricane.
“You say I shot you down? I never,” I laughed, playfully patting his arm.
He dashed a hand across his jaw. “Yeah. You were quite brutal about it.”
“Stop. You’re lying.”
He grinned and pushed a chunk of hair back from my face. “Nope. I’m not. You once told me to—and I’m paraphrasing here—err, crawl up my own ass and die. Or—no, wait a minute. Jump up my own ass and die. That was it.”
I laughed behind my hand; my eyelashes automatically do that batting thing I’d read about.
“Oh my. That does sound like me, too.” I took a deep breath and placed my hand on his chest. It was hard and warm.
“Sorry. I was probably just being paranoid that you’d approached me as part of a bet or something. ”
He lifted my hand from his skin and threaded his fingers through mine again. “What type of bet? Who can get the prettiest girl in school?”
“Oh, you’re good,” I panted almost breathlessly as he lifted my arm and turned me in the water. I could feel his eyes all over my body as he gave me a spin.
“I try my best.”
Once I was facing him again, he leaned a hip against the poolside and let go of my hand.
And then his face became serious. Oh no, here we go. “Can I ask you what you did to your back?” Cash said, his voice soft, his eyes intoxicating. The fact that he just came out with it and didn’t appear awkward was refreshing. I didn’t feel any of the usual shyness I felt.
My tongue came out to wet my lips as I replied. “I was in a fire when I was young. Does it bother you?”
His brow creased. “Not in the slightest. Why would it?”
“Well, it’s ugly, isn’t it?”
“No. I don’t want to downplay it as I imagine it hurt like fuck at the time. But you can hardly see it, Harper. I only asked because I care about how it happened.”
Cash Ryan was scoring points by the second, and each word that left his mouth felt genuine.
I was standing before a gorgeous, God-like guy who looked like every girl's wet dream. He was genuinely interested in me and my past and hadn’t cringed at my scars.
I had known him for a while when we were at high school together, and now through Hudson, and had always thought he’d be perfect first boyfriend material.
But how could I give my heart to anyone new when I had already given it to someone else? And that is when I cast a glance over my shoulder, and my eyes fell on Phoenix. He was still standing beside Storm and Reed. Reed’s hand was curled around his forearm, and he was speaking into his ear.
Phoenix was dressed in gray shorts and a white wife-beater, and the way he held himself showed me exactly what I had wanted to see.
He was pissed off, and the only reason he hadn’t stormed over was due to whatever Reed was feeding him. I knew it would be to stop his brother from making a scene. But when it came to those types of situations, Phoenix was the master.
Turning back to Cash, a slow, satisfied smile spread across my face.
He wasn’t stupid; he’d seen the antagonistic look between Phoenix and me. Well, I may have given Nix my heart, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t take it back when he’d given me nothing in return.
“Problem?” Cash said with a flick of his head at his gym buddy and friend.
Taking a drink from my water, I smiled and gave him my reply.
“Not anymore.”