Chapter 12
Georgia
“You look damn good,” Emmett grins at me as I step out onto the back deck. His eyes rake over my red sundress, which clings to my waist and then flares out over my hips. His gaze drops to my bare, tanned legs and then to my sandals. “Are you sure you don’t want to just stay here?”
I laugh. “I don’t think so. I’m dying to get off this boat.” I’m not kidding either. It’s been fun being on the yacht, but we’re officially docked, and I actually get to walk on solid ground now. “Tonight will be fun.”
“Bonfires always are,” Brody comes out of nowhere, dressed to the nines, beach style. He looks amazing in a nice, fitted white shirt and khaki shorts. “I think it’ll be a good time for all of us.” His gaze shifts to Miles, who’s sitting quietly in one of the loungers.
I have no idea how long he’s been there. But I’ve learned that’s just Miles.
“Are you looking forward to it?” Emmett asks Miles.
Miles shrugs, looking equally as handsome as the other two men. “I think it’ll be what it’ll be. I’m just the fourth wheel.”
“You’re not the fourth wheel,” I giggle, waving him off. “A car has to have four wheels.”
“Valid point,” Emmett chuckles. “Let’s go.”
Together, the four of us make our way off the yacht and through the marina. This whole place is something straight out of a beach romance, with string lights along the wooden walkways leading down to the beach.
There, a ways back from the waters, is a big bonfire.
And a whole lot of people.
“Who are these people again?” I turn to Brody, who I assume is the guy who set this whole thing up.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. The guy who works the desk here is the one who invited us.”
“Oh, so we don’t actually know these people,” I reason, my chest feeling a little tight at the overwhelm. “Great.”
Emmett snakes his arm around my waist, leaning in and placing a kiss on the side of my temple. “It is great. You’re the best-looking woman here. Enjoy it, baby.”
“I’m never going to get used to this,” Brody grumbles, shaking his head at the two of us.
I watch him trail off, making his way toward the beach bar set up. Part of me feels a need to run after him and reassure him. However, he’s slowly but surely warming up.
“Just let him simmer,” Emmett repeats his go-to phrase. “He’s the grumpy type. That’s just how he is.”
“Yeah,” I breathe out. “Let’s go.”
Emmett guides me down the beach, while Miles trails behind us. We make our way to the bar, where Brody is already sipping on something dark—and probably strong.
“I ordered you a vodka cran,” Brody says to me, his tense expression softening just the tiniest amount. “I know that’s your favorite.”
“Thank you,” I reach out and squeeze his forearm.
He gives me a smile, his eyes lingering on mine. “You look beautiful tonight, you know.”
“Awww,” I beam, my confidence skyrocketing. “You guys are so sweet to me. Really.” I smooth out my dress and then take my drink as Brody hands it over. I wrap my fingers around the glass and take a sip of the sweet liquid, enjoying the way it feels going down my throat.
“Brody?” a deep voice cuts through the conversation, and I turn to see a man around their age approaching. “Is that you?”
“In the flesh,” Brody grins. “How have you been, Cade?”
“Good,” the man with salt-and-pepper hair says. “You mind if we chat a bit? I have this crazy business idea, and I’d love to run it by you—just to get your thoughts.”
Brody nods and then pushes off the bar. He meets my gaze. “I’ll be back. Stay out of trouble.” He shoots me a wink, and then disappears into the crowd. When I turn, both Emmett and Miles have also been tugged in another direction, talking to some other guys.
And then I realize, I’m alone.
What the hell? My stomach knots up. Why did everyone just wander off?
“You want another one of those?” the bartender asks me, his warm brown eyes holding mine for a beat longer than I expect. “You’re already halfway through that.”
“Oh,” I hold up my glass, seeing that he’s right. “I… I guess I could have another.”
“Yeah?” He cocks a brow at me. “Perfect. This one is on me.”
I take the moment alone to observe him. He’s wearing a black T-shirt that clings to his strong gym-honed body, and he’s not much older than me, if at all.
He’s hot. I mean, is he like Brody or Emmett hot? No. Absolutely not.
But as he turns around, I plaster a smile on my face.
“Here you go, miss.” He slides the drink across the wooden bar top, and I down the rest of my first drink, handing back the empty glass.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He winks at me and then leans against the counter. “I’m Ryan.”
“Georgia,” I reply, extending my hand.
He shakes it, grinning. “I like that name. It reminds me of my favorite state.”
I let out a light, flirty laugh and flip my hair over my shoulder. “Like I haven’t heard that one before.”
“Hey, now. It’s a good line.” He grins and rakes his fingers through his sun-bleached hair. “And I gotta know, did it work for them?”
I purse my lips. “Hmm… I can’t say that it did.”
“Oh damn. Well, maybe that means that I have a chance of changing that. Nothing like being the first.” He smirks at me. “But I gotta know, who were those guys you came here with? Are they your babysitters? Uncles? They sure seemed pretty close.”
“One of them is my boss, and the other two are his good friends,” I answer, my eyes jumping to them. Brody isn’t paying any attention at all, completely wrapped up in the conversation with one of his old friends.
Meanwhile, Emmett’s head is tipped back in laughter, talking with another group of guys, who I assume he knows. However, as I spot Miles beside him…
I catch my breath.
His eyes have me pinned, and his expression is tight, maybe even angry.
I raise my brows. What’s your deal, Miles? I lift my glass to my lips and take another sip, shooting him a sweet smile.
And I swear his cheeks grow red.
“So, you work for them?” Ryan’s voice cuts into my thoughts, and I turn back to him, my smile fading slightly. “What do you do, exactly? Or is this just a way of saying that you get paid to keep them company?”
“Um…” I instantly register the implication. “That’s not—”
“You need to find someone else to fuck with,” Miles cuts in, suddenly right there beside me. His fingers lace around my wrist, and he tugs me toward one of the beach houses, as Ryan throws his hands up in surrender.
“What are you doing?” I demand, tugging my arm away from him.
He releases it, spinning around to face me. “What the hell were you thinking? Flirting with some guy to make Emmett and Brody jealous?”
My eyes widen, and then the guilt settles in. “I didn’t… I mean…”
“I get it, they left you,” Miles says, still fuming, and then peering around me at the others.
“But that’s no reason to go stirring the pot any more than you already have.
Emmett can handle the sharing, but Brody?
Brody has been through more than enough with his ex-wife.
Don’t go playing with their hearts, just because you’re the prettiest face in the room. ”
“Wow,” I swallow the anger boiling up in my chest. I shake my head and then stalk off through the sand dunes, heading toward one of the empty beach houses.
“Where are you going?” Miles chases after me, following me across the sand.
“Away from you,” I snap, folding my arms across my chest. “I don’t…” I stop as I reach the deck of the unoccupied beach rental. “I don’t know what I’m doing any more than they do!” I throw my hands up and cover my face, letting out a groan.
Miles hovers above me, his cologne filling my lungs. “You all are definitely… diving into something unusual.”
I drop my hands, taking in his expression, which is a mixture of emotions I can’t read. “I think I was just hurt by the fact that everyone just… left me.” The emotions flood my chest, and I find myself fighting back tears. “God, I’m so fucking stupid.”
Miles lets out a sigh. “It was pretty shitty of us to just walk away.”
“I don’t want to be just the girl that they want when we’re on the boat,” the words come tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them. “I want to be the one that they cling to on the outside, too.”
“And honestly,” Miles pauses, “You are. There are just a few people here they know, and I’m sure if they knew how you’d felt, they’d be standing right here, in the same place as me…” His voice trails off as his smile fades. “And I have to admit, I’m pretty damn jealous of them.”
My heart jumps in my chest. “You’re jealous?”
Miles lets out a chuckle. “Well, yeah. I am. I am jealous. I’m jealous of the way Brody and Emmett have caught your attention.” He steps forward. “That they have the balls to tell you how bad they want you…”
I swallow the lump in my throat, the muscles in my legs tensing as Miles comes closer. “What are you trying to say?” I breathe out the words, barely audible.
“I’m saying that I want you, Georgia.” His tone is husky as he shoves his hands into his pockets. “I’ve thought you were the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my entire life, and I’m not exaggerating. There’s something about you that’s just irresistible.”
A smile tugs at my lips, and I reach for his arm. I tug it gently, but he resists my pull. “What?” I peer up at him.
He frowns. “I’m not going to just be the third guy you fuck around with.” He shakes his head. “I’m not like Emmett. I don’t just fuck for fun. I’m not like Brody either, begrudgingly heartbroken but still unable to give in to pressure.”
I step back, growing increasingly confused. “Okay, so what do you want from me then?” I fold my arms across my chest. “Because you’re saying that you want me, and then you just rejected me, Miles.”
He leans forward, his nose brushing mine as he lowers his voice.
“I need you to admit that you actually want me. I don’t want you to play me like you did the bartender.
I saw the way you flipped your pretty hair and faked your laugh.
I don’t want to be together to make Emmett and Brody jealous.
I want you to want me just as fucking bad, Georgia.
” His breath is hot against my lips, and everything in me pulls toward him, my mind flashing with the first time we met—the way he asked questions about me to get to know me…
The way I realize he’s subtly wanted me this whole time.
I grab a fistful of his shirt and pull him to my mouth.
Miles kisses me, his tongue slipping through my parted lips and canvassing my mouth like he’s starved. I let out a light moan as his hand slips around my waist and pulls me to him.
His erection presses against my lower stomach, and I gasp into him, surprised at the way he reacts to me. His lips break from mine, and he sucks in a deep breath.
“We can’t do this here, Georgia,” he whispers, turning his head back to the crowd. “I want you so fucking bad, but I’m not going to take you in front of everyone.”
My pussy aches at his words, and I nod, just as he interlocks his fingers with mine. “Back to the boat?” I breathe out.
“No,” he grins. “This place,” he nods to the house, “is vacant. I think this is the perfect place for me to show you how good I can make you feel.” He tugs me toward the outdoor staircase, and I let him tug me into a jog.
I follow after him, anticipation and arousal thrumming through my body as my feet pound the steps. Miles leads the way to the second floor, and then tugs me toward the third.
“The best view is going to be up here,” he glances back over his shoulder.
“For an attorney, I wouldn’t think you’d be so open to trespassing,” I call back to him over the sound of the thumping bass and ocean waves. “I thought you were more of a rule follower.”
He stops just as we make it to the third-level deck.
“Well, first,” he pins me up against the rail with a hand over either side.
“I know the owners of this house. And second,” he places a kiss on my jaw, “Sometimes it’s fun to bend the rules a little.
” He spins me around, pressing my front to the railing and my ass to his body.
“Especially when you’re in this cute little red dress. ”
“Oh my god,” I whisper, as his nose brushes my hair from my neck and his lips land on my skin. His free hand slips down my thigh, brushing my bare skin at the hem of my dress.
“Tell me, Georgia,” Miles kisses down my neck to my shoulder, “Tell me that you want me. Tell me you want me just as bad as Emmett and Brody.”
I gasp as his fingers trail to the inside of my thigh and then move up toward my panties. “I want you, Miles. I want you just as bad as I want Emmett and Brody.”
He chuckles into me and then squeezes my inner thigh. “That’s my good girl. Now,” he tugs my dress up a little further. “Enjoy the view while I make you come.”