Chapter Twenty-Six
chapter twenty-six
ISLA
As the summer nights get longer, Marina’s gets busier every night. Tourists are starting to trickle into Ruby Cove, and the bar for that matter. The whole town has had a lively energy buzzing around the air lately, it’s infectious, making me walk around with a pep in my step. Or maybe it’s just that the sexy man who owns the hotel I’m staying at is making me orgasm multiple times a night.
I mix up an Aperol spritz behind the bar when Rafael and Caio walk through the door, followed by Heath and Leo.
Caio’s eyes sparkle when they connect with mine. The butterflies in my tummy go wild every time I see him, I don’t know if that will ever stop. I hope not.
He’s wearing a blue button down, the color perfectly matching the blue of his eyes. Leo throws me a wink as they make their way to a booth at the back of the bar. The guy has oodles of charm that he’ll use on anyone possible. Some might find it obnoxious, but it just makes me laugh.
Marina filled me in on their ‘boys' night’ before she went home for the night, so I’m surprised to see them here at all.
I crack open a few beers, adding them to my already full tray and wind my way to their booth.
“Have I told you yet that you’re my favorite Isla?” Leo says as I set the beers down in front of them, a laugh escaping me at his words.
“I thought it was boys’ night at yours?” I say to Caio.
“Not even boys’ night could stop the need with which Caio wanted to lay his eyes on you tonight,” Leo teases before Caio can respond, taking a swig of his beer.
“Is that so?”
“He’s not wrong,” Caio looks up at me with sincerity in his eyes. The way he openly expresses his affection towards me is so endearing, I love it. He’s not afraid of everyone knowing he wants me, but he does it without making a big show of it, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
“Plus, Rafael and I had a question for you,” Leo continues.
“Shoot.”
“Nope,” Caio cuts in. “Don’t even think about it.” He warns.
“We were just wondering,” Rafael starts and Caio cuts him a scathing glare. “Who’s your favorite, me or Leo?”
Heath nudges Caio in the side with a small smile, while Leo wears a shit eating grin and Rafael is looking up at me waiting for my response.
“I don’t know,” I mock wonder at their question. “Heath’s kind of got it going for him, you know? The whole broody cowboy thing, it really does it for a girl.” Caio smirks bringing his drink to his lips and shaking his head as Rafael and Leo look at each other as if what I said stumped them. Heath just slides a couple bills across the table to me that I tuck into my apron, also smirking to himself.
“You want some?” Caio tips his beer in my direction, and I can’t refuse, I’m always too caught up in everyone else’s drinks that I forget to keep myself hydrated while I work.
His eyes stay on mine as I take a sip, reveling in the feeling of the cold liquid trailing down my throat, I didn’t realize quite how thirsty I was.
I hand it back to Caio and he immediately takes a sip of his own, his lips replacing where mine were on the rim of the bottle. Something about watching that is sexy as fuck.
His eyes still haven’t left mine, and my body heats up more and more with every second that I stand here looking at him. The rest of the world fades away every time I stare into those ocean eyes.
The sound of Rafael clearing his throat snaps me back to reality, he and Heath are looking anywhere but us, meanwhile Leo stares straight at us, a knowing smirk on his face. God he’s shameless.
“Okay I gotta,” I chuck a thumb over my shoulder in the dorkiest way possible. “go,” I say, quickly scurrying away before I sit down in Caio’s lap and stay there for the rest of the night.
I stand with May behind the bar as we rest for a minute, the rush has slowed now so we take a moment to just exist before we need to get back out there, clearing tables as customers leave.
I can feel Caio’s gaze from across the room and every time I dare to flick my eyes in his direction he catches me, his eyes glittering from under his lashes making heat pool in my stomach every time, knowing exactly what that look means. I look away every time like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t be.
“He keeps looking over here!” Three girls sit at the bar in front of us, they can’t be any older than eighteen and they’re giggling like schoolgirls.
“The one in the black is just—oh my god.” One of them says, her English accent thick as she fans herself, talking about Leo, and May shoots me a look, neither of us able to hide our amusement.
“No way, the one in blue is looking over at us, he looks like he’d show you a good time.” They all look over to Caio.
“He’s got to be like thirty Beatrix!” Her friend scolds.
“Even better,” Beatrix smirks at her friends, her eyes fixed Caio. “Don’t be such a prude, Abby.”
May snorts before composing herself and leans over the bar. “Well, I heard he’s got a massive cock,” she says to the girls. Beatrix’s eyes widen as the other two giggle on either side of her, their cheeks turning red.
”I can’t remember who told me though…Isla, who was it that said that?” She looks back at me barely containing herself but raising her brows in challenge.
“Well I heard the one on the end there,” I nod to where Rafael is sitting. His long leg outstretched under the table. “Is always curious about newcomers, apparently he’s really sweet, and always wants to have a chat.” May’s foot kicks mine behind the bar as her face goes red, barely holding in a laugh at the obvious lie.
“Maybe I’ll go over there,” Beatrix says, rearranging her little top pushing her tits up. Oh shit.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I say.
“Why not? You just told me he’s lovely.”
“Yeah, well that’s just what I’ve heard,” I shrug, trying to backtrack now that she’s talking about going over there.
“Well I guess I’ll find out, won’t I?” She hops off the stool, head held high as she walks over to them.
I look over to May but she’s just leaning on the bar, watching with a smile on her face waiting for Rafael’s reaction.
“Want some popcorn for the movie?” I say.
“Honestly, that would be great.”
I shuffle over next to her so I can whisper without the others hearing. “This is mean.”
“He won’t be an asshole to her,” she waves me off.
“What in the world makes you think that, based on every interaction you’ve ever had with him?”
“Look.” She nods her head towards their table where Beatrix is standing, pointing over to us. Oh fuck.
Caio’s eyes catch mine before he pulls out his phone. Rafael’s head snaps towards us. His eyes like ice as he looks at May. She just grins back from beside me. “Cause look at her, and look at them,” she nods towards the two other girls watching intently from the bar. “He’s an ass, but he wouldn’t humiliate her like that.”
My phone dings in my back pocket.
Caio
Was your intention to get on Rafael’s shit list tonight?
Me
I had to get their attention off of you somehow, if I hadn’t mentioned Raf who knows, she could’ve been sitting in your lap right now.
Caio
She would’ve been catapulted halfway across the bar before she sat on my lap.
Me
Well that’s not very gentlemanly.
Caio
As if anyone’s going to sit on my lap but you. Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you hesitated to leave the table earlier.
Me
If I didn’t leave the table then and there, I would’ve been sat on your lap all night.
Caio
Sounds perfect to me.
I glance up from my phone to see Leo and Rafael squishing themselves over in the booth so that Beatrix can fit in beside them.
“See?” May says.
“Maybe he’s not so bad after all,” I nudge my shoulder into hers.
She cuts me a glance. “Nope, definitely still a prick.”