Chapter 5
five
. . .
Bex
one year ago
The swim-up bar is my new best friend. Elsy and Wyatt are being lovey-dovey in a cabana, so I’ve attached myself to Audrey Turner, her boyfriend Seb Henry, and his three brothers.
I can look, but I can’t touch. Joe, the eldest, has a girlfriend, but she didn’t join him on the trip.
Luke is the pretty one—he’s on the Aces with Wyatt, so I’ve met him a few times—and Mikey is the youngest, barely legal at nineteen or twenty.
Audrey is part of my book club back in Boston. She and Seb have been dating since last summer, and I have a sneaking suspicion he’s about to propose. The way he looks at her… swoon. I want someone to look at me like that. I know it won’t happen, though.
Luke swims up to the stone barstool beside mine, resting his corded forearms on the bar. He gives me an easy smile.
“How’s it going, babe?”
Babe.
With Nick, it felt sleazy, but with Luke, I know he means no harm by it. Even if he weren’t, like, ten years too young for me, he’s not about to risk Wyatt’s wrath by sleeping with me.
“Not bad. You?”
He runs his hand through his wet hair, the light brown strands darker than usual and sticking up everywhere. “Been better, to be honest.”
Okay, if he’s putting it out there…
“Me too,” I admit.
A shy expression washes over his face, uncharacteristic for the confident playboy I know him to be. “Really?”
“Yeah. Want to talk about it?”
The bartender ambles over to us. I order a frozen daiquiri, and Luke asks for a beer.
“Not really. Rather drink about it,” he says.
“Well, if you need to talk, I’m here.”
For a second, a smirk tips his lips, but then his face falls again, and he blows out a breath.
“Thanks, B.”
The drinks are set in front of us, and I take a sip of mine. It is potent, and this particular bartender has a heavy hand. I’m certainly not complaining, though.
I’m a few sips in and the alcohol is hitting my veins when I turn to Luke. He swivels to face me, expectant. “Yes?”
“I slept with someone I shouldn’t have, and I can’t tell my best friend about it.” The words fall out before I’m ready for them, but once I’ve said them, I can’t take them back. I’m not sure I want to.
A devious gleam brightens his eyes. “Are you talking about me?”
Unable to help myself, I throw my head back and laugh. “Not going to happen, honey.”
“Why not? I’m a fucking catch.” He’s pouting now, but despite his laughter, I sense a tinge of frustration in his voice.
“Because you’re way too young for me.” I pat his arm. “If you were five years older, it would be a different conversation. Besides, my brother would kill you, then me, then you again.”
“It doesn’t have to be anything serious. One night only. A vacation fling.”
And just like that, my good mood sours. “Yeah, that’s what got me into this mess.”
Luke tips back his beer, his thick throat working as he swallows. He really is pretty. “Okay. Lay it on me.”
I take a covert look around the pool. There’s no sign of Nick anywhere, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be overheard.
“So two years ago, I met this guy in a bar. And we totally hit it off. But then he said some things and I…” Blowing out a breath, I face the truth. “I was an asshole to him before he could do the same to me. And then I bailed, and I haven’t seen him since.”
He cocks his head. “So what’s the problem? Why are you dredging up ancient history?”
“He’s here.”
His eyes widen. “Here? On this island?”
“Yep. Saw him last night.”
“This is a big resort. Maybe you won’t see him again.”
Scoffing, I take another healthy sip of my drink. “I doubt it. I’ll be seeing a lot of him.”
A knowing smirk tilts his lips as he nudges me. “Naked?”
“Not naked.” I can barely hold back my shudder at the reminder that he doesn’t think of me, that I’m so unimportant. Been there, done that, don’t need to relive it. “I don’t want to see him fully clothed, either. I don’t want to see him at all.”
“Okay, but why can’t you just avoid him?”
“He’s everywhere. And to make matters worse, my brother hates him.”
Luke’s jaw drops. “Holy fuck, you slept with Nick Mitchell?”
“Shh!” Panic seizes my heart, and I cover his mouth. “How the hell did you put that together so fast?”
He removes my hand, but doesn’t let it go, lacing our fingers together and giving mine a reassuring squeeze. “Babe, their rivalry is legendary. I saw it firsthand when we all went to dinner last season. They may have a truce, but they still don’t like each other.”
“Yeah, well, Wyatt doesn’t know. And Nick says he didn’t know I’m related to Wyatt, but I don’t believe him.”
I want to, so desperately I almost physically ache with that want. But I’ve trusted the wrong kind of men before, and I’m not about to make that mistake again.
“He made me feel seen and desired. He made me think he actually wanted me, that it was more than just lust.” Sighing, I flick my ponytail over my shoulder. “But what would a guy like him want with someone like me? It was all a line to get me into bed.”
Luke opens his mouth to retort, but I cut him off.
“So I said some really shitty things, and then I bolted, and I haven’t seen him in two years.”
“Until last night,” he drawls.
“Yep.”
He pauses, then waves over the bartender, who hurries over. “Two shots of tequila, please. Make them doubles.”
I’m reminded of the fact that he’s still in his early twenties. There’s got to be the better part of a decade between us. It’s my turn to open my mouth, but he shakes his head.
“Nope. We’re doing this.”
“You’re a bad influence,” I tease him.
“I’m the best influence,” he fires back.
Two shots appear in front of us, and he pushes one into my hand, then picks up the other. A ding rings out as he clinks his glass against mine.
“Cheers, babe.”
Throwing back the tequila, I shudder as it burns down my throat.
“I’m going to regret this,” I mutter.
“You know, women say that to me a lot,” he says, but beneath his smile, I can see the hurt.
“Your turn.”
He raises his brows. “For?”
“Tell me what’s got you down.”
“Where do I start?” He blows out a heavy sigh. “Seb and Audrey are all happy and whatever, and I’m happy for them, but—”
My jaw drops. “You have feelings for her?”
His eyes widen with panic. “No. No, no, no. Audrey is great. She’ll be my sister one day.
But I want what they have. My dad’s been in my ear about keeping my nose to the grindstone and not letting myself get distracted.
And I know dating someone would definitely be a distraction.
But fuck, Seb had the season of his life after he got with Auds. Joe is a machine out there. Maybe…”
“You want a girlfriend to up your game?” I level him with a flat look.
“Nah. I want a girlfriend so I’m not so fucking lonely.” He looks at me from the corner of his eyes, before he sighs and slumps on his underwater barstool. “There. I said it. I’m fucking lonely. I’m surrounded by the guys all the fucking time, yet I’m still lonely.”
“Oh, Luke.” I reach over and squeeze his arm. “I’ll be your friend.”
“What is this, kindergarten?” His laugh is hollow. Bitter.
“Maybe. But I need a friend, too,” I admit. “I can’t talk to Audrey or Vanessa about it. Elsy? Forget about it.”
“Your brother—”
“He doesn’t have to worry about me if you’re looking out for me,” I tease. “And he’ll probably threaten you a bit, but as long as you don’t hit on me in his presence…”
“So I can hit on you?” He grins.
“Just don’t let Wyatt hear you.”
He mulls it over.
A big, warm body settles on the barstool beside me, and I turn to see Nick staring straight ahead, pointedly not looking at me.
Fuck, he’s even more gorgeous shirtless. His tan, broad shoulders are strong, his torso toned, and I catch the slightest glimpse of the tattoo on his forearm. A backward Boston Bulldogs hat covers his head, and why the fuck is that so hot?
A throb of want pulses through me, and I lift my drink to my lips, chugging.
“You’ve got a deal, babe,” Luke says, and I force my attention to him. He smirks, the humor in his eyes clueing me in to his joke. “Anytime you want me, I’m yours.”
I feel more than see Nick whipping his head toward us.
Luke is waiting for me to answer, and I swallow my fears and square my shoulders, pushing up my chest. Nick’s gaze burns into my bikini-covered breasts, and I force myself to ignore it. Let the asshole think whatever he wants. I don’t want to sleep with him again, but if another guy is interested…
Not that anything will ever happen between me and Luke. But Nick doesn’t need to know that. He doesn’t get another chance with me. Not after last night. Not after the way we left things.
So I turn to my partner in crime. “How about now?”
Luke drains his beer, then offers his hand. “Your place or mine?”