Chapter 7 Sophie #2
For one, my head is buried in the crook of Elijah’s neck, and there’s a steady string of drool soaking the collar of his shirt.
Oh my God! Seriously?
I push off of Elijah, turning to see Benny grinning at me like he finds all of this hilarious. Like he’s amused by my mortification. I also don’t miss the furrow in Elijah’s eyebrows.
“I’m so sorry, I—”
A thousand clicking seatbelts echo in the space as the pilot announces our arrival, and I barely have time to process his words. I slept through the whole flight. Drooling on Elijah’s shirt.
Good thing I kissed him last night, because there’s no way he’d kiss me now after that. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?
“Sorry,” I say again as I right myself, turning my phone back on.
My heart drops as I check my messages, expecting to see something—anything—from Keaton. An apology or explanation or maybe even a few missed calls, but…
Nothing. No new texts, no new notifications from his socials.
I pull up our text thread, noting the last text he sent me days ago about picking up toilet paper, of all things. Apparently we’d run out and he had to stay late at work and asked if I could get some. I didn’t question him when he asked, because I had no reason to. But now…
Now I wonder if it was just some ploy so he could plough another woman in our bed.
When I look up from my phone, Elijah is standing, looking down at me.
“Hey,” he says softly as I close out the screen. “You’re here to have fun, right? Not mope.”
“I’m not moping,” I say in a hushed whisper.
“You kind of are,” Benny says cooly, pulling my attention.
I shoot him a glare. “Maybe I’m just grumpy because I need a nap that lasts longer than five minutes.”
Benny chuckles. “Can sleep when you’re dead, princess.”
“Or when we get to the hotel,” Elijah chimes in. “I’m sure we’re all going to need a minute to relax after this damn flight.” He stretches his neck and I hear a crack, and then I immediately feel bad because I worry I’m the reason.
“Sorry about your shirt,” I say. “And cramping your style.”
Elijah opens the overhead bin and pulls out my carry-on. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Promise.” He shoots me a half-hearted smile. “A little spit won’t kill me.”
His smile is some mix of flirtatious and familiar. I don’t know how to feel about it, but if the sudden warmth in my pussy is anything to go by…
No. Absolutely not, Soph. Kissing Elijah was bad enough. You do not need to go for the disastrous gold.
Boyfriend or no boyfriend, you don’t want to complicate things any more than they already are. Just stick to the plan. Enjoy your time in the sun, celebrate your brother’s wedding, and find some Speedo-wearing wet dream to take home and make you forget all about Keaton, Elijah, Benny, and Matthew.
When I finally get to the resort, I’m not just tired, I’m starving. The caffeine has worn off, my hair is a mess, I’m dying underneath my sweats, and I could use a bottle of champagne, a big board of charcuterie, and a hot shower.
After nearly wrestling Elijah and Matthew for my luggage—after they fought over who got to carry it—I manage to get to the front desk with Benny on my tail.
Mom and Dad are already shoving their cards into their pockets as they load up the luggage cart, and the concierge is handing Elijah and Matthew their keys because apparently they’re rooming together.
“Name?” the concierge asks.
“Sophie Martin. Reservation is for two people, but it’s just me,” I say nervously as she taps the keys, then looks at me with pursed lips.
“Sophie Martin, can you provide your confirmation number or a phone number for the reservation?”
I give her my number and as she’s typing away, my heart sinks and panic hits me.
“Hmmm. It says here you’re not scheduled to check in until tomorrow, Ms. Martin.”
Oh no. No, no, no…
I close my eyes as the truth hits me like a damn brick. I came home early. Left JFK and flew straight home a day early. My original flight was supposed to go directly from JFK to the Virgin Islands. Tomorrow.
Shit.
“Soph, did you—” Elijah starts, but I stop him, shaking my head.
No. No, I did not call ahead and notify the damn hotel like I should have. Instead, I was moping and sulking and drinking and kissing my childhood bestie like a hot mess. Minus the hot part.
“Umm…is there any way to change my reservation?” I ask, my voice squeaking because I know it’s a long shot, but I’m not sure what else to do. Elijah and Matthew advance as Benny flanks my side.
“Is there a problem here?” Benny asks, glaring at the guys who freeze in their tracks.
“Sophie forgot to change her reservation,” Matthew says carefully.
“I mean, I’ve had a lot on my mind,” I snap, not missing the way Matthew frowns at me.
“Sorry, Matt, I didn’t mean to—”
“Unfortunately, Ms. Martin, we cannot change your reservation, as you confirmed within the forty-eight hour period and we have no available rooms to accommodate you.”
I squeak out a terrified sound as I realize what this means. I can’t stay here tonight. My reservation is for tomorrow, so I’m going to need to find another hotel, and booking a hotel last minute like this, the chances are—
“You can stay with me.” Benny’s voice cuts through my panic, and Elijah, Matthew and I all turn in unison to stare at him as my mouth falls open.
“Are you serious?”
“As a funeral, princess,” he says. “What’s the problem?”
“You want her to stay. With…you?” Elijah asks, and I can hear the surprise in his voice, mixed with something else I can’t quite place. Jealousy, perhaps?
My cheeks flush as I meet Benny’s harsh blue gaze.
“That’s what I said. Pretty sure I was speaking English.”
“I…” I try to find the words to speak, but apparently I’ve forgotten English.
“It’s just one night,” Benny says with a shrug. “And I don’t bite.” He looks me over with a knowing appraisal, his smirk as mischievous as it is devilish. “Much.”
“No,” Elijah says, shaking his head. “There has to be another…” He turns to Matt. “You can stay with Benny and Sophie can stay with me.”
“What? That’s absurd, I’m not sleeping with Benny,” Matthew says. “He snores!”
Eli huffs out an annoyed sound.
“Damn right you’re not.” Benny nods to the concierge. “Benjamin Anderson. Reservation for two,” he says carefully, and the concierge taps hurriedly.
Two…
Was he planning on bringing a date?
A strange flush of heat pans through me at the thought, as well as jealousy I don’t want to acknowledge.
“Where’s your date?” I ask bitterly.
“With her husband,” he says cooly. “I’m nobody’s second fiddle.” He shoots me a glare that’s equal parts heated and alluring.
“Well, at least you get to live it up like a bachelor in paradise,” Matthew says, and the tension in the air thickens.
“Same goes for you, Matt,” Benny says. “Maybe you’ll actually get to swipe your V-card on this trip.”
I don’t miss the flush of scarlet in Matthew’s cheeks or his wide eyes. Elijah’s eyebrows furrow in anger as he bites out, “What the hell, Benny? What is your problem?”
The concierge hands Benny his key cards, looking me over in judgment which only makes me feel worse.
“No problem here,” Benny says, nodding for me to follow him. “Come on, princess. Your castle awaits.”
Never in my life have I ever felt so torn, so unsure what to do. Follow Benny—who was nice enough to offer to let me stay with him until tomorrow—or go comfort Matthew because it looked like he was pretty upset.
And then Benny’s words truly settle. V-card.
Matt is a virgin?
He’s like…twenty-five. How is that even possible?
I mean, I know it’s possible. There are plenty of men out there who wait for marriage, but Matthew’s not really the religious type—at least from what I can remember.
Plus, he’s gorgeous. He looks like a bona fide Disney Channel heartthrob with his surfer blond hair and tan, and his deep brown eyes.
He’s not big and bulky like Benny or polished and pretty like Elijah, but he has the sort of boyish charm where you just know, beneath all the sweetness and humor, he’s probably a freaking animal in bed.
I’d have bet my red bottoms that he would have been snatched up by some girl by now…
I’m not judging anyone for their sexual activities—or lack thereof—but after the shock of Benny’s words evaporates, I realize how personal that dig was.
Benny didn’t just take a cut at Mattew, he stabbed him.
He pulled out a piece of Matthew and laid it bare for the rest of us to see, because he wanted to hurt him.
Which doesn’t seem like Benjamin Anderson at all.
Elijah was right to ask what his problem was.
“Go,” Elijah says as Matthew storms off. I look at Matthew, then turn to see Benny staring at me. At us. Elijah and me.
“But—”
Elijah shakes his head, his gaze falling to my lips as he purses his own. Then he meets my gaze. “No buts, I’ll take care of Matt. He’ll be okay.”
I want to argue with him, but before I can, I open my mouth and a deep yawn escapes me.
“Go. Get some rest. I’ll…text you later?” Elijah asks carefully, and I realize he’s closer than he was a moment ago. So close that I can breathe in his spicy scent.
“Yeah,” I say, suddenly feeling the heaviness of my heartbeat against my chest.
“Still have the same number?” he asks, making no point to move.
“Come on, Soph,” Benny says.
I nod at Elijah. “Yeah. You?”
He nods. “Yeah.”
I turn to look at Benny, his fiery blue gaze heating me like a flame. And when I turn back around, Elijah is already on his way to the other side of the room, leaving me alone with no other choice. So I head over to Benny.
“Good girl,” he says, and the moment he says those two words, something inside of me switches. And it isn’t good by any means.
“What the hell was that about?” I ask as he leads us toward the elevators.
“What was what about?” he says, pretending to be oblivious, but I know he isn’t.
“Why did you have to embarrass Matt like that?”