CHAPTER 12 #2
He looks up at me with that incredible smile.
“It sure is. Have you been hanging out with my brother?” Before I can answer, he continues with, "Let me guess, instead of enjoying the pleasures of this luxurious establishment, he’s out there with another list of chores from my sister.
Guess it’s for the best because that fine ass is way too good for his ugly ass.
Trust me, you’re better off with one of my friends here.
Let me introduce you. This perfect specimen of a man is Randy—”
“I know who they are,” I say cutting him off. My fine ass? Seriously? The nerve of this guy! “We came here together,” I point out. Shouldn’t he know that?
Rhonda smiles lazily up at me, not bothered in the least by what her new boy-toy just said. I’ll get to her in a minute. For now, I turn my full attention to him. “I get the whole wingman thing, good for you, but your brother sent me to find you.”
He sits up a little straighter. “He did?”
I bite down and try to display the most serious look I can muster.
“Yeah, your sister Elsie showed up. She’s out at the camp that Riggs built all by himself.
She’s there with some people from National Discovery.
I think they’re executives or something.
Anyway, they got there a couple of hours ago and your sister seems pretty upset.
She was yelling something about murdering you for not being there.
” I notice he doesn’t have a phone anywhere near him, so I add, “Oh, and she said you haven’t been answering your phone.
I have to say, she seemed beyond pissed about that. ”
“Shit!” Ash flies to his feet with what I can only describe as pure fear in his terrified face. What is it about their sister? Whatever it is, he quickly turns to Rhonda with, “Sorry darlin’ but duty calls. I’ll be back later, I promise.”
I almost ruin it by laughing, but I manage to hold it in… barely. Suddenly he’s all mopey, like a little boy who just had his favorite toy taken away. It’s both hilarious and adorable.
But there’s something else. As soon as he stands up, what he’s wearing comes into view. What the hell is that? I shouldn’t gawk so openly, but I can’t help it. I’m too stunned to look away.
“I’ll return your swimsuit later,” he says to Randy.
That explains why the trunks are way too small. But what I can’t figure out is why the bulge in the front is the size of a cantaloupe. Can he really be that big?
I turn to Rhonda who’s sporting a wicked smile as she mouths, “I know, right?”
As Ash leaves, his tight butt and thick thighs are a sight to behold and I mouth back to her, “Oh my God, you hussy!”
Her eyes go narrow, like a cat that just got caught with the goldfish in its mouth. The cat knows what it did was wrong, but the goldfish tastes so damn good! Yeah, it’s that look. Good for her!
Ash takes a few steps then turns back. “Y’all are coming tomorrow, right?”
Randy bounces to his feet looking like a little boy who just found out Santa dropped off his new BB gun and I almost snort. Standing waist-deep in the hot tub with his white chest contrasted by his dark, sunbaked arms and neck, he blurts out, “You don’t mind?”
I assume they’re talking about the film crew. They must be coming tomorrow. Riggs thought they might. If I had to guess, Ash has been talking to someone. He has the phones, after all, so maybe he talked to his sister earlier.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?” Ash says to him. “You all should come.” Then he turns his attention to Rhonda. “I’ll see you later?”
“Maybe,” she answers with a wave of her hand not bothering to look up.
She sounds like she might not be interested in seeing him again. That’s interesting.
My best friend looks around as if to check out her options and dryly says, “I’ll think about it.”
“C’mon, baby, don’t be like that. We still have a whole lot of partying to do.”
Rhonda picks up her glass of wine and lazily takes a sip like she’s bored.
I don’t get it. Meanwhile, Ash is standing there, dripping wet, looking like a Greek statue come to life.
He’s waiting patiently for her response, but instead of giving him one, she lets her gaze wander to the hot tub next to us.
Three guys are flirting with two girls our age, and one of the guys is kind of hot.
Not off-the-charts hot like Ash, but with a little muscle he’s certainly good-looking.
After a long moment, as if she’s considering what she’ll do after he leaves, she sets her glass down and flicks her gaze to him.
“I guess you should hurry, shouldn’t you? ”
He shoots a glare at the guys in the other hot tub and lets out a loud “Hmph!” like he’s not impressed before turning his attention back to her. “Really? You can’t be serious.”
She cocks her head with a raised brow as if daring him to try her, like maybe she really would hook up with the other guy if he’s not there for her. I’m mesmerized by the whole thing.
He hesitates, then in the cutest way, he whines, “Fine, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I almost laugh. How does she already have him wrapped around her finger like this?
She waves him off, glancing at the other guys again. “Better hurry.”
“Damn, girl,” he mutters as he trots off.
He’s headed toward the elevators, which makes sense.
He’ll need to change out of those tiny shorts before he meets with the National Discovery people who aren’t there.
He might be a little pissed when he gets back.
I hope so. Serves him right after the whole “fine ass” comment.
Besides, he should be out there helping his brother.
I just did Riggs a favor, thank you very much.
Rhonda steps out of the hot tub and saunters over to me, wineglass in hand, while the three boys get out and head over to the indoor pool.
Some cute girls are splashing around in the shallow end, and I have no doubt the boys are hoping to get lucky.
After being around Ash, I bet they wish they’d spent more time in the gym.
And speaking of Adonis incarnate, Rhonda and I watch him walk away, thoroughly enjoying that marvelous backside.
“Well?” I ask, dying to know.
She shoots me a quizzical look. “Well, what?”
I sigh. Pretending not to know what I’m talking about is as fake as her eyelashes. She knows exactly what I mean. “Seriously?”
She can’t help herself and a devious curve pulls at the corner of her ruby-red lips. “The man is an animal,” she squeals.
I’m taken aback at the hint of red painting her cheeks. “Is Rhonda Hargrove blushing?” I loop my arm around her, bringing us hip to hip. “Details!”
She’s full-on smiling now, clearly dying to tell me. “He made me… you know, three times!”
Oh, I know exactly what she means. “Three? Really?”
She giggles. “It was so amazing. The things that boy can do!” She fans her face with her free hand, careful not to spill her wine.
“Then we took a walk to catch our breath. That’s when I texted you.
Anyway, about an hour later we were back in his room going at it again.
His reload time is impressive. I think I might keep him. ”
Okay, I’m happy for her. I really am, but at the same time, what does she mean by, I might keep him? She has to know Ash will leave the day after tomorrow, right? Besides, we have to go back to Oregon on Monday. She’s not dumb, so she knows it’ll be a three-day fling at best. She has to.
As Ash steps onto the elevator, Rhonda lets out a sigh. “Afterward, when we were both spent, it was like being held by a giant teddy bear. He’s so different from what I expected.”
That sounds nice. And I want her to have fun, I do, but I also want to protect her. If I don’t, and things go the way I think they will, I’ll be flying back with a best friend whose heart has been broken into a million pieces.
I turn to face her, and I know that look in her eyes. It’s typical Rhonda. She’s already falling for the guy, and hard.