Chapter 6
6
PATRICK
M iranda knew how to have a good time. I’d expected her to lambaste Duncan for the drinks, and the shots. Instead, she tossed one down like a pro and cracked a grin in Duncan’s direction. Charlie and I were on our third shots, the hard liquor going down smooth and setting a fire burning that had nothing to do with alcohol and everything to do with Miranda sitting close enough for me to smell her fresh scent.
“It’s no wonder you’re always in trouble.” Miranda pointed at Duncan, who snapped his teeth in her direction.
“He doesn’t like when people point.” I kicked Duncan under the table. “But that’s no excuse for acting like a feral dog.”
“Not feral.” Duncan’s head wagged side to side. “Just like everyone to stay out of my fucking space.”
“Right.” I scoffed into my beer. “That’s why you bit the bouncer and got us kicked out of Eight Below.”
“Bastard shouldn’t have touched me.” Duncan cracked his neck and eyed Miranda across the table.
She pushed aside her empty glass and bottle. “Getting drunk at a restaurant isn’t good for any of you. I’m here to improve your image, not sit on the sidelines while you destroy it.” She met and held Duncan’s gaze. “I know you understand where I’m coming from. Don’t give me that puppy dog face. You’ve already tried to bite me. I’m not falling for that.” She wiggled her fingers toward him while keeping her hands on her side of the table.
Duncan blinked, his mouth rounding in an O before a deep laugh rattled out.
“Then let’s take this party somewhere else.” I leaned toward Austin, who’d down almost as many shots as the rest of us. “What about it, man? Your place?” I shifted my attention to Miranda. “No safer place than that. Little swimming. Little drinking.”
We’d enjoyed plenty of parties at Austin’s house. What was one more, especially if Miranda joined us.
“It’s Miranda’s decision.” Austin finished his food and drink. “She’ll be living there until her contract ends.”
All four of us watched her and waited for her response.
She took her time looking us over. Emotions I had no name for brewed in her charcoal gaze. A slow smile appeared in increments. It started with her lips, the faintest of twitches, and spread to her cheeks, dimpling them both. Her eyes lit up with a wicked glint. “Let’s go.” She held up both hands. “Everyone had better keep it together.”
We all knew she meant Duncan. He was the first out of the booth and on his way to the car.
I stood and waited for Charlie and then Miranda to join me. “Duncan won’t be a problem.” I’d make damned sure of it if I had to. No way I’d let him ruin this night. I might never get another chance at seeing Miranda cut loose.
I followed Duncan to the car. Charlie trailed behind, and I egged him on for his quiet demeanor. He’d seemed excited about the party, but as I drove us to Austin’s mansion, his foot jigged up and down, and I caught him biting the edge of his thumb, an old nervous habit he’d broken a year ago.
Austin must’ve called ahead, because a line of cars joined us as the iron gates swung open to reveal the white mansion highlighted by spotlights and the circular drive looping around a swan fountain.
Miranda exited Austin’s car and jogged up the steps, waving and calling something to Austin over her shoulder before she disappeared through the front door. Duncan, Charlie, and I cut around the side of the house, taking the concrete path lined with roses all the way to the pool house. We changed into the swim shorts and t-shirts we kept on hand and snagged drinks from the bar Austin had decorated to resemble a tiki hut.
Music burst out from the house when Austin opened the double-pane French doors. The group from the cars that followed us inside stuck to Austin’s ass like superglue. One woman in particular seemed inclined to keep close enough to bump into him every time he even thought about stopping.
Austin ducked around the edge of the pool and stopped in front of us. “I called the rest of the team. They’re on their way.” Typical Austin. He always tried to make sure everyone was included, even here at an impromptu party at his bachelor pad.
Movement on the veranda raised my head. Miranda stood there in a blue, two-piece bikini that showed off her golden skin and long, dark hair. She kicked off her shoes and weaved her way through the crowd to the bar. Slim arms crossed on the wooden bar, and she propped her toes on the concrete, putting all her weight on one leg until the defined muscles in her thigh popped.
“You’re drooling.” Charlie shoved his hand against the side of my face. “Stop looking at her like that.”
“Keep your hands off my face or you’ll lose them.” Duncan shoved Charlie even though he’d pushed me without even glancing Duncan’s way. “You’re not her brother.”
“No.” Charlie agreed with a hard swallow. His gaze skated back to Miranda. The poor man looked at her like a starving man did an all you can eat buffet.
I barked out a laugh and closed the distance between me and Miranda.
Scooping up a fruity drink mixed in a cocktail glass with a pink umbrella poking out the top, she turned to face me. “How often does this happen?”She toasted the party with her glass before taking a sip.
“Couple times a year.” I shrugged and ordered a whiskey. Maybe the sharp bite of alcohol was a terrible idea considering my growing attraction to Miranda, but I’d be fucked if I planned on turning down free drinks because of Austin’s uptight ass.
“You know her?” Another tip of her drink and Miranda finished the pink mixture. A soft glaze sheened her eyes, and I followed her pointing finger.
Austin stood on the other side of the pool, his arm around a woman with bright pink hair. He dipped his head and smiled at something she said.
“Samantha Harris.” I recognized her from a few of the games. “She’s nice.” I plucked a strand of hair from Miranda’s shoulder and rubbed it between my thumb and forefinger. “She won’t hurt your brother.”
A perfect eyebrow arched up her forehead. “You’re sure about that? How can you know?”
“Is that jealousy I hear?” I cupped a hand around my ear and ducked my head so we stood eye to eye. “Are you asking a personal question about me and Samantha?”
“No.” The sharpness returned to her eyes, and I accepted the challenge. “I don’t care about your sex life.”
“I didn’t say anything about sex.” I relaxed with my elbow on the bar. “Which means it was on your mind.”
“Was not.” She wrinkled her nose and scoffed.
People crowded in, filling the entire pool area with movement and color. I relished every second of laughter, music, and fun. Any other time, I’d already have found a partner and slipped upstairs. Tonight, I found it difficult to leave Miranda’s side.
Duncan joined us, sliding into an open spot behind Miranda.
“We’re blocking the bar.” She sashayed forward a few steps. “Who wants to dance?”
“Me.” Charlie swept her up into his arms and practically caveman carried her to a single spot of concrete far away from the bar and the pool.
“What the hell?” Duncan rubbed his eyes and squinted. “Did Charlie just take her right out from under us?”
“Yep.” Like Duncan, I narrowed my gaze and concentrated on Charlie’s expression. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Charlie has it bad for little miss Miranda.”
“There goes Austin.” Duncan drummed his fingertips on his thigh and jerked his head toward the house. “Looks like he’ll be busy for a while.”
Thank fuck. Without Austin hovering, and with Charlie growing more relaxed every second, I had a real chance to spend time with Miranda. “I’m going in.” I grabbed two drinks from the bar as I passed and stormed across the patio, cutting between Charlie and Miranda. “Looks like you need this.”
“Patrick.” Charlie’s low warning vibrated in my ear.
I shrugged him off. “Relax, Charlie.” I handed him the second drink. “Here, take this.” I locked my hands around Miranda’s waist and spun her around. The music shifted into a punk rock beat almost too chaotic for real dancing. I guided us out of the spotlights rimming the pool and into a darkened corner. “I like seeing you enjoy yourself.” It was one hell of a suggestive remark, and I tried to anticipate her reaction.
“Yeah? And how do you know I’m enjoying myself?” Her small hands landed on my shoulders and skimmed my biceps. “Are you assuming that because I’m with you, I’m enjoying myself.”
“Ouch.” I puffed a breath on my hand and waved it at my face. “You really know how to knock a guy down a peg.”
“Yeah, well.” She shrugged. “Comes with the territory.”
“Everything okay, Miranda?” Duncan said her name with a low tenor. He cut in beside me, almost shoving me out of the way.
The noise behind me died down in increments. Like most of Austin’s parties, they came in with a heightened fervor and ended within hours. I glanced over my shoulder in time to see whole groups of partygoers heading out through the gate leading back to the driveway.
A thought zigzagged through my drunken mind. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private? I know where Austin keeps the key to the private pool.”
“Sounds good.” Duncan never hesitated. “I’m not going to bed anytime soon.”
“Me either.” Charlie joined us. The attraction I’d seen in him earlier had turned up a hundred degrees. He’d lost the ability to hide it after a few drinks, and even as I watched, he drank in the sight of Miranda and closed his eyes with a hard groan.
“I have just the thing.” I led the way deep into the foliage behind the pool, to the second, hidden gate locked with a key tucked beneath the flagstones. I unlocked the gate and ushered them through. “Who’s up for a little skinny dipping?”
Miranda’s sharp inhale shot straight to my cock. I dreamed of hearing that sound again while my dick sank into her.
“Let’s go.” Miranda turned and walked backward. Looking from me to Charlie to Duncan and then back to me, she reached around and untied the bikini. It fell to the concrete, and she stopped. I soaked in the sight of her perfect tits. Dark areolas begged to be kissed, and the nipples hardened even as I watched. She bent at the waist, keeping her head up, and slid her bikini bottoms down over her thighs. Her hips wiggled side to side, causing her breasts to jiggle in a delicious way. “Come on. I’m not waiting all night.” With a grin straight out of my playbook, she turned and dove into the pool.
“I’m going to hell for this.” Charlie stared at her, astonishment I felt on my own face showing on his. “Fuck it.” He stripped.
Miranda broke the surface, her head back and skin gleaming with water. She treaded water and licked her upper lip.
Fuck me. I’d never torn off clothes so fast in my life. It took all my willpower not to shove Charlie out of the way as I dove after Miranda.