A Trip To The Pool House #2
She doesn't realize I'm standing here, and I open my mouth to say something, but it snaps closed when her fingers work her leggings over her hips.
A knot tightens in my gut as I catch a glimpse of her, and suddenly I break free, spinning away.
If only I had eyes in the back of my head. Then I’d see her eyes flick to my reflection and the sly smirk curling her lips.
A breeze ghosts over my bare skin, cooling the heat that’s just flared up.
I pace outside Rianna’s building, one hand raking through my hair, the other squeezing my damp shirt over and over.
Oh god. What the hell did I just do? Why did I freeze and stare instead of turning away? Why the fuck did something inside me spark?
It's impossible.
I love Charlie. Fuck, I love her so much. The idea of telling her what just happened makes my eyes sting. Lunch with Rianna churns sour in my gut.
I need...fuck. I need my girl. My butterfly. I need my Charlie girl.
Maybe she's right. Maybe this friendship isn't a great idea.
I pat my pocket for my phone, and panic tries to steal my senses.
"Here, goof. You left this on the couch," Rianna chirps, holding my phone out.
I snatch it from her hand, searching her face for any sign she knows what I saw. Relief loosens my shoulders when she just beams, carefree.
"Come on. Let's get to David's so we can jump in his pool to cool off."
My eyes jerk back to her, but she stands there staring at me guilelessly.
Right. It's all in my fucking head.
Blowing out a breath, I shake out my shirt and pull it over my head, ignoring the big, damp spot. "Let's go."
We climb into my car, and I toss my phone in the cup holder before I pull out.
We reach David’s place fast, and I circle for parking. Should’ve left my car at home. Getting out of here later will be hell.
Rianna’s flowery scent clings in the cramped car, and I bolt out, desperate for fresh air.
Hands shoved deep in my pockets, I let the wild noise of the party wash over me, trying to shake off the tension from Rianna’s place.
Something’s happening that scares me, threatening to wreck everything I have with Charlie. The only way to stop it is to end things with Rianna, and that thought stings. She’s been my best friend outside of Charlie. But Charlie is my world, my future, and I have to protect that.
I march over to the alcohol station David has set up and grab the bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. After I down the fourth one, my body finally relaxes, and my brain goes... numb.
Everything turns dark and fuzzy, the sharp edges of my thoughts finally dulled.
I've always had a high tolerance for alcohol, so while the shots gave me the calm I was looking for, they didn't really mess with my equilibrium.
I grab a beer and finally take in the party. The pool teems with half-naked bodies, and the house’s sides are plastered with so much skin I’m surprised they don’t leave imprints.
"There you are. You ran off," Rianna says as she comes to a stop in front of me.
I keep my gaze fixed on her face, forcing a smile as I lift my bottle. “Needed a drink.”
She says something else, but the music chooses that moment to get louder, so I lean down close enough to hear her. "What did you say?"
Rianna steadies herself with a hand on my hip, and I grit my teeth. The wall pins me in place, keeping me from stepping away like I want to.
"I said that's good. You need to relax. You're always so busy with work, school, and Charlie. When do you ever get time for yourself?"
Never.
The thought pops up so quickly that I don't have time to block it.
It's not true.
I get alone time when I want it. Charlie never holds me back. I just like being with her. And when I’m not with her, I’m with Rianna because I actually enjoy that, too.
So, my choice to have no alone time is my own. No one else's.
"I get time when I want it," I tell her, taking a large drink of my beer.
Rianna's nose scrunches like she's tasted something she doesn't particularly like.
"Then why are you always so tense when you're with me, Keaton?
I just want you to have fun instead of staying home all the time.
Why the hell is she so scared to let you out of her presence?
It's like she's afraid someone is going to steal you from her or something. "
Her words grate on me. I never noticed how often she puts Charlie down, but today it’s impossible to ignore.
I pull away from her and toss the empty bottle in the trash before grabbing another one.
"I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me. You know I hate that. You're my best friend, Keaton, and I only want to look out for you."
When I look down, her eyes glisten with tears, and sadness tugs at me.
I sigh and give her a quick, friendly hug, letting go almost immediately. “Not mad at you, Ri.”
"Yo," a loud male voice calls.
I peer out over the crowd, ignoring the way they all stare at Rianna and me.
David is prowling toward us, his charming smile at odds with the steely anger in his eyes.
"Thanks for inviting us, man," I say when he reaches us.
"I invite everyone. Even people I don't like." His smile reminds me of a damn shark that just smelled fresh blood. "Where's that beautiful, sweet girl of yours?"
My stomach churns with guilt, and I subtly scoot away from Rianna some more. David doesn't miss the move, and an arrogant, knowing smirk graces his lips.
"She'll be here later." I grab my phone from my pocket, only to realize I must have forgotten it in the car. "She and Amelia should be here after she gets off work."
He glances at his watch quickly before rubbing his hands together. "Fantastic," he says gleefully. "Why don't you two join us in the pool?"
"I have nothing to swim in," I reply.
"Me either," Rianna chirps at my side.
David tilts his head as his gaze bounces between us. "That's not a big deal. We should have something that fits both of you in the pool house. Why don't you go see and then join us?"
"I appreciate it, man."
"No problem."
Those are his last words before he turns back to his guests. "Drink up, you pervy motherfuckers. Let's fucking party," he yells just before jumping into the pool.
"Come on, Keaton. I want to get wet."
I don't catch her husky tone as I focus on the nice blankness that's taken up residence in my brain.
My mind is on Charlie and the fact that I'll be seeing my girl in just a bit, so I follow Rianna to the pool house with little thought.
I finish my beer and set the empty bottle on a table we pass.
I wonder if she'd rather go home with me than stay, so we can talk. There's a lot we need to go over and a lot that I now need to admit to.
Something makes me glance up, and when I do, my brain shuts down. Thoughts about everything disappear until my head is nothing but a vat of white noise.
As I stand here and stare at Rianna's bare pussy, a sudden coldness hits my core. She's leaned back against the wall, and her dress is bunched above her waist.
I follow the movement of her hand as it drifts down until her fingers touch herself. She moans, and nausea churns in my stomach when my cock hardens.
My skin heats, and my vision blurs, distorting the image before me.
I take a step back, but stop when Rianna hurries toward me. My nose twitches when her scent reaches me. Chills dig in and settle into my bones, yet my body refuses to move. I can't do anything but stare at the wall behind her.
"It's okay, baby. I'll take care of you," she says in a muffled voice.
I jerk, and an involuntary groan rumbles in my chest as warmth surrounds my throbbing cock. My body feels full of lead as she guides me by my dick to her.
The inside of my head misfires as it tries to come back online. Just as it starts to, my body jolts, and a wet warmth tightens around my dick. I shudder at the pleasure that shoots up my spine and once again distance myself in my brain from what I'm doing.
A thousand tiny spiders crawl over my skin even as my hips move by rote. I squeeze my eyes shut to chase them away, but they won't leave.
Holding my head up becomes too much, and it falls, landing on something soft. A groan shakes my chest as I thrust harshly, chasing the pleasure that seems to be completely out of my reach.
Fingers glide through my hair, and ice coats my skin.
"Yeah, baby. Just like that. You like fucking my pussy, don't you, baby?"
A dark and disturbing wave of unease rolls over me as my brain misfires again.
"Shut up," I mutter.
If the voice is quiet, my mind stays quiet. If my mind is quiet, then I don’t have to face what I'm doing.
My hips move faster.
In. Out. In. Out.
The world goes dark and silent as an unwanted tingle begins at the base of my spine, and my skin feels dirty.
"Tell me, can anyone join this party, or is it two people only?"
Cold fingers wrap around my heart, turning it to ice as my brain comes back online quickly.
My body jolts so hard that Rianna falls to the ground, and my cold, wet dick shrivels.
"Charlie," I choke out as tears fill my eyes.
What the fuck have I done?
Her face is devoid of color, and her eyes...her beautiful eyes shimmer with the shattered pieces of our hearts.
Charlie lifts her hand and rolls her eyes. "Save me the tears, asshole. Don't pretend you feel bad about cheating on me now."
Her laugh scrapes against my ears, and I flinch from the pain I can hear inside of it.
"You act like this surprises me. It was only a matter of time, Keaton. You're so goddamn blind to her that me...the person you've been with for eight years doesn't matter."
My icy heart shatters at her words.
How can she believe she doesn't matter to me? She's the only one who ever has.
Liar, a taunting voice that sounds just like Rianna's, whispers in my head.
"Don't say that. You matter. You're the only one that matters."
Amelia laughs, and for the first time since they walked in, I notice someone other than Charlie. My shame doubles knowing that our best friend had to witness my weakness, too.