Chapter 11
ELEVEN
TALLY
What was going on with Alec?
He was behaving strangely. Sure, seeing Thad earlier today might explain some of it, but what about that weird scene with Jackson over breakfast? Alec had never been the most socially outgoing guy, but he wasn’t usually rude.
For a few seconds, my heart skipped and I’d allowed myself to wonder if maybe this was how he behaved when he was jealous, but then I returned to the real world and realized that something else must be going on. Either that, or he was going all-in with the act.
We didn’t speak again as we returned to our room. The air smelled faintly of lemon. He must have showered before joining me for breakfast and the scent had lingered.
Lake’s friend had said to wear swimsuits.
I’d packed two, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about prancing around in either of them.
Usually, I liked my body. It was strong and functional and had generous curves, but Thad had gotten in my head about my size.
Coral was rail thin, and she’d no doubt wear her skimpiest bikini.
Perhaps I should choose something more conservative.
I opened my suitcase and rummaged around until I’d found both the pale pink bikini and the black one-piece suit with a dark blue floral design wrapped around the side.
Alec looked over and frowned. “What are you doing?”
I shrugged. “Deciding which one to wear.”
A furrow formed between his eyebrows. “Why? You love the bikini.”
It was true. I did. It sat just perfectly to show off enough to be sexy without making me uncomfortable.
“I don’t know.” I dithered. “The one-piece might be more suitable.”
His eyes narrowed. “Do you, or do you not, like the bikini better?”
“Yeah, but…” I trailed off, unsure how to finish the protest. But I feel self-conscious? But my ex is an asshole who’s making me behave like an insecure teenager?
Alec dropped the tube of sunscreen he’d retrieved from his suitcase on the nightstand and circled around to me. He stood less than a foot from me and gazed steadily into my eyes.
“I say this as both a friend and a hot-blooded straight man. You look fucking delicious in that bikini.”
I shivered, unable to tear my eyes from his. They scorched me to my soul, dark and heated and unlike anything I’d experienced before.
“If you want to wear the one-piece, then do it, but if you’re having second thoughts because of a trash human who doesn’t deserve you, then fuck that negativity and show us how gorgeous and confident you are in your own skin.”
I straightened my back. “You’re right.”
“Of course I am.” His fingertips grazed my hip, and I was grateful for the sweater because I was certain I was flushed from head to toe. His pupils had almost swallowed the chocolatey brown of his irises.
His desire looked so real. How was I supposed to remember that it wasn’t?
He was playing his role to perfection.
“I’ll be in the bathroom.” I snatched up the bikini and fled.
I changed slowly, needing the time to rebuild my confidence. I hated that Thad had knocked it. With my dark hair and bright eyes, I knew I looked good. Not to mention the spectacular cleavage the bikini would reveal. Coral wasn’t the only one who could rock a swimsuit.
My toiletries were set out on the vanity and I took my time to apply sunscreen. I’d brought a special one for my face since I was so pale that adding normal sunscreen tended to make me look like a ghost. This one, slightly tinted, would give me a little color.
I added a swipe of lip gloss—pink, to match the bikini—lined my eyes, and applied mascara.
There. The black eyeliner set off the blue of my eyes and the pink bikini made my complexion look like strawberries and cream rather than washed out.
I had this.
I knocked on the door to the bedroom. “Are you dressed?”
“Yeah,” Alec called back.
I opened it and stepped through. He’d stripped off his T-shirt and was wearing just the board shorts and a pair of flip flops. His chest gleamed and I wondered, not for the first time, whether he waxed. He didn’t seem the type, but it was very smooth.
“Can you sunscreen my back?” I asked, holding the bottle out.
“Sure.” He took it from me. “Turn around.”
I spun away from him and held my breath until the rough pads of his fingers brushed my skin. He started with my lower back, rubbing lotion on in circular motions, and worked his way up, pausing between my shoulders to dig his thumb into a knot just inside my shoulder blade.
My eyelids drooped, and I forced myself to pull away. “Thanks.”
“Are you sure I got you everywhere? I didn’t finish your upper back.”
“I got that part,” I assured him, and it might be true. I’d certainly tried to do my own back, but honestly, if his hands were on me for one more second, I might find myself thinking some un-friend-like thoughts.
If I burned, I burned. At least I could apply aloe to soothe it. If I melted beneath Alec’s touch and gave in to my growing desire to throw myself into his arms, the consequences would be far more severe.
“Can you take the room key card?” I asked. It wasn’t as if I had any hidden pockets in my bikini to keep it in.
He nodded, and slipped the key card into the pocket of his board shorts, then he opened the door and held it for me.
As we wandered down the hall to the elevator, he looked over at me.
“Have you ever played volleyball before?” he asked.
“No. I’m hoping it’s one of those things I can pick up as we go.” I was reasonably coordinated, even if I wasn’t what you’d call sporty. Provided someone explained the rules and the moves, I should be able to manage it easily enough.
“Traditionally, it’s only two players per team,” Alec explained as he pressed the button for the elevator. “We might play four to a team depending on how many are interested, or perhaps we’ll rotate teams each time a certain number of points are scored.”
“Okay.” Small teams were both good and bad. They meant I was less likely to get confused about what was going on, but if I was terrible, then whoever was on my team would be handicapped by my poor skill. “What are the rules?”
Alec talked through the basics as we rode the elevator down and wound our way through the resort to the beach. When we reached the sand, I kicked off my sandals and used my hand to shield my eyes as I scanned the beach for my cousins.
Coral, Lake, Chris, and Shanna, the other bridesmaid, were chatting beside one of the nets. Lake waved us over. Designer frames covered her eyes, and I couldn’t help thinking that sunglasses had been a good idea. I’d left mine in our room.
“Hey, guys! Thanks for coming!” Lake tossed a ball in the air and caught it, grinning mischievously.
“Half our group is still in bed—including the lazy groomsmen—but I wanted to get the volleyball going before it’s so hot that all we want to do is swim.
I thought we could have two teams of three.
It’s a little unconventional, but there are six of us and I don’t want anyone missing out. ”
I glanced around, surprised to realize that Thad was nowhere in sight. A niggle of worry wormed through me. Alec hadn’t done anything to him when he saw him earlier, had he?
“Coral and I have both played before,” Lake continued. “So we’ll each lead a team. Have either of you played?”
“Once or twice,” Alec said.
I shook my head. “Not me.”
She nodded, her fingers spreading across the sides of the ball. “So, we have two people with some experience and two with none. Excellent. I’ll team up with Tally and Alec and Coral can play with Chris and Shanna.”
I exchanged a look with Alec. She hadn’t grouped us as I’d expected.
It would make more sense for her to want to play with Chris, which would mean either splitting us up or switching assigned roles with Coral.
Perhaps Lake had noticed our confrontation with Thad last night and was wary of putting Alec and I into close proximity with Coral.
“Everyone happy?” Lake asked.
We all nodded.
“Perfect.” She bounced on the balls of her feet. “Let me run over the rules quickly.”
While she talked, I tried to absorb as much information as possible, but between her rundown and the one I’d gotten from Alec, there was too much to cram into my mind. Surely it would make sense once we got started.
We split up into our respective teams and Lake joined us on the side of the net closest to the resort. She started with the ball, bopping it over. Coral hit it back. I was sure there were proper names for the movements but I didn’t know what they were.
The ball flew toward me, so I formed a fist and tried to bounce it back the same way Coral had, but instead of crossing the net, it went straight up in the air and would have landed on our side if not for Lake.
“Let me show you how,” Alec murmured, and suddenly he was behind me, his arms circling around my waist as he shifted my hands. “Like this.”
“Thanks,” I said breathlessly.
Next time the ball came over, I was able to do my part, but Alec didn’t ease back.
Instead, at every opportunity, he seemed to find a reason to put his hands on me.
The scents of sunscreen and lemon filled my nose, and despite the warmth of the sand between my toes, all I could feel was the heat of Alec’s body any time he drew close to me.
He was distracting as hell.
When Thad arrived, along with Jackson and Ben, and started watching from the sideline, the situation only got worse.
“Stop it,” I hissed at Alec, pretending not to notice the way his eyes widened.
What did he expect? He was flustering me.
It’s just part of his act, I reminded myself for the umpteenth time. Don’t fool yourself into thinking it means anything.
Opposite us, Coral was on her best behavior. I noticed her sneaking peeks at Thad, and I also noticed Thad stealing glances at both her and me.
“Why does he keep looking over here?” I murmured to Alec as he corrected my stance before serving.
“Because you look hot as fuck,” he said, and kissed my cheek.
Just. For. Show.
Alec made such a perfect fake boyfriend. It would be so easy to forget that none of it was real.
A ringing phone interrupted the game. Lake turned toward the sound and missed the ball. It landed on the sand and rolled toward me.
“Sorry.” Alec pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the screen. “It’s my agent. I’d better answer.” He raised the phone to his ear and strode off the back of the court, putting distance between us so he could speak in private.
I tried not to feel like he was abandoning me. What if Coral or Lake—or god forbid, Thad—said something unpleasant while he was gone?
“Mind if I join?”
I jumped, caught off guard.
“We’d love that,” Lake replied, smiling at Jackson, who’d magically materialized beside us. She rolled the ball across to Coral. “Do you know the rules?”
He laughed. “Of course I do. My parents love the beach. I practically grew up playing.”
I relaxed. Perhaps my personal bodyguard wasn’t still right by my side, but I wasn’t alone. Jackson seemed like a good guy and at least Thad hadn’t tried to join us.
Jackson’s eyes met mine, and they twinkled in the sunlight. “I’m happy to help if you need it.”
“Thanks.” I blushed. Was he flirting or just being nice?
Chris served the ball and Jackson returned it. The game continued seamlessly.
Half an hour later, Alec hadn’t returned yet. The breeze picked up, and the temperature dropped a few degrees. We finished the game and decided to pack up. There would be plenty of time to play in nicer weather.
I scanned the area, not wanting to leave without Alec, but I wasn’t sure where he’d gotten to. I didn’t have my phone so I couldn’t send him a message to ask.
The wind whipped briskly across my bare skin and I shivered.
“Here.” Jackson, who’d been helping put the volleyball gear away, offered me his sweater.
I waved dismissively. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I can see your goose bumps from here. I’m not cold. My hairy arms have more insulation than yours. Just take it and give it back to me later.”
I hesitated, but then said, “Thank you.”
It wasn’t a big deal. Accepting his sweater didn’t mean what it would have in high school. He was just being nice.
I took it from him and was about to put it on when Alec appeared from behind one of the palm trees near the path leading deeper into the resort. He marched over, tore the sweater from my grasp and thrust it back into Jackson’s hands.
“Thanks, but I’ve got her covered,” he growled, his eyes flashing. He unwrapped one of his team jerseys from around his waist and gestured for me to hold my arms out so he could put it on me. I did, feeling a little like an exhibit at a zoo. What the hell was going on?
The soft fabric enveloped me and stopped the worst of the chill from the wind. When I poked my head through the head hole and blinked against the sun, I noticed that Jackson was gone.
“What are you doing?” I asked Alec, completely baffled.
He put his hands on my hips and, despite the layer of fabric separating us, it felt painfully intimate. “If you were really my girl, I’d never let you wear another man’s clothing. The only name on your jersey should be mine.”