16. Nathan
16 /
nathan
Top Gun Flexors
“Remember, your job is to show Roman you’re over him,” I say, coaching Jeanie from behind a wall of stacked beach chairs.
“Remind me how.” She ties her dark silky hair into a high ponytail. When it swings long in the ocean breeze, it’s all I can do not to reach out, wrap it around my hand, and tug until her lips align with mine.
Soon.
“Treat me like Roman treats Sophia,” I say.
She gives me a funny look. “That would involve a lot of groping and grumpiness.”
I love her sarcastic quips, but right now I need her to focus. My goals remain. First, pissing off Roman and ruining his wedding in any way possible, and lastly, closing the deal with Jeanie. All of which I’ll thoroughly enjoy for various reasons.
“Do it your way,” I tell her. “Touch me, tease me, play with me. Make him wish he were me. ”
By the time I’m done, he will wish he were me, and then it’ll be too late.
I jolt at the thought . Too late for what?
“Touch, tease, play.” Jeanie counts the steps on her fingers. “I think I can do that, but one question. Do we know how to play volleyball?” Her face wrinkles.
“We’ve got this.” I toss an arm around her neck and tug her to my chest.
She laughs into my T-shirt, making my insides rumble with an unsettling possession. For me, this is not some new insta-feeling. No, it’s reawakened from my youthful attachment to her that I’ve been fighting off since realizing who she is.
The staff is setting up the court when we arrive. As they do, everyone chooses teams. Players will rotate, giving everyone a chance to participate.
The bachelorette party ladies are here. When Jeanie introduces me, it’s clear some know who I am. If Jeanie does, she hasn’t said, which makes me think she doesn’t. She tends to say what’s on her mind.
Easing her into the truth is for the best. I may tell her eventually, but only at the right time. For now, I’m enjoying the anonymity.
On the sidelines, a referee explains the rules. It takes a few practice sets, but everyone gets the hang of serving and setting the ball. Then the game begins in earnest.
Each time I score, Jeanie pats me on the ass, which is more motivation to perform. When Roman scores, she makes up nonsense words instead of cursing. When she says holy butt-custard or nuckle-futs , I find it endearing. It’s like her special little MILF language.
When Jeanie scores, I scoop her into my arms and twirl her in a circle, connecting with every inch of her body. Turns out, touching her is my language.
Today, she’s more relaxed. Because of that, our flirting doesn’t feel forced; it feels real. And judging by the side-eye Roman shoots me, it looks real too.
On the next set when the ball soars in my direction, I pretend it’s Roman’s head and summon superhero-like power. I spike it over the net, scoring again.
Opposite me, Roman acts out, kicking up sand. Sophia tries to soothe him, but the jackass is too competitive. Between our team winning the match and Jeanie and me flirting, he’s losing his pea-sized mind, which is exactly the outcome I hoped for.
When he stares at me, gritting his teeth, I promptly tug Jeanie into my arms and nibble near her ear. My glare locks with Roman’s. The color of his face changes from crimson to dark purple.
I grin. Fucking with him is the sweetest revenge.
Even when Jeanie is rotated out, I continue my passive-aggressive attack. I peel off my shirt, giving the ladies a show. Fully aware my sweat-soaked muscles are gleaming in the sunshine, I pose and flex . The bridesmaids scream and clap. Dex cues up hype music while Freddie shoots video on his phone.
“Are we playing or what!” Roman claps his hands to hurry us along.
In the final match, the teams are tied.
From the other side, Sophia fumbles the serve. The ball barely rallies over the net to Jeanie, but she smacks it in the wrong direction anyway. I dive for it, somehow setting it up. Amelia bumbles, unable to reach it, and the ball drops to the sand out of bounds.
Their team wins.
Roman falls to his knees, tendons straining in his neck, and roars at the sky like he’s won an Olympic gold medal. The crowd rallies around the players. Someone lifts Sophia on their shoulders. Roman’s gaze finds mine again, but this time his expression is gleaming with triumph.
The fuckface.
I’m lost in thoughts of retaliation when Jeanie launches herself into my arms. The unexpected momentum is too much, and we tip over. We land in the sand, chest to chest, with Jeanie on top.
“Oops.” She giggles. “Sorry, I guess I took touch, tease, and play a little too far this time.”
But I’m not laughing as our heavy breaths commingle. She’s fallen into my snare, and suddenly I’m craving her. Badly.
“ This is the best way to make Roman jealous,” I say.
My hand travels over her sexy curves where my fingertips sink into her decadent ass cheeks. I grip them and shift her weight so my stiffening cock swipes beneath her clit. Then I settle it, strategically pressing against her center.
“Ohhh.” Jeanie’s thighs clench, signaling she feels it too.
This time though, she shifts. The movement is so subtle, no one else would realize she’s repeating the action. No one except me. It’s hard not to when I feel every fucking stroke.
Jeanie sucks in a ragged breath, and then her forehead drops to mine.
“Nathan.” She says my name like a warning, which only makes me want her more. She whimpers like she’s holding back.
“Eyes on me,” I say low.
She opens them like she’s in a cloudy daze.
“Listen to me, Jeanie. If you rub that sweet pussy over my cock again, I will take you right here in front of everyone. Understand?”
A slow grin spreads across her face. Then, like a fucking dare, she does it again, but this time her gaze never leaves mine. Between that and her scraping her teeth on her lower lip, I lose it.
“I warned you,” I say.
I flip our positions. Fast.
When we land, I’m on top, pinning her hands above her head. I drive once into her center, making sure she feels my entire length as I nip at her bottom lip with my teeth.
That’ll teach her to tease me.
Jeanie stops breathing altogether. Meanwhile, my heart beats triple-time, and I’m two seconds from busting through my pants. Our clothes could disintegrate from the scorching heat.
“Get a room!” several bridesmaids call out, heckling us.
“You ready to add benefits to your fake wedding date?” I say the words, ghosting her pretty pink lips. I remain poised there, ready to devour her if she gives me the green light.
She laughs like this is a joke. And damn if it doesn’t sound like a wind chime in the breeze. The tinkling is utterly captivating, and I can’t look away. I want to memorize the surprise in her eyes, along with the starbursts radiating from the edges. She still thinks this is a game.
“I like your tattoo.” Jeanie changes the subject, though she hasn’t budged. Her thighs still grip my hips tightly. With her fingertip, she strokes the geometric artwork on my pec. “Never seen anything like it.”
“That’s because you’ve never seen anything like me,” I say to get a rise out of her.
“So cocky.”
“Just the way you like it.” I smirk, then stand and help her to her feet.
“They’re watching us,” she says as she brushes sand from her shorts.
“Let them.”
I corral her into an embrace where her back presses to my chest. When I kiss her bare shoulder, rigid goose bumps race across her sun-kissed skin. Beneath her shirt, hardened nipples scrape my arm. Every little sensation sets me off, coiling me tighter.
I blame Jeanie. She’s altogether too tempting.
With her hand tightly gripped in mine, I weave her past the group in a rush to get her alone. We hurry into an elevator. I press a button, and Jeanie presses her own. When the door slides open on my floor, I step out, tugging her with me, eager to give her a good-bye she won’t easily forget.
“Boo-bear, that’s not our floor,” she says, reeling me back inside.
I give her a curious look. When her eyes shift quickly to one side, I glance around the packed cab. Roman and Sophia stand in the back.
“Not sure what I was thinking.” I pretend to laugh at my mistake.
I twist Jeanie’s tank-top strap around my finger, my edginess to get her alone building. In the reflection of the wall, I watch Roman’s jaw clench.
Because I can, I drop my hand to her ass. The door opens, and Jeanie steps out before I have time to see his response.
Is wishing for his head to explode too much?
Roman and Sophia step out too, which is odd, but I don’t think much of it because I’m on a mission. I scoop up Jeanie and carry her down the hallway because I know it will make her giggle.
That’s the thing, I want Roman to know I’m responsible for that smile. I want him to see her eyes sparkle for me. That she’s more confident and outgoing with me. That she’s completely different with me . Because with me, I’ll give her everything she needs and more.
“That’s one way to hurt your back,” Roman grunts out.
“Is that an old-people thing?” I pass him before he can respond.
Jeanie slips out of my grip to unlock the door. I tickle her side, and she curls into a laugh like it’s torture. She dodges my grip, but I chase, catch, and hoist her over my shoulder like a caveman. Then I carry her into the room and kick the door closed.
For Roman, who’s still lingering in the hallway like a stalker, I make it clear a fuck-fest is about to commence. He may have won the volleyball game, but I will win when my face is settled between her thighs, and she’s screaming my name loud enough for all of South Florida to hear.
Inside the room, when Jeanie’s feet hit the floor, I march her back until her shoulder blades press into the wall. I place one hand above her and lean in, trapping her, eager to pick up where our beach challenge left off.
My free hand slips behind her neck, testing the waters, and she inhales deeply. Her hand settles on my chest, but she doesn’t push me away. Instead, her body bends with need.
I brush a strand of hair from her face and glide a knuckle over her cheek. She looks up at me, fluttering her lashes, all doe-eyed and mouth parted, and so goddamn beautiful.
She’s breathtaking.
But I slow my roll when her gaze darts around the room like she’s nervous. I think of what she’s revealed. She’s been in a loveless marriage for a long time. Perhaps she’s never been with another man. If memory serves, she’s been with Roman since high school.
Because of the nature of my job, I’ve learned to read the signs of desire and sometimes loneliness. Even with a crowded audience, I go out of my way to make each woman feel special. It’s how I grew my fan base. It’s no stretch for me to be in tune with Jeanie’s feelings.
A niggling thought says she deserves more than what I’m offering. Somehow in the last day, my priorities seem unsteady. Where they will land, I’m not sure. Being with Jeanie shifts the ground beneath me. If I’m not careful, she could become quicksand.
The only thing I’m sure of in this moment? I will do anything to be with her, even if it’s for one glorious night. Now I only have to convince her of the same.
“We’ve got a problem,” she says unexpectedly, and when she does, my sure-fire grin slides off my face.