Chapter 33 #2
I’ve had women throw themselves at me, giving anything for a date. Yet the woman I want to give my world to doesn’t want a part of it, or at least not yet.
She lies asleep in my arms, her head on my chest as her breath fans out over my heated skin. It’s ten to eight, and I know I need to wake her. I just don’t want to. Everything seems better with her locked tight in my arms.
“I’m coming in.” The door rattles and then a thud. “Guys, come on!” Megan, I think, shouts from the other side of the door.
Nina jolts awake, looking up at me and then to the door. “Time is it?”
“Almost eight,” I tell her, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Nina! You have my strappy sandals. I want my strappy sandals.”
She grins up at me then slides from the bed. I watch as she walks naked around our room, her skin smooth and taut. She is fucking perfect. Dropping down to her knees, she unzips her suitcase, and I pull myself up the bed to watch her, grabbing a pillow and covering my semi.
She opens the door, and a hand reaches in to snatch the shoes. “Thank you. Filthy whore.”
She slams the door and spins, leaning back against it with her eyes gently closed.
I love that she doesn’t hide from me.
“I need to shower. Do I have time?” she asks.
“No. But I need a shower too, and guess what?”
She cocks her head to the side. “We are having a shower?”
“Come here.”
“Nuh-huh.” She holds up a finger as I rise to my knees. “We are showering, but separate.”
“That’s stupid,” I protest, dropping the pillow.
“Is it? We know what will happen if we shower together.” She eyes my growing length. “We will never make it to dinner.”
“Well…” I launch the pillow at her. “Put some damn clothes on then.” I stand, my erection only getting harder the more wound up I get.
“Walking around naked expecting me not to want it,” I mutter under my breath as I stalk into the bathroom.
Leaning into the shower, I turn on the spray and wait for it to warm up. She follows in behind me, sliding past and into the heat.
“You’re such a child when you don’t get your way, you know that?”
I step into her, taking her chin between my thumb and finger. “I always get my way.” My free hand finds the back of her knee, and I lift it, wrapping it around my waist and sliding home in one deep thrust. “Always,” I whisper against her lips.
She may have told me no, but the look in her eye tells me she knows.
She will marry me.
Even if I have to drag her down the aisle myself.
“Better late than never!” Elliot shouts as we walk across the decking hand in hand.
We cross the small path to the outside seating area. It’s spread out on the patio, and the area is littered with lights that Scarlet insisted would set the mood.
Pulling out a chair, I nod for Nina to sit. “So polite, Mr Lowell. Shame you didn’t remember your manners a half hour ago.” She smirks and my cock twitches. That’s the fourth time today. It’s either the heat or there is something wrong with me.
I lean down and whisper into her ear. “Careful, Pix. You know what that smile gets you.”
“It will fall off if you’re not careful, Lowell,” Lance shouts, making everyone laugh.
Silly prick isn’t wrong; I’ve been hard on her today.
We settle in and devour our meal. The food is exquisite and I make a mental note to see Hank later this evening. He’s been with us since me and Scar were small, and I haven’t seen him since last year.
After our food, the girls start working their way through Lance’s famous cocktails. They are all light on their feet and giggling loud before long, and I watch them—Nina specifically—as she looks at something on Megan’s phone.
They have congregated around her and have their heads smashed together as they laugh at something on the screen.
“Give it back.” Nina laughs, leaning in to take the phone.
Lucy grabs it. “Holy shit, Nina.”
“Let me see.” Scar giggles. “Wow, you look incredible,” she tells Nina with wide eyes.
“Guys!” Nina blushes, and I frown.
I want what’s on that phone.
I stand. “Pass it to me.”
Megan looks at me as if I’ve grown two heads. “Fuck off, asshole.” She laughs and carries on.
“Sit down, Lowell,” Lance calls from the other side of the table, a smirk on his face.
“Nina.” I jerk my head for her to come to me. She sticks her tongue in her cheek, holding the phone to her chest. “Come here.”
She shakes her head, grinning wide. “You come here,” she mouths.
I walk to her, needing to see what has caused her to blush. “I want to see,” I tell her, stepping up in front of her.
She passes me the phone, and I look down at the screen.
My chest constricts as I take in the image.
She is breathtaking. It’s a photo of her, the one she told me about.
She’s reaching for the camera, but it feels like she’s reaching for me.
Her dimple is gracing the side of her cheek, and her eyes are locked on the lens.
I look up at her, that same blush from before colouring her face.
“You’re beautiful, angel. You know that, don’t you?”
She looks past me at the boys behind. “Give me that.” She snatches the phone from my hand as I take her into my arms.
“When do you get the photos?” I ask, knowing they’re important to her.
“I was supposed to get them this week. I should probably call Joey.”
“Well when you do, I’ll come with you. I’d like to buy some copies.”
She beams at me, and I give her a soft wink.
I will do anything to keep that smile on her face. It will be my life’s mission.
“Guys, group photo!” Scarlet calls, passing the camera to Lamona, who is one of our staff.
I lean in and give Nina a deep but short kiss, then pull her over to the group. We always have photos by the rocks. Normally as a family or me and the boys. I’ve not been out here with Scar for years, not since we were kids. I never asked if she wanted to get away, and I feel shitty for it.
Looking around at the friends we have now, the girls who both fit perfectly with us and include Scar like she’s been a friend for life, and then Nina, who I never expected to bring here. She is the most unexpected—the way she makes me feel.
It’s like this is how it always should have been.
“Get your hand off my ass, Elliot!” Lucy shouts, making us all chuckle.
“Not me,” he says, lifting his hands.
The flash goes off, and the girls all complain. An array of complaints ranging from their eyes being closed, and they weren’t ready. We try five more times before me and the guys get fed up.
We leave it to the professionals and head for the beach.
Nina
We sit on the smooth sand watching Lance, Elliot, Charlie, and Mase play a variation of volleyball in the sea. I didn’t know what to expect when it came to a holiday away with them all, but this wasn’t it. It’s chilled and relaxing, and I’m having the most amazing time.
“Mase told me he wants to marry me,” I tell the girls.
“What?!” Lucy stammers.
All three of them whip their heads to me, completely speechless. “I told him that I thought you and Elliot would get it on, and he said that if nothing happens between the two of you by next year, then I had to marry him.”
“Wow. Hit us with it bareback and no lube,” Megan exclaims.
I giggle as I lean back on my elbows. They are all still watching me with a surprised look on their face. “I told him no.”
“You did?” Scarlet says, sounding dejected.
“I’m not ready for marriage. I’m twenty-eight years old. I pictured myself being a lot older before all that, if at all.”
“You haven’t been together long, babe. Just think, this time next year you might feel completely different.” Lucy shrugs. “It might be exactly what you want.”
“Am I a bitch for telling him no?”
“Yes,” Megan says at the same time Lucy and Scar say, “No.”
“Helpful, girls, thanks.”
“Sorry,” Lucy mutters. “I think it’s lovely that Mason is already so sure. He’s a smart bloke.” She gives me a wink.
“Hmm, maybe.” I hum, silence falling over us as we lie back and watch the guys in the water.
“What’s it been like at the house, Scar? You doing okay?” Megan asks.
She shrugs, not giving us her eyes and focusing on the horizon. “It’s fine.” She pauses. “It’s a big old house for just me.”
“I can imagine,” I muse, hating the idea of her out at the house on her own.
“I won’t ever leave, though. It’s home, you know.”
“I get it,” Lucy tells her. “Mum and Dad could easily go out and buy a bigger, better house, but it’s home. It’s where they brought us up, and it’s what they’ve made it now.”
The way she says ‘us’ makes my chest warm.
“Yeah, exactly that.” Scarlet smiles sadly, burying her feet deeper into the sand.
“Right, who’s coming for a dip?” Megan jumps up, clearly trying to lighten the mood. Scarlet is rarely anything other than happy and excitable. It’s hard to see her anything less than her vibrant self.
“Heck, yes!” she says, pulling her lavender hair up into a bun as she stands, then jogs off with Megan to the sea.
I sit with Lucy as we watch them in the water together.
“Easy view, huh?” She nudges my arm, smiling out at the gods before us. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen four men so physically fit—playing with their balls out in the ocean. Didn’t know I needed it.” She waggles her brows at me.
“I’m just watching the sunset.” I defend myself, and she giggles.
We fall quiet again as we watch Megan trying to climb onto Scarlet’s shoulders. They stumble, almost making it, but then fall, splashing back into the water with a screech.
“I wasn’t surprised, you know,” Lucy mutters.
I turn my head and catch her frown, her eyes still on the water. “You think that you’re a certain way. That you always leave.”
“Well, I have run out on Mase at every opportunity so far,” I remind her.