36. Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Five
Scarlett
Okay, that’s got to be a new record. I don’t think I’ve screwed up a twin swap this quickly before.
Sapphire was right not to trust me. That was her instinct and she ignored it.
As usual, I persisted until she agreed, all because I desperately needed to prove I could do this one thing for her, to make up for all the other times I’ve messed everything up.
Now that feels like a joke.
When do I ever not mess everything up?
Why did I think this time would be any different?
This was a crazy, stupid plan and I’ve already started to fuck it up.
Classic Scarlett Faris.
You can take any girl out of trouble, but you can’t take the trouble out of the girl who jumps first and thinks later.
I think one of my middle school teachers coined that one.
It followed me around for sure.
And no matter how hard I try, it always seems to ring true.
I was the girl with trouble living inside me, and now I’m the kind of woman who lets one hot man make her forget she’s supposed to be helping her sister.
Ugh! I suck. No wonder Saph hates it when I ask her to trust me.
Letting out a sigh, I glance back at the jet.
I’m standing a few feet away from the steps I came down to exit it, hands still covered in sunscreen, trying to get my head screwed back on the right way while I wait for Trick to finish creaming himself.
God, I can’t even think about him without making it perverse.
I wipe the sunscreen over my forearms, rubbing it in to get it off my fingers.
I’m still all hot and bothered from massaging Trick.
It’s like being an overly horny teenager all over again.
He was so full of desire before I even asked to put that cream on his body.
His eyes practically screamed yes before he gave me the bottle.
He wants me and I know it, and it feels so damn good …
But this isn’t on him. He didn’t make a move on me.
I’m the one who overstepped, and it can’t happen again.
It’s not something Sapphire ever would have done, and I’m supposed to be her, and I seriously need to remember that and ignore the horny devil on my shoulder from now on.
Easier said than done.
I walk a few more steps away from the jet, toward the beach.
I can still feel Trick’s desire, even this far away from him, and it feels like drowning in honey.
It tastes so damn good that I don’t want to escape.
Let that sweetness wash over me.
It’s too good to ignore …
But that’s the impulsive, reckless Faris twin talking.
I’m supposed to be mild-mannered and professional.
I don’t know how Sapphire does it.
I always forget how hard it is to be her.
Of course, it doesn’t help that I’m basically stranded on a desert island with my idols right now.
That would be enough to tempt anyone.
I was tempted, and I got a little too close to the fire.
His desire is what pulled me in, sure, but I’m guilty of reading his emotions in the first place.
That isn’t something a woman who’s trying to hide her Omega side should ever be doing.
It’s one thing to notice subtle signs of attraction, it’s a whole other thing to feel what someone else is feeling, so clearly and loudly as if the emotions were your own.
I need to stop doing that. It’s not smart.
Especially since they all seem to be into me.
“It’s okay,” I murmur softly. “You’re all good. Nothing happened.”
If I take away the feelings, it was perfectly innocent, and that’s how it needs to stay.
Nothing happened, and nothing’s going to happen.
No matter how long you’re stranded here.
I can’t help but laugh.
It’s too funny.
If we’re stuck here for more than a day, I’m toast.
These men are way too hot to ignore for much longer than that.
So, here’s hoping the jet is fixed this afternoon, I guess.
I take in a deep breath, finally feeling a little more normal and a little less aroused.
That’s a good thing considering I can hear Trick coming out of the jet.
I turn slightly to see him coming down the steps onto the grass, black shirt replaced by an oversized white T-shirt.
Huh. It doesn’t not suit him, but the fit isn’t quite on point.
He gives me a wry smile. “I stole this out of Riley’s bag.”
I guess he knows it looks a bit too big, even if he was going for that look.
He’s feeling all kinds of awkward now.
I’m not picking up on any lingering lusty feelings at all, and it’s kinda disappointing.
I give him a few minutes to finish creaming himself, and he’s no longer feeling it?
Either I’m losing my touch, or I’m giving off way too much of a prim and proper vibe in this ensemble. The dress fits nicely, don’t get me wrong, but it’s got to be the most boring thing I’ve ever put on my body. There isn’t even a nice side slit on the skirt or anything.
“It looks good on you,” I tell him, not wanting him to feel awkward for dressing appropriately for the weather. He looked a million times better topless, but that’s not a thought I should be having. A T-shirt might not match his usual aesthetic, but nothing about today has been usual.
“Well, it’s too hot to wear a dress shirt, and at least this is white.”
He grimaces as he folds his arms, unfolds them and then uses one hand to tug at one of the slightly rolled up sleeves. If he’s feeling like a fish out of water because of his clothes, he’s not the only one.
I can’t help but smile. “I’ve worn stuff that wasn’t exactly me plenty of times. You get used to it. It’ll be worth it not to be so warm.”
He laughs, his shoulders relaxing just a little. “Yeah. Well. We’ll see what Riley has to say about it. He’s not used to sharing his stuff.”
Yeah, Riley doesn’t really seem like the sharing type.
Too bad we’re in a situation where we might have to be more sharing and caring, at least until we know when we’ll be getting out of here.
“I’m sure he won’t mind,” I reassure him.
He snorts. “You don’t know Riley. But it doesn’t matter. Let’s get back to the beach before they send a search party.”
I nod in agreement and we walk toward the beach together.
I guess when it comes down to it, I don’t know Riley, really, or any of these guys.
But if one thing’s for sure, by the time I’m done here, I’ll know all four of them a little better than I did before. That’s the whole point of an interview, and there’s not much they’re going to be able to hide from me while we’re stuck out here together.
All I need to do is stop myself from get tangled up in their feelings.
We’ll see how easy that is soon enough, I guess.