CHAPTER101
Vincent, her man of the moment, seems oblivious. I try to convince myself that I’m imagining it, that he’s merely willing her to stop eye-raping him. I’m being paranoid and stupidly jealous, even though I have no right, but it still causes me to watch them a little too closely, nerves piqued.
“What choice did I have?” Jake cuts in, oblivious, “Daniel would have had us sleeping out there at that rate. Not that he would have minded; Daniel’s always trying to get in the sack with me. The boy’s still trying to deny his feelings,” he jests and swigs at his beer, throwing Daniel a wink.
“It’s kind of heartbreaking to watch him suffer. Unrequited love,” Richard breaks in, stifling a grimace as Daniel slaps his back with a noisy ‘thwap’.
“Fuck you. Both of you,” Daniel retaliates with an annoyed tone and no smile.
“You know when you know, right?” Vincent throws a wink at Daniel too, and three of the four men burst out laughing. Daniel rolls his eyes and gives them the finger.
“Tried so damn hard to let him down gently; he’s just too sensitive.” Jake ruffles Daniel’s hair playfully, chuckling at him.
“I’ve caught him sobbing into his Haagen Dazs a few times when you’ve stood him up, Jakey.” Richard shoves Daniel in the ribs playfully, and they all laugh at their friend.
“He stole my Endless Love CD when you missed his birthday bash last year. Perfect crying anthems on there,” Leila quips in, throwing a huge grin at Jake, yet avoiding Hunter completely.
“I swear to God, you guys better stop with this shit. Even if I was that way inclined, I wouldn’t jump Carrero’s bones. I know where he’s been; I have standards,” Daniel spouts. All of the men turn to Jake with eyebrow wiggles, and he only sneers at them.
“Umm, I think I have way higher standards than any of you three,” Jake defends himself with a frown and a haughty tone.
“Questionable,” Leila says, throwing him a disbelieving look, “but you’ve improved a lot.” She then smiles at me concealing nothing, a big hearty, playful type of smile.
“Leave her out of this,” Jake warns, squeezing me a little too tightly. I haven’t been able to help laughing along with all of them, but things just shifted tone and Jake feels suddenly tense. Mr. Protector unleashed.
“You know when you know, right?” Vincent says again, smirking Jake’s way, and I try to ignore the way all three men seem to look at Jake for a split second, perfectly timed with raised eyebrows and smirking expressions, eerily unified.
“Daniel certainly seems to think so.” Jake makes kissing noises, releasing me to haul his friend into a head lock and plaster his cheek with wet, noisy assaults.
“Fuck off, you creep.” Daniel fights as everyone snorts in laughter, everyone except Marissa. Her straight-faced, bitchy self has been observing the exchange with nothing but boredom this whole time, but she seems to change tactics as soon as the men settle down and Jake puts his arm back around me, back to his previous position.
Marissa pouts at Jake sexily and I bristle.
Back off, señorita. Get a grip and take a hint!
“Admit it, you’ve been planning the Hunter-Carrero wedding since you were just a little girl. It’s kind of sweet really,” Jake teases, prodding Daniel with his beer bottle and receiving a one-fingered salute as a response.
“You’re riding dangerously close to a Hunter-free existence,” Daniel retorts, “then we’ll see which dude is crying into his Haagen Dazs. We all know that Mr. Smooth Carrero has the biggest man crush on me.” Daniel picks up a beer, mimes throwing his hair back like a woman, and flutters his eyelashes.
“In your dreams, pretty boy. I’m hoping for a threesome with the twins.” Jake winks at Vincent and Richard, who throw on matching ‘eww’ faces. Everyone laughs, even Marissa this time, and then she goes and ruins the atmosphere by biting on her lip suggestively again and making direct eye contact with Jake. She’s practically screaming, “Take me.” I hate her!
I turn my head into his chest softly, unsure why I feel like I should be sending her messages. Jake just seems to adjust his hold so I can move in and lay my head against his neck comfortably. His arm moves further around to accommodate me and he switches his beer bottle to his left hand so it hangs in front of me. His other takes my empty cocktail glass from me and puts it down. He doesn’t falter, just continues talking to his buddies as though my snuggling closer is the most natural thing in the world for us. I listen to the steady, strong thud of his heart under his shirt, enjoying the solid muscle under my cheek. None of the group seem to even acknowledge the way we are cuddled up together, or the way he slides towards me to allow me to get even closer to his torso.
Now they’re talking about some trip last summer, and I lose any interest in it as soon as I realize that Marissa had been there too, and not with a guy in tow to occupy her. Again, a look on her face is aimed at Jake, and I assume its meaning is to rekindle a sexual memory.
Had she been his hook up on that trip? God, please, tell me no.
I shake the thought away, nausea rising with a sharp pain in my heart, gulping down my instant fury.
The waitress comes with a tray, laying down another round of drinks on the canopied table. Jake hands me a fresh cocktail with his free hand, his mouth lingering close to my temple longer than necessary as though he’s watching me, or simply feeling my hair against his face. Maybe I’m imagining it, but I like it, the gentle intimacy.
The cocktail tastes amazing; I’ve no idea what he ordered for me this time, but it has a tropical coconut flavor and I could drink it like juice. He has a knack for buying me drinks that I really like, always varying them so I don’t get bored with them. He knows me a little too well.
He lets go of me as he bends down to look at a picture on Hunter’s cell which he’s holding out, some past memory they’re all discussing, and I feel strangely lost. His sudden departure from my body makes me realize that I was only happily listening to this group the way I was because of him. He always grounds me and makes me comfortable wherever we are, and I forget that I am out of place.
I tense as I catch Marissa gazing up at him with doe-eyed innocence and a suggestive part of the lips. She’s seriously ruining my calm. He pauses and sees her glance before turning his head back to me with a quick smile, straightens back up and returns his arm around my shoulders. This time, though, he pulls me in tightly and kisses me on the side of my face quickly and firmly. I experience an instant rush of warmth and satisfaction at his touch, and equally at Marissa’s frosty scowl. I guess he’s sending her a message telling her to back off, and I’m reaping the rewards. I can’t say I mind, glad to be back in his arms, back to safety and warmth.
“You’re very quiet; want to go back to the boat?” he asks softly for my ears only, his eyes on mine, the restaurant around us fading away.
“Yes, please; I’m so tired. It’s been a long day,” I smile faintly, but I know I should say, “I’m actually really drunk, and I’m probably going to fall over or pass out.” Truth is, I just want to get far away from Marissa and her silent messages across the table. She’s like a thorn I can’t pull out, and I am so over her.
“Oooh, party on the boat,” Leila chants and jumps up, impressively bouncing her boobs while all male eyes immediately follow, and it causes me to dig Jake in the ribs with a mock “Hey!” to get him to behave. He gives me an apologetic shrug and grin.
Casanova Carrero, what will I do with you?
Men! And their inability to let an opportunity pass for looking at a decent cleavage, even if it’s someone they are not screwing."
