by Claire Adams
"What's up?" Derek jogged toward us as I backed up.
"Nothing. We're just tense." I turned to Clay. "Sorry, dude. I'm not going to fuck anything up, alright?"
"Wow." Daniel laughed. "Who are you, and where is our friend? What have you done with him?"
I smirked. "Maybe I'm growing up. Nawww...just not in the mood to explain to the girls why Clay is missing a tooth."
"Just be cool tonight, alright? Don't upset anyone. Can you do that?" Clay barked at me, still pissy over something, but I wasn't going to dig to find out what it was. He could figure that shit out on his own.
"Yep." I turned and walked back toward the fire as I rubbed my chest and watched the flames dance in front of me. I could be completely chill, or so I hoped.
The sound of another boat approaching caused my stomach to tighten as nervousness blasted through me. I glanced down the length of my body, brushing off the sand I'd gotten on me and making sure I looked as good as I could.
The girls’ laughter lifted in the air, and I could pick out the sound of Cora as if she were standing beside me. I turned to watch Derek help her out of the boat and couldn't help but groan. One week. It had been a little over one week, and I could feel myself changing. Why? And, how the fuck did I stop it?
Her eyes met mine, and a cocky smile lifted her lips. One stained my face, as well.
"Don't you look like you're up to something over here?" She walked toward me, and I was grateful that everyone else stayed near the boats for a few minutes. Her white dress looked amazing on her in the firelight, and with her hair down and playing along her shoulders, I could have sworn she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
"I'm always up to something. I'm the black sheep, remember?" I gave her a cheeky grin.
"Where's your friend?" She glanced around as if she really had expected me to bring Veronica.
"I don't have many friends." I moved around the fire to stand beside her. "That girl just needed a ride to the island. Nothing more."
"Right." She glanced over and smiled at me, not showing a hint of jealousy or being upset. "And, the ride including sitting in the captain's lap?"
I lifted my eyebrow at her. "Don't all rides?"
"Not the ones I've been on." She chuckled, and I was surprised by her calmness. Was she upset over Veronica, or did my dealings with other women really not matter to her?
"You've been tricked." I licked at my lips as my pulse spiked. The smell of her perfume rolled over in as the breeze picked up. Vanilla. Clean. Delicious.
"Clearly." She smirked.
"You look good. Really good." I let my eyes run around her face, taking in the intensity in her warm brown eyes.
"Thanks." Her eyes moved down to my arm, and she turned, pressing her hands to my shoulder. "What's this tattoo mean? I meant to ask the last time we were together."
I pulled up the sleeve of my white shirt and glanced down at it. "It's a symbol of brotherhood. It's the sign my fraternity back at Arizona State uses."
"I like it." She brushed her fingers by it and smiled before stepping back and breathing in deeply. "It feels great out here tonight."
"Cora. About the other night." I turned as she lifted her hand.
"No. It's good. I came onto you and overstepped our friendship boundaries. It's okay. Really. It's better that we're just friends. Sleeping together and me breaking your heart after a good night of fucking would leave the rest of the summer a shitty mess." She smiled as if she were good—right as rain.
"You breaking my heart?" I reached out and took her hand before lifting it to my face and kissing her palm. "Actually...that's probably exactly what would have happened."
She pulled her hand back slowly. "Then we'll just have a good time acting like fools while the rest of our friends pretend to have found everlasting love."
I glanced over at the rest of the group who had split off into couples. Couples that looked happy. Thrilled, even.
"I didn't take you to bed because I wanted to be the good guy for once. That shit blew up in my face. It won't happen again." I licked at my lips and bent down, picking up the sticks for the weenie roast.
"You won't be the good guy with another woman?" She moved closer and pulled out the hot dogs.
"No, I won't be the good guy with you again if I get another chance." I pulled a few more things out of the bags before turning to glance up at her. "I just didn't want you to think I was another Brandon, or whatever dude's name was."
"But you are." She smirked and took a few sticks from me before walking toward our friends. "Get over here, you weenies, and claim your...weenie?"
I stood up, ignoring her comment and trying to figure out how the fuck I was going to get fully back into her good graces. My emotions were all over the place and I felt like I might need meds to keep myself on an even-kilter. The warring desire to grab her and force her to acknowledge that the tension between us was still very much there was almost overwhelming. I wanted to be the good guy, and yet... I wasn't sure I could.
"Claim your weenie? Sounds like a fun game we could play in the water later tonight." Dedra laughed as she walked up and took a stick from Cora. Her eyes moved toward me, and I gave her a smile.
"You look very pretty tonight, Dee." I walked around the fire and took a stick from Cora before offering everyone a hot dog and helping thread them onto the sticks for Cindy and Dee.
"You think so?" She turned around in a circle showing off her long legs and shapely arms.
"Absolutely. Do you play ball?" I asked and moved up next to Cora as we started to roast the hot dogs.
"I do. I'm captain of the team back at Arizona State." She smiled.
"No, you're not. How could I have missed that?" I lifted my eyebrow, trying to think through if I'd seen her before. I mostly stuck to the soccer fields with Clay, but I'd been to a few girls’ basketball games over the years.
"She looks a tad bit different with her hair back and all sweaty in her jersey." Cindy laughed and moved closer to Derek.
It was once again odd being the only one around the circle without a girl tucked up to my side. I was almost grateful that Daniel was too much of a puss to move closer to Dee. Otherwise it would have been incredibly uncomfortable.
"She's the best of the best." Cora pulled her stick back from the fire and blew on her hot dog.
"I like the way you blow on that weenie." I couldn't help myself.
Everyone chuckled, including her.
She glanced over at me and smirked. "Well, enjoy yourself. It's the only weenie you'll be seeing me blow."
The group laughed louder.
"Maybe. We'll see." I let my smile falter a little as the image of her on her knees in front of me blasted through me, promising to cripple me.
"You guys are too much." Clay shook his head. "Who wants to tell the first ghost story?"
"I think instead of ghost stories, we should tell stories on each other. I'll go first." Derek smiled and glanced over at me.
"Oh shit...why am I suddenly terrified?" I laughed as he continued.
"So a couple of years ago, Brody here decided that he wanted to try and steal the panties from the president of the Sigmas. It was a feat no man had yet taken on and come out victorious, but this bastard just knew he could do it."
"Hey...let's be fair now." Daniel cut in. "No man had done it before because Danielle didn't wear panties. Everyone knew that."
"Danielle Moore?" Cindy piped up. "I know her. We took a marketing class together."
"I thought you were going to be a chef?" Derek turned from the group and glanced down at Cindy.
"Keep going, please..." Cora begged.
I glanced over at her and let my eyes run down the length of her. She's everything I want in a woman.
She looked my way as her smile reached her eyes. "Did you get the panties?"
"Yep, but I didn't sleep with her." I winked and reached for her hand. "Come on, I'm not in the mood for stories."
"Awww, we're jus
t getting started." Dedra called after us as I pulled Cora down to the water's edge with me.
She took another bite of her hot dog and tugged her hand from mine. "What exactly do you think you're doing? I wear panties, and you can't have mine."
"It's not your panties I want." I tossed my stick behind me. "First one naked and in the water is the winner. You ready?"
"No, I'm not playing your stupid game." She shrugged and took another bite of her hot dog, watching me with a false sense of disinterest.
"Fine, but the winner gets to pick." I reached down and tugged my shirt out of my shorts.
"Pick what?" She reached out and gripped my hand to stop me from taking off my shirt.
"Pick the inevitable. You know...which position we fuck in first." I moved back and pulled my shirt over my head, half expecting her to scoff at me. She had her shirt over her head and was headed toward the water before I could blink twice.
Good. At least I'd validated the one thing I needed to know most: she still wanted me.
Chapter 21
Cora
Damn him. I hated more than anything to lose a battle, and even though my actions would solidify the fact that I knew we were eventually going to end up in bed together, I was tired of moping. I was ballsy and controlling and got what the fuck I wanted out of life, too. He wasn't the only one with game.
Laughter bubbled up out of me as I ripped my top off and stopped at the edge of the water to tug my bottoms down. I glanced back to see him standing there stark naked with his eyes wide.
"Shit. You win; I'll give you anything you want." His voice was airy as he brushed his hand over his chest. His body was hidden by the darkness, but the bits I could make out from the shadows of the moonlight were delicious. Cut abs and thick thighs framed his large cock, which stood erect and ready for attention.
"Fuck," I muttered and turned around, walking into the warmth of the lake. "Come on. I won. Guess what position I choose."
I turned to watch him walk in after me, stalking me like a hungry predator might his prey.
"Tell me. I'm dying to know." He moved into the water until it covered his waist and stopped. "You're so fucking beautiful. Did you know that? I need to apologize.”
"No, you don't." I took a few more steps back and sunk down until the water covered my chest.
"What position, Cora?" He moved closer as voices called at us from the shoreline.
"None." I laughed and swam over to the side a little. "Come on, guys. Feels great."
"Did you guys really just strip down?" Emily picked up my bikini and held it up against the moonlight.
"That's what skinny dipping is." I tried to ignore the nervousness as Brody moved closer to me. He stopped just beside me and turned to look at our friends.
"Stop being chicken shits and come on. You guys wanted this."
I yelped as something nipped at my butt, and I shot out of the water. "What the hell?"
"That was me." He smiled and reached for my hand. "Come here. Let's pretend we're still pissy with each other and that sleeping together is the farthest thing from our minds."
"I'm not sleeping with you. You have a million women.” I yelped again as he tugged me toward him, his body pressing flush against mine. Desire raced through me in thick waves as I reached out and rested my hands to his shoulders.
His strong hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me in tight. "Hush."
"What? Where is this coming from?" I turned my head a little as my heart worked to beat its way out of my chest. I'd slept with plenty of guys over the years, and yet this guy left me feeling like a virgin all over again.
"It's the buildup of a long week of thinking about nothing but you. I fucked up. Badly." He moved back and pulled at my hand. "Come on. Swim over to this alcove with me."
"Brody. You know this isn't good for either of us." I let him pull me along, not really wanting to dive back into whatever was starting between us, and yet not able to deny him. I was interested and wanted to see where it would go, even if it ended with one of us hurt. It was even harder to fight against myself naked in the water with him beckoning me.
"That's why we should just go with it." He released my hand and moved into an open area where the moonlight bathed the water. "I said I was sorry for the other night. I fucked up because I was trying so damn hard to be someone I wasn't."
"The good guy?" I kept my chest under the water and moved toward him.
"No, Cora. That was me at dinner, but by the time we'd gotten to the beach, I'd talked myself out of trying to seduce you. I didn't want you to look at me like everyone else does. I'm a dick, yeah, great, but there's more to me than that. At least, I think there is. I want there to be."
I moved closer to him, unable to help myself. His thick shoulders bobbed above the water's edge, and the wicked smile on his lips left my thoughts diving into depravity.
"So you turning me down wasn't about me not being good enough to take to bed?" I stood up, letting the curve of my breasts touch the top of the water. "I mean, you've taken everyone else to bed from what I hear. Why not me?"
He offered his hand. "Is that a joke? You're the hottest girl on this fucking lake, and I've not slept with everyone on the lake. Almost, but I'm not quite there yet. You showing up kinda thwarted my plans."
"Whore," I whispered as I took his hand and let him pull me toward him.
"Help me change that?" He slid his hands over my hips and up my back, surprising me a little. I half assume he would cop-a-feel the minute he got a chance.
"Something tells me I would only add to-”
"There you guys are!" Emily's voice pulled me from the moment, stunning me a little. I moved back and turned from Brody, almost grateful for the break. I was ready to forgo my promises to keep away from the sexy bastard and just dive in deep, if even for a night.
"Now who's being shy?" Derek laughed and moved through the water with the rest of the group in tow.
"I was hoping to show Cora a different side of my personality. That I'm not just all heat and tension, muscle and manliness." Brody moved up beside me, still keeping his hands to himself.
"Yeah right. We've heard all your lines before buddy." Clay moved to my left and pulled Emily to rest against his side as he glanced up at the sky. "It's beautiful out here. How did we get so lucky?"
"I don't know, but someone must be doing something right." Daniel's voice was nothing more than a whisper.
I reached out and brushed my hand down Brody's arm until I found his palm. I wrapped my hand around his and moved closer as I gazed up. I wanted what everyone else had, I just was choosing the wrong man to have it with. On one hand, it was a good thing, seeing that I wouldn't be breaking tradition, but on the other hand...could I survive a guy like him?
He squeezed my hand under the water and cleared his throat. "What's the plan for tomorrow night? Are we going to the big bash in town or doing something together, just the eight of us?"
"Let's do both." Cindy wrapped her arms around Derek's neck and pressed herself to his back. He growled softly, causing all of us too chuckle.
"I agree. Both sounds fun." Dedra turned to Daniel and smiled. "I'll race you to the dock across the lake?"
"I'm a good swimmer. You sure about that?" He smiled, looking incredibly handsome without his glasses.
"Can you see a fucking thing?" Brody asked, smirking.
"Nope, but there's no need to when I'm swimming, you ass." Daniel moved toward Dedra. "Winner gets to choose where we eat tomorrow night."
"You're on." They took off as we all watched in anticipation of Dedra smoking him.
"Why did he offer something like dinner, and you offered-” I started, but Brody cut me off.
"Because he's a really, really nice guy. I'm just a nice guy." He turned to face me a smiled. "Let's find some place we can talk. Just us."
"And, by talk he means” Clay started, but Emily cut him off.
"Alright, you. Let's go back toward the boats and make out. Stop
cock-blocking." She pulled him away, and Cindy and Derek followed them.
"She's gotten a little more ballsy since you guys got here, hm?" Brody turned to me and smiled, pulling me closer.
I brushed my hands up his chest and stifled the need to sigh at how fucking good he felt against me.
"She's getting comfortable around you guys, which is always a good thing." I slid my foot down the outside of his leg and brushed my hands up to cup his neck. "I'm not sure them leaving us alone is a good thing, though."
"I agree." He moved closer and touched the side of my face. "But there's no point in not taking full advantage of it."
I couldn't think of anything but how good it would feel to have his mouth on mine again, his body pressed against mine.
His hands tightened on my hips as I leaned in and pressed my lips to his.
A groan left both of us, and I opened myself up, inviting his tongue deep into my mouth. As badly as I wanted to wrap my legs around his waist and grind against him, I held back. Fucking in the lake sounded hot, but it wouldn't at all be the experience I wanted for us—at least for our first time. I could only hope that somewhere in the recess of his thoughts, he imagined more than one time with me.
Pull back. You know he's just like Brandon. He even looks like him. He had some chick on his lap a few hours ago.
"God, you're so damn hot, Cora." He kissed down the side of my neck, his lips soft and tongue warm as he lapped at me.
A million images rushed through my mind, most of them fantasies I wanted to play out in the closest bedroom with the sexy bastard.
"I'm not sleeping with you," I murmured and sucked his earlobe into my mouth.
"You're right. There's not going to be any sleeping." He chuckled and pressed his teeth against my neck, causing goosebumps to break out along my exposed skin.