She chuckled and squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll bring you some cheese and crackers.”
“I really can go get it myself, Mom. You don’t have to wait on me.”
“I want to,” she said with wink as she left the room.
I again reveled in how lucky I was, most people would kill to be my shoes. Even if I was still unemployed.
Chapter 2
Reece
I beamed at the compliment from my best friend. I had bought this dress yesterday in anticipation of this barbeque she was taking me to. At first, I had told her no – I didn’t want to go to some social thing, I wasn’t ready. But Claire, being Claire, had talked it up so much, she now actually had me excited and nervous to go. I swear that girl could sell a person oceanfront property in Kansas if she wanted to.
“Seriously, girl, the green in that dress makes your eyes really pop, not that you need it, but still,” she said, looking me up and down. She pointed at my flowered flip-flops. “However, those shoes are a no-go. I have some strappy white sandals that would look better.
She turned her back and began rifling through her massive walk-in closet.
“You said this was a barbeque. I don’t think heels are appropriate for –”
“Ah ha! Here they are! You’re a size seven, right?”
Relieved, I said, “Nope, an eight.”
She frowned and looked at the strappy white sandal, which had a small heel on it, and then grinned in triumph. “Well it’s your lucky day, these are a seven-and-a-half, and being that they’re open-backed and open-toed, they will fit just fine.”
Dammit.
I nodded and let her put them on my feet like I was Cinderella. When I stood, I was glad they weren’t as uncomfortable as they looked, and when I glanced in the mirror, I realized she was right. I looked damn good. These shoes made my legs look amazing under this dress.
She gasped and said, “I told you! You love it, and you know it!”
I bit back a smile and looked at her. “Thank you, Claire. You’re a lifesaver.”
He hugged me and then pulled back. “We’re going to have a lot of fun. I’ve been going to this annual thing at the Jenkins’s since – well, since forever. My Aunt Michelle and Uncle Len put on a serious party every year.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Well then how come you’ve never taken me before?”
She had the grace to look a little embarrassed. “Well when I was younger, my parents never let us bring friends. And recently, well, you’ve been a little… distracted by you-know-who.”
I nodded and looked down. Admittedly, I had been a shitty friend for the past four years while I had been involved with my asshole of an ex-boyfriend. I pushed him out of my mind and smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry. I won’t ever be that shitty again.”
She wrapped an arm around me, her auburn curls dancing around her freckled shoulders and said, “Damn right it won’t. I’ll make sure of that. Now, let’s roll.”
My eyes widened in surprise as we pulled up to the biggest, fanciest house I had ever seen. The perfectly trimmed grass was so green, it was almost blinding. Palm trees of all sizes decorated the front yard. They looked lush and green contrasted against the stark white of the house that I could only describe as a mansion. Claire pulled her little black Nissan sports car around the circular drive and parked behind a row of cars. As my shoe stepped out onto the cobblestoned drive, I had to crane my neck to look up at the pillars lining the front of the house.
She rang the doorbell and it recited a fancy chime. I tried to hold still and not fidget in nervousness as we waited for someone to answer the door.
We didn’t have to wait long. A drop-dead gorgeous blonde opened the door wearing a fitted pink and black maxi-dress and holding a cocktail in her hand. Her eyes got big and she leapt onto the porch and wrapped Claire in hug. “You came!”
“Of course, don’t I always?” Claire quipped back.
“Izzy, meet my friend Reece Morgan. Reece, this is my cousin, Isabelle Jenkins,” Claire said, all formal.
I shook Izzy’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” she replied, smiling. “Come on in, guys. Most everyone is here already.”
My heels clicked on the highly polished marble floor as she led us through a massive foyer and into an equally impressive kitchen. An older lady wearing an apron that almost looked like Izzy’s dress was bustling around the kitchen, while two other women her age helped her.
“Aunt Michelle!” Claire said, running over and hugging her.
“Hi, baby girl. How are you?” Michelle asked, pushing an auburn curl from Claire’s face. “I love-love-love your hair. Gorgeous as always.”
“Thanks! Aunt Michelle, meet my friend Reece.”
Michelle smiled at me and lifted a wine glass to her lips. “Welcome. Food and drinks are outside under the awning on the deck. Help yourself to whatever you’d like.”
I dipped my head slightly. “Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins.”
She waved a hand at me. “Call me Michelle.”
I smiled and followed Izzy and Claire out to the back, and had to suck in another breath. The whole thing was just so much to look at. My eyes first darted to the massive sparkling blue swimming pool right in the middle. A Jacuzzi surrounded by flat rocks emptied into the pool waterfall style. Green grass surrounded it on all sides, except for a small stone path which led to the huge redwood deck we stood on. The air was thick and humid but I barely noticed. I really wanted to get into that pool.
There were beautiful people everywhere and I finally understood how the other half lived. Thankfully, all through high school, Claire had never really let on that she came from money. I don’t think she’s quite as wealthy as these people, but she is related to them, and I figured if her dad was brothers with Mr. Jenkins, they probably both were well educated and had some serious cash. Complete opposite of me.
“Claire!”
I turned when a male voice called my best friend’s name and had to recover quickly when my eyes widened at the boy heading toward us. In only a pair of aqua swim trunks, this guy looked like he belonged on the cover of Surfer’s Weekly. Now, I wasn’t sure if that was an actual magazine, but it totally should be. And he should be their spokesmodel. Tanned to perfection, tight six-pack abs, toned arms, a megawatt smile, and blonde hair that did not even move when he did, he bounded over and wrapped Claire in a hug.
“Damn, girl, check you out. Looking good! Long time, no see.”
She laughed. “Don’t get gross, Hunter. And besides, you’re the one who’s been gone. How was college?”
“Fuckin’ rocked.” His eyes darted to me and he looked at me from the tips of Claire’s borrowed sandals to the top of my light brown hair. “And who is this?”
“Hunter, meet my best friend Reece. Reece, my very inappropriate cousin, Hunter.”
I shook his hand, and he brought mine to his lips and kissed it. “Very nice to meet you.”
“Oh good God, now you’re just being a flirt. Not that I expected anything different out of you. Didn’t you get that out of your system in Miami?”
“Hell no. I can’t help myself around beautiful women.” He looked at me again, and I’m sure my cheeks turned three shades of red.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Claire grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the food table. “Ignore him, and don’t even look at him. He’s a player. I was hoping he’d be growing out of that by now.”
I didn’t want to ignore him though. In fact, I found it hard to not look at him, so when I heard a yell, I looked up to see him at the side of the pool, both hands in the air before he back-flipped into the pool with a splash. I shook my head and grinned.
Wow, what a party. I couldn’t believe Clarie’s been going to this thing every year her whole life and I never knew. Well, I do remember in high school her doing family things on the weekends in the summer and we couldn’t hang out, but had I known about this shin-dig, I would have stowe
d away in the trunk of her parents’ car and hitched a ride.
Darkness had blanketed the clear starry sky, and a hot breeze blew as we all sat around under outdoor fans set around the deck. The adults were inside in the air conditioning drinking cocktails, and everyone our age was sitting around outside. By this point, Hunter was sitting right next to me, with Claire and Izzy on the other side of me. Those two seemed to be in a deep conversation about some clothing company they were now suddenly going to open up together, and I tried to listen but just tuned them out. I wasn’t done with college yet, it was taking me longer than four years to complete because I still had to work over 20 hours a week waiting tables to afford to live. I couldn’t tell you how many times I considered going and applying at a strip joint to get school done with faster, but I was pretty sure they didn’t want B-cup sized girls climbing their poles.
“Wanna go in the Jacuzzi?” Hunter suddenly asked me.
I glanced at Claire, and she was still facing Izzy so I shrugged a shoulder. “Sure.”
Hunter set his drink down and put his hand out and helped me to stand. He led me to the hot tub and as he stepped in, I stripped off my dress where my still-dry bikini was underneath. I hadn’t been in the pool all day – well, I’d just dipped in my toes a few times. I don’t know why I was so shy around people.
Smiling in approval, he motioned for me to get in. “Feels awesome in here.”
I toed the water – it was perfect. Lukewarm and comfortable since it was still so hot outside.
I got in slowly and sat on the stone bench right next to Hunter. The jets pulverizing my back felt like heaven. Blue lights shone up from the floor of the thing; it was beautiful.
“Your parents have a really nice house,” I said, looking into his big blue eyes.
He nodded. “Yeah, real nice. My parents worked hard for it.”
My lips twitched at his defensive tone. “I hope I didn’t imply that I had thought they didn’t.”
“Nah, I know you didn’t. But some people are quick to judge. My dad paid for his way through Law School and worked like 80 hours a week when we were kids to accumulate all this. My mom, too, she used to be a nurse.”
I smiled and pushed some damp hair behind my ear. “They seem like very nice people.”
“I can’t complain. I won’t be living here much longer though. Got my own place.”
I nodded, trying not to feel awkward but conversations like this always were when you were getting to know someone. “So what do you do, Hunter?”
“I knew you were going to ask that,” he smirked. “I’m currently jobless, but it’s not for a lack of trying, you know what I’m saying?”’
“You just graduated, didn’t you? What was your major?”
“Criminal Justice.”
I nodded. That – I wasn’t expecting. I pegged him for Business or something equally as boring. “Local P.D. isn’t hiring?”
“Not sure, haven’t checked. Don’t wanna go there just yet. Trying for something with the feds first, or maybe a private security company. I’m just not quite sure.” He swirled his hands into the water and then dumped a handful of foamy water back onto the surface. “Seems like after four years I should know what the hell I want.”
I shook my head. “Not at all. I don’t think a person in their early 20s should have to decide what kind of job they want to work for the next 40 years of their life, ya know?”
“See? At least you get it. Tell that to my parents. They’re giving me three months of rent and utilities paid at my new place, then I’m cut off.”
My eyebrows went up. “Wow, that’s generous. Well, Starbucks is always hiring in case you don’t find something.” I bit back a smile.
He cupped his hand and splashed me, hitting me in the chest and neck.
“Hey!” I said, splashing him back.
“My hair’s already messed up.” He pointed to his head. “A little water isn’t gonna hurt it.”
I personally liked his blonde locks flopped to the side of his head rather than up in that ridiculous Edward Cullen thing he had going on. At least he kept the sides shaved short. It was cute.
“So what about you? What do you?”
“Part time student, part time waitress extraordinaire.”
He grinned, showing me those almost too-perfectly straight teeth. “Nice. Waitresses are hot.”
“Not all of them,” I said dryly.
He scooted a little closer to me and now our legs were touching. His face was not even a foot from mine now. “So what are you a part-time student of?”
“Nursing,” I said.
“Nice! Nurses are hot.”
“Like your mom?” I shot back.
He made a face. “No.”
I splashed him again and this time he splashed me good, soaked my entire head.
“Hey!” I squealed.
He stood up as I was trying to claw my wet hair out of my eyes and then bent down and scooped me up. Before I could even register what was happening, he was standing on the edge of the Jacuzzi where it spilled into the pool and then tossed me in. I let out a blood-curdling scream and then had to move when he dove in after me.
I came up for air in a shallower part of the pool where I could stand and keep my head above water. As soon as I did, I found him right in front of my face.
“I’m gonna kiss you now, Reece Morgan.”
I swallowed hard. “Okay.”
As soon as his lips came down on mine, my body immediately responded to it. His mouth was soft and salty from the water, but there was also something about how he commanded my mouth like he owned it. I definitely liked it. I liked it a little too much.
It wasn’t long until something hard was pressing into my stomach and I gasped at the feel of it. I shouldn’t be so immature, but I guess I was too caught up in the kiss to realize what it was doing to him.
“Fuck you make me hot,” he whispered into my mouth.
“You do the same to me,” I replied quietly.
I quickly looked over to the deck to see everyone still seated or standing around talking, the low chatter and clinking of glasses and the fans drowning out anything we were doing.
Hunter kissed me again and this time, I easily wrapped my legs around his waist and welcomed his hardness as it pressed into my center, pushing back against it as I raked my fingernails through the back of his short hair. He groaned into my mouth and his kisses became more frenzied.
I totally wanted to go inside and let him have his way with me. I haven’t had sex in months – or had it been a year? When did I break up with that asshole? Pushing him from his mind, I concentrated on the sexy man currently kissing me silly in his swimming pool, making me quickly wonder if we should just push our swimsuits aside and just fuck right here….
“Eh hem,” I heard from the side of the pool.
We broke apart immediately and I looked up and saw, to my horror, that Mr. Jenkins was standing there. “Party’s winding down.”
That’s all he said. He turned on the heel of his flip-flops and disappeared with his polo shirt still completely pristinely pressed and tucked into his Docker type shorts.
“Oh, my God,” I whisper-squealed into Hunter’s ear.
He chuckled. “He doesn’t care, don’t worry.”
“It’s too late, the worried train has left the station!”
He laughed again and went to the steps to climb out. “Come on, let’s rinse this chlorine off and then I will drive you home.”
I wanted to tell him that Claire would drive me home, but I realized she was nowhere to be found. Had she left me?
I followed Hunter to an outdoor shower surrounded by three redwood “walls” and we got in there together. He yanked a chain, which caused the showerhead to produce warm water.
“You first,” he said, indicating for me to get under the spray.
It felt wonderful to rinse all that pool water out of my hair and swimsuit.
“You can take off the bikini if you
really want to get a good rinse,” he said, eyes sparkling with mischief in the moonlight.
I bit my lip and said, “You wish.”
He nodded. “Yes, I very much wish.”
I stepped out from the spray and he handed me a towel I wasn’t sure from where, and I thanked him.
He stepped under the shower and did a quick rinse-off.
“You better take some shampoo to your hair, don’t want it to turn green.”
“Don’t remind me,” he said dryly. “After I get back from driving you home.”
I nodded and wrapped the towel around me after squeezing out my long, brown hair. “You sure? Claire is around here somewhere, I think. She can take me.”
He shook his head and shut off the water, grabbing another towel from a stack I just now noticed in the corner. “Nope. She’s plastered. She’s already passed out in the guest room.”
“You’re more than welcome to stay in there with her if you want.” He scrubbed the towel over his dripping face, then wiped off his ribbed abs. Then a smile twitched on his lips. “Of course, you could always stay in my room, if you’d be more comfortable there.”
In a lightning fast move, I snatched the towel, twisted it up, and snapped it at him. “In your dreams. I never want to see that look on your father’s face again, so I’ll pass. But I’ll let you take me home.”
He snatched the towel back out of my hand and proceeded to chase me all the way to the patio door, trying to whip me with it.
Chapter 3
Hunter
I had to help Reece up into my truck. At me being six feet, I never have trouble getting in, but I would bet she barely cleared five-foot four, and needed a little boost in. Not that I minded. Not one little bit.
“Wow, this is a nice truck. Kind surprised though,” she said, baiting me.
I already knew what she was gonna say, but I asked anyway. “Surprised at what?” I used the steering wheel volume control to turn down the music.
“I pegged you more for an Audi or maybe a BMW guy.”
“Not impressed with the truck?” I asked with a grin.
Bad Boys & Billionaires: An Anthology Page 16